# Old Lady Names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2008, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100 "2008-12-14T06:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/21 "2008-12-14T10:20:11Z")
Eulah Beulah Agatha Martha (this had a mild resurgence a while back) Hetty Clarabelle It’s going to be interesting in a few decades to see the “fad” names of my youth-- Crystal/Krystal, Jacqueline, etc.-- become old lady names. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/22 "2008-12-14T10:21:08Z")
> [@Rhubarb](#): > > Lenore (maternal GM) > Lottie Ellen (paternal GM) > Cora > Agnes > Cloris > Beryl > Ruby > Opal > Pearl > Beatrice > Ida > Dolores > May A double whammy: I had a grandmother named Ida Pearl. And I’ve known an Elma. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/23 "2008-12-14T10:29:57Z")
I know some older ladies with the names of: Myrtle Annabelle Cletus Yolie Matilda ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/24 "2008-12-14T11:39:06Z")
I don’t see anything “old ladyish” about Sylvia, Betsy, or Lyn. And Dolores is common in Spanish-speaking families today, though they might refer to her as “Lola.” I think the old lady quality one perceives is a subjective view of one’s relatives. But Nevaeh is definitely not old. It’s just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/25 "2008-12-14T11:43:31Z")
I didn’t bother reading the many listed, so sorry for doubling any, but I work in a nursing home and I could give you a few of my most common ones: Audrey Beatrice Regina Bertha Rosella Florence Edna Eva Simone (I know several Simone’s in my own age group, but it was very common at one time way back, I guess). Iantha And for guys… I guess the only one I’ve heard of that was slightly notable for me was Maxwell, I got a few of those, and Clarence. Leo came up a couple times but probably not statistically relevant. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/26 "2008-12-14T11:55:01Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > What time period do you have in mind? The names of old ladies change just as popular names for the young change. > > I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman actually named Drusilla. And I believe the most common spelling is Esther. How could you forget Gladys? > > Some old lady names are making a comeback! Isabell, Isabella, Rose and Ella are popular again. Sarah went away for a while and made a well-deserved comeback in the 1970s and 1980s. Grace and Anna are good. For a while the name Samantha was big. When I was a kid, only old country women were named that. Absolutely, many names make comebacks. [Top names for baby girls in England & Wales, 2007](http://www.statistics.gov.uk/specials/babiesnames_girls.asp) - Grace, Ruby and Olivia make up the top three, and even Daisy is in there. I lose track of the number of Matildas, Tillys, Eleanors and Ellies I teach. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/27 "2008-12-14T12:14:18Z")
**Dorothy May** , **Jean Maree** , **Joyce Helen** and **Marjorie Vera** were my grandfather’s sisters, daughters of **Martha Lydia**. **Jessie Rose** , **Dorothy Jean** , **Lillian Agnes** , **Hetty Isabel** , **Marjorie Hazel** and **Shirley Moree** were my grandmother and her sisters, daughters of **Jessie**. **Myrtle Alice** , **Thelma Maude** , **Nancy May** , **Glenda Margaret** and **Pauleen Ann** were my pop’s sisters, daughters of **Gertrude Frances**. Jean Fanny, Lennice Isobel and Emily Fahey were (and are) my nan and her sisters, daughters of **Alice Pearl**. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/28 "2008-12-14T12:26:50Z")
Beryl Magda Augusta Henrietta The thing with old ladies is that they’ll probably go by some sort of nickname anyway: Dolly Flossie Sadie JoJo that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/29 "2008-12-14T12:30:32Z")
Another name which seems to have dropped out of favour is Selina. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/30 "2008-12-14T12:32:47Z")
No love for Prunella? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/31 "2008-12-14T12:41:11Z")
My grandmothers were Juliana and Mary. My mother and mother-in-law are Loretta and Mary Jane. MIL’s sisters/SIL’s are Mildred, Vera, Barbara, Edna, and Patricia. My aunts include Stella, Veronica, Clara, Jennie, Eleanor, and Genevieve. Those are the old lady names in my life. Only 5 are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/32 "2008-12-14T13:30:18Z")
My grandma’s name was **Geneva.** Her sister was **Arzie**. My other grandma’s name was **Rosario**. ---
**Author:** ![Sami41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sami41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sami41)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/33 "2008-12-14T13:48:24Z")
Joan. Or Marion. but especially Joan. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/34 "2008-12-14T14:25:30Z")
Queen Victoria’s daughters were: Victoria Alice Helena Louise Beatrice Victoria is not old lady. Alice is somewhat old lady at least in the US where Alyssa seems to be the current preferred form. There are three of them in DD’s kindergarten grade. Helen definitely strikes me as old lady as does Louise and Beatrice. Queen Elizabeth has two granddaughters named Louise and Beatrice but in the US the more preferred forms (when you find them at all) are Louisa and Beatrix. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/35 "2008-12-14T14:31:58Z")
[Here](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager) is the baby name wizard. It shows what names were popular during what year. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/36 "2008-12-14T14:32:43Z")
Though they aren’t quite from the Old Lady era, at least in my estimation, my Mother’s name is: **Rona**. And her sister’s name is: **Lenore**. My Nana, their Mother’s name, was: **Elsie**. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/37 "2008-12-14T14:44:06Z")
My grandmothers and great-grandmother had the trifecta of little old lady names: Edna, Irene, and Mabel (although she went by Marie). ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/38 "2008-12-14T15:12:02Z")
Ruby Pearl Mabel Irene Ardell (step grandma’s name) Darlene Deborah Ruth Ida May Bernice Mavis Helen Beatrice Pauline Marjorie Dorothy Shirley (very common for little girls in the 1930s) Norine Dorine Maxine Not all of these are exclusively older, but I tend to automatically think senior citizen when I hear them. I hear Eleanor is popular in UK now for little girls. That hasn’t happened on this side of the pond (although my brother’s name, Carter, has become hugely popular now). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/39 "2008-12-14T15:23:32Z")
I once dated an Arlene. Would hate to tell you how old she’d be now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100/40 "2008-12-14T15:29:43Z")
Cool. All of my mom’s sisters’ names have been listed: Eunice, Gwendola, Beatrice, Ruby, Beatrice, Beulah and June I was looking at senior class group photos at work the other day. Classes that graduated in the 50’s had many names that I wouldn’t think of as “old” but that aren’t popular anymore: The class might have only 15 students but there would be two of these: Karen, Sharon, Patricia, Barbara, Marilyn, Linda. So I guess those names will be “old” someday. I think Edna is one name that won’t ever make a comeback. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-lady-names/477100.md?page=3)