# Old sounding baby names in your part of the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692 "2010-12-10T19:33:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/1 "2010-12-10T19:33:20Z")
I am looking for examples of baby (first) names that were extremely popular 100 +/- years ago, but are far out of fashion now. Not necessarily “bad” names, just names that have gone out of fashion. And I’m especially interested in different parts of the world. For example, I seem to have known a couple of guys around my age (44) from Canada named Allastair. Is that name still in fashion in Canada? It seems kind of old fashioned. For the USA, I think of the following boys names: Elmer Marvin Melvin Herbert For Girls: Bertha Alma Ethel Edith Beulah I’m sure that in 2110, Madison and Tyler will be considered an old-fashioned names… ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/2 "2010-12-10T19:39:14Z")
Per the[Baby Name Wizard](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#ms=false&exact=false) (which is a wonderful online interactive graph - you have to try this thing out), the name Dorothy peaked in the 1920’s and is almost flat now. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/3 "2010-12-10T19:41:23Z")
Oh, and Myrtle peaked in the 1890’s. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/4 "2010-12-10T19:47:00Z")
Boys Names: Toivo Eino Isaac Charles Harold Arne Albin Girls Names: Aili Rose Gladys Irene Signe Elena Elsie Marie ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/5 "2010-12-10T19:51:23Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Per the[Baby Name Wizard](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#ms=false&exact=false) (which is a wonderful online interactive graph - you have to try this thing out), the name Dorothy peaked in the 1920’s and is almost flat now. Funny, I came into this thread to post Dorothy (which happens to be my daughter’s name). My son Howard’s name is also quite uncommon now. You might find [this post](http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2008/1/the-dead-classics-hall-of-fame) (and the comments) from the Baby Name Wizard blog interesting. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/6 "2010-12-10T21:53:01Z")
Mildred. Peggy. Arnold. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/7 "2010-12-11T00:21:03Z")
OP, check out [this site](http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/)(one of my favorites ever) for American data. Among the top 20 American names in 1910, but now comparatively rare for babies and old-fashioned-sounding: George, Frank, Henry, Willie, Walter, Albert, Harry, Arthur, Raymond, Harold and Clarence for boys. Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth, Mildred, Alice, Frances, Florence, Ethel, Gladys, Edna and Louise for girls. > [@ENugent](#): > > Funny, I came into this thread to post Dorothy (which happens to be my daughter’s name). My son Howard’s name is also quite uncommon now. > > You might find [this post](http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2008/1/the-dead-classics-hall-of-fame) (and the comments) from the Baby Name Wizard blog interesting. Howard and Dorothy\* are just over the hump (IMO) - they certainly sound ‘old-fashioned’ and have been uncommon baby names for many years, but they don’t sound awful and fogeyish to most people - probably because there are well-known (older) public figures or fictional characters (The Wizard of Oz will keep Dorothy relatively fresh for a long time yet) who still have these names. Very different from naming your baby Mildred; even though this name has had a very similar trajectory over the past hundred years to Howard, I can’t name a single living person with the name of Mildred, and it sounds both old \*and \*ugly to me. \*love both these names BTW ---
**Author:** ![missyounow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@missyounow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyounow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/8 "2010-12-11T09:24:37Z")
I just discovered this the other day, the Social Security website has a search engine for the 100 most popular baby names from every year since 1880. [Popular Baby Names](http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/) John and Mary were the top 2 for so long, but many others are there too. It was really helpful. It may sound just like Mikayla but I’m extremely particular of the name Mihaela. It sound old fashioned to me, and I heard it in a book but cannot find it anywhere on recorded lists of names. That’s my contribution. =) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/9 "2010-12-11T09:42:50Z")
In the UK, really old names are coming back. I know babies called: Archie Charlie Buddy Jack Rosie Elsie Names that aren’t popular here for boys are the ones used in the late 50s and early 60s: Derek Alan Nigel Clive For girls, the age of unpopularity is a few decades earlier: Mildred Doreen Dierdie _Freakonomics_ has a fascinating chapter on this subject. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Defenestrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@The\_Defenestrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Defenestrator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/10 "2010-12-11T17:37:08Z")
> [@rostfrei](#): > > I am looking for examples of baby (first) names that were extremely popular 100 +/- years ago, but are far out of fashion now. Not necessarily “bad” names, just names that have gone out of fashion. And I’m especially interested in different parts of the world. For example, I seem to have known a couple of guys around my age (44) from Canada named Allastair. Is that name still in fashion in Canada? It seems kind of old fashioned. > > For the USA, I think of the following boys names: > > Elmer > Marvin > Melvin > Herbert > > For Girls: > > Bertha > Alma > Ethel > Edith > Beulah > > I’m sure that in 2110, Madison and Tyler will be considered an old-fashioned names… My daughter’s name is on your list! She was born this year. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/11 "2010-12-11T18:41:38Z")
Eunice Hester Millicent ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/12 "2010-12-11T19:34:48Z")
Add Gertrude and Herman. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/13 "2010-12-11T20:05:02Z")
My grandmothers were named Shirley and Ida. Most people around here in NJ would agree those sound quite old. My grandfathers were William and Nathan. William is quite popular. Nathan and Nathaniel are almost as popular. My husband’s grandmothers were Winifred and Vera. Two more old lady names to the modern ear. One grandfather died before he was born so he doesn’t know his name. His other grandfather was named Thomas. Thomas would be seen as a perfectly valid choice today. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/14 "2010-12-11T20:10:47Z")
Four of my great-grandparents had first names that are currently popular or at least commonly given: Daniel, Jacob, Grace and Emma. My mother was named for her grandmother, Emma and always went by her middle name because it sounded too old lady. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/15 "2010-12-11T20:14:55Z")
Orangello. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/16 "2010-12-11T20:16:37Z")
In Argentina, there are lots of old sounding names that I love, for example: Severo, Segundo, Salustiano, Eudoro, Tiburcio, Aparicio, Edmundo, Jacinto. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/17 "2010-12-11T20:44:01Z")
Sort of an amusing related story. My husband and I both liked old-fashioned girls’ names in theory, but had very different ideas in practice. One night, I was idly flipping through the baby names book, and we had the following conversation. Me: How about Marian? Him: Eh, I’m not a huge fan. What about Muriel? Me: OMG WTF BBQ. That is AWFUL. Muriel? Sounds like a 96-year-old Jewish lady. Jesus Christ, are you REALLY suggesting that? Him: I kinda like it. Me: You’re nuts. So later on we’re recounting this conversation to my mother-in-law. After she listens to us tell the story, she says “You know, I had a cousin Muriel.” She pauses for a few seconds, then continues…“She’d be 108 now if she were alive.” We ended up picking Josephine. There are at least two that I’ve seen in the nursing home where her great-grandma lives. We call her Josie, though, which is a bit more modern. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/18 "2010-12-11T22:22:14Z")
My legal name is crazy Mildred-y/super old school in Indian culture, but my parents have a true talent for sussing out names like that. They named their first child Hemangi, of all things. The only reason my sister has a half-normal name is because they let my aunts name her. My legal name is pretty hideous (and yet, so hideous it’s awesomesauce) but I also narrowly escaped such choice monikers as Ambika, Padmalakshmi, Parvati, Harinakshi, Krishnaa and Gayatri. My ex also had a really old fashioned name, and together we were basically the 20-something (back then) Indian version of Sherman and Ethel. Similarly, I have a beautiful, blonde 24 year old classmate by the name of Mary, marrying another millenial named Albert. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/19 "2010-12-11T23:22:32Z")
I met a woman recently with a two-year-old daughter named Vera. I think that’s old-fashioned and lovely name. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692/20 "2010-12-11T23:32:22Z")
I’m of the Kathy, Jane, Diane, Judy, Barbara, Patricia generation. Just wait until all our tattooed little old grannies are Tiffany and Stephanie. That will seem just as odd as darling babies Amity and Hugo. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-sounding-baby-names-in-your-part-of-the-world/563692.md?page=2)