What are some old-timey names that you think should make a comeback?
By old-timey names, I mean ones that you don't typically associate with anyone alive or younger than like 70.
Examples being:
- Burl
- Mildred
- Herbert
- Agnes
- Evelyn (not as rare at the others, but getting there)
I've always liked the name "Opal" but I've only ever known two in my life. I was like 10-12 at the time, and they were both pushing 90.
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Balthazar 🤌
It's one of magi!
On that note, Melchior would make for a metal af middle name.
I actually went to school with a Balthazar.
His parents were hippies in the 60s and never stopped being hippies.
The name Ea-nāṣir is about 4000 years overdue for a comeback.
When you have bad copper you deserve to be forgotten!
What about Enkidu?
tfw you have to join culture because the sex is too good
Actually had a friend in highschool with that name
I heard he’s in jail for stealing copper.
Agamemnon
Clytemnestra
Doesn't get more classic than that
Gilgamesh
Galahad
Eleanor
Emeline
Emeric
Lancelot
Siegfried
You definitely don't see many people named Lance, but back in the day people were named Lancelot.
Lancel is so hot right now.
More wine, Your Grace?
Lance Armstrong kinda killed it with all his cheating.
Lance Bass might not have done it many favors either.
Underrated pun
I went to a school with an Eleanor, who really embodied her name by being way into the local SCA group, doing ren fairs all the time, and is now a medieval history professor.
She's the most Eleanor Eleanor you can possibly Eleanor.
Artherial legend. Nice.
Eleanor (spelled "Ellinor" here) has definitely made its comeback already, we considered it if we got a girl (got a boy instead) and have since met multiple Ellinors in his age group.
Évelyne is faily common around here still.
Gilgamesh is one I haven't heard in a hot minute, not sure about the comeback though.
I knew a Gilgamesh! Went by Gil.
True. Evelyne Brochu is my age.
Not with that attitude lol. Maybe we can ease it back in as a middle name or something.
Archimedes
I’m fond of “Gwendolyn” but I’ve never met or even known of one, to my knowledge.
I've seen it once, although more recently met a Genevieve which feels even rarer and just as pretty.
I knew a Genevieve in college, and then my son’s best friend in preschool was a Genevieve who went by Jenny (or Geny?) and now my daughter has one in her class, so they’re making a comeback maybe?
Oh! I thought of one, Gwendolyn Christie.
I knew a Gwen in college, but it wasn't short for Gwendolyn. Just "Gwen".
My best friends kid is named Guinevere, is that archaic enough to fit?
I've heard a Welsh musician called Gwennifer.
I think Jennifer, Guinevere are all probably similar just different languages.
Everett
True...
I want people to go by their first two initials, and then the entire last name. Y'know, "H. G. Wells, J.G. Wentworth".
It just makes everyone sound more fancy and serious.
My boss does that, and for that reason. I do like it. Unfortunately, he cannot help me get cash now from my structured settlement.
Funny. I had a boss who thought that use of initials was pretentious. Or maybe I'm putting words in his mouth and it was specifically my use of a middle initial he didn't like. Harry S Truman's name would presumably have given him a headache.
Either way, I countered that having a customised number plate on a car was surely just as bad, to which he had no answer.
Hairy Ass Truman
I have 2 first names and I prefer to go by their initials. I’m so used to it that I sometimes don’t notice when someone calls me by my actual first name.
I'm imagining that your first name is something like Vijay and your middle initial is J, and so no wonder you wouldn't notice.
I'm about to heavily doxx myself so please be cool, but I go by B.E. Moore professionally on account of the fact that those are my initials and last name
Does the B stand for Bizzle?
Yeah, it's Bizzle Erasmus
Evelyn as a man’s name, if you want to be really old school.
My great grandfather's name was Hilary. My nan wasn't entirely impressed when I mention it was a girls name as a kid xD
True. And on the same note, I've known more men named Kelly than women.
I’ve also known more men named Leslie than women
I've known more Leslies than men and women put together
Yves (pronounced 'Eve') as well.
My grandfather's name was Zälly on his German birth certificate, but when he emigrated to the UK, people laughed because it sounded like "Sally," so he changed it to Solly, and eventually Sol.
I also went to high school with a guy with South African parents who was named Kerrin (which sounds like Karen), which I am guessing is less weird in South Africa.
I think Millicent and Winnifred would be cute because you can shorten them to Millie and Winnie
I used to work with a Millie - it was difficult to resolve such a cute name with such a competent engineer. Maybe it shows my biases but I feel like she had to overcome her name
My vote is for Gretchen.
And none for Gretchen Wieners.
As a German I find Gretchen hilarious. Not a name you'd see in Germany despite its origins.
My vote is on Brunhilde, my grandma's name. It's a name only 80+y olds would have, but I like it
I love Elfriede and Ute, too
My great aunt was named Ute, I’ve never seen anyone else (in the US at least) with that name.
Hated it in Donnie Darko.
I saw Jack, and I thought that's pretty common, then realized I've never met a single Jack.
I also hope somewhere in the world there's a gay couple named Jack and Dick.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(given_name)
I know a few Jacks (and a Jaques and 2 Jacobs) and, according to that wiki page, my experience is typical.
Jack was Biz Markie's only young friend
Do you know which Jack is your favourite? You should have a contest determine your favourite Jack. A Jack-Off, if you will.
May and June. I feel like there's a lot of younger Aprils but the other two month names seem like old lady names.
I used to know a woman named April, and her two daughters are May and June. (Both still under age 12.)
Can confirm. I know several Aprils my age or younger, but no Mays at all, and no Junes younger than 70.
Went to university with a lady named (I kid you not): April May June
According to her, her parents thought it would be "fun".
I would guess she is about 50-60 years old now.
There was a joke on Married with Children way back where Bud gets a Valentine's day card from someone with that name. He is suspicious it's a prank from his sister because "those are all works [Kelly] knows".
Wonder if she was named after that episode? Lol
Zebulon -- traditional Biblical name. Maybe still used in Israel, but not many Americans have used it since the days of Zebulon Pike (Pike's Peak) and Zebulon Vance (Civil War era NC governor).
I worked with a Zebulon (of course, we called him "Zeb") a couple years ago. He's in maybe his mid 20s now.
He's teriyaki flavored!
I have a relative named Agnes in her early twenties. Don't do it. I find the Texas A&M jokes to be unbearable and I'm sure I hear less than 10% of what she hears
Mildred, Evelyn, Opal all names of my aunts +3 generations older than mine. Also try Betty as a diminutive for Elizabeth, Gerald, Hank, Errol, Mabel, Jerome, and Cordelia. These all scream white Midwestern US farmer to me.
Errol is most likely to have gotten into a bit of trouble and really seen the world when he was drafted for WWII.
Why is Betty a diminutive of Gerald and Hank? (Among others)
Sorry, I don't understand the connection between Agnes and Texas A & M. I did a quick search, which was less than useful. Can you explain?
"Aggie"
I would say Marceline, but adventure Time kind of kicked that overdue revival into high gear.
The only Marceline I've ever heard of is Marceline Hugot. She played Kathy Geiss on 30 Rock. Yes, this is the second 30 Rock reference I've made in this post lol
Find a spot for another
Kathy Geiss jump scare
How about Wanda. I had an aunt Wanda. She was kinda mean, but she had a lot of boyfriends.
Wanda forever
Wanda Comeover.
Constantine
Mordechai
Itzcoatl
Axayacatl
Axochitl
Bless you!
Those are prescription only
Blessica
cVIIIlyn
Perhaps not as old as requested but
Ronald, Marianne, Cynthia, Evangeline, Melinda, Caesar, Magdalena, Betty, Rosetta, Balthazar, Thadeus, Lazarus, Otto, Bartholomew, Miranda
I went to school with most of the names on that list. Not picking on you, just feeling old. 😆
Haha yeah, I did worry that would happen! Just to clarify I definitely don't think they were 'old-timey', I just haven't personally seen them around in new generations for some time.....
My twelve year old is Evelyn. My 14 year old is Genevieve. Which is apparently still out there but I thought it was pretty uncommon when we named her.
Both pretty names! I'm particularly fond of "Genevieve."
I suspect there are several names no longer common in the US that are more common in other countries. I think "Genevieve" is still fairly common in France, and it's making a comeback in the states! You're doing your part!
The difference being
Jen-e-vive
Vs
Zhawn-vi-ev
A lot of people these days seem to think that "Adolf" should come back.
I am not one of those people.
Edna.
Edna sounds like the Karen of the 20th century
Worse. Ednas were Karens that became managers. Even if they weren't manangers...
Have you heard the phrase "Do you want to speak to the man in charge, or the woman who knows what's going on?"?
That woman was Edna.
No capes!
Any common ancient Roman name. Not enough "imuses" or "cleses" suffixing names.
Kolanakimus Huskerclese
A classics professor goes to a tailor to get his trousers mended.
The tailor asks: “Euripides?”
The professor replies: “Yes. Eumenides?”
Had me in stitches that one.
Was playing Trivial Pursuit with family one time, classics question came up. My brother replied "Pericles". His 10-yo daughter said "Wrong!" He knew he was right & demanded the "correct" answer.
"Testicles." Pronounced to rhyme with Pericles. It was the answer to another question on the card - What is removed from a horse to make it a gelding?
The poor child. Her face as we all screamed laughing. "What?!?"
I find Mildred an ugly name, sounds like it means Mildew but worse. Like the most dreadful mildew.
Opal I think is pretty, that's a good name. As you say you like minerals, Ruby not bad either, my mom had an aunt Ruby Jack, born around 1920.
I did know a baby Eugenia, her parents were Costa Rican and pronounced it closer to Elu-henia than Eyu-henia or you-geenya. I think that one is prettier in Spanish but not bad in English.
Emmett
Myrtle
Beryl
I like that one. I think I just like names that are also minerals.
Utnapishtim.
That's certainly old-timey lol.
Isambard
And Kingdom.
And Brunel.
And My Axe.
And my S-Axe!
My wife liked the idea of Eleanor if we had a girl, I never liked it, but luckily we had a boy, so we didn't have to cross that bridge.
At work, we named the old, decrepit copier Opal in an effort to humanize it and get people to treat the old girl with more love and patience.
Dutch names.
Truitje Fiep Toos Wies (my grandma) Pleun Fons (my uncle) pronounced Funs in South Limburg
A very old-fashioned Flemish name: Veerle. One of the few bad-ass girl names in the Dutch language. It is derived from medieval times, when 'Veerlen' were travelling warrior women. I do happen to know several men named Fons, some even younger than me. I even know a man named Wies (his full name is Aloysius).
Veerle is a beautiful name, rolls of the tongue. if I had a daughter I would liked to have her called Veerle. My Grandma is from a respected French family, I am not sure how she got named Wies, she is a descendant from the well known French Moreau family, married a mine worker, so rejected.
Maybe 'Wies' was short for 'Louise'?
Ah yes, that is it!
My son is 5 and has all but Fiep and Fons in his class, but there is a Fien. Old fashioned names (or variations) are very popular these days... or five years ago.
Bartholomew
Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever known a "Bart" IRL.
But a lot of people named Bort, I assume?
Ruth. You rarely meet Ruths these days.
My cousin named her daughter Ruth (or maybe it's her middle name?) but either way they call her Ruthie lol
I've always liked the name Ruben for some reason and only ever known one that I can recall (whose brother was called Robin).
I also am partial to Ezekiel and they can have Zeke as a nickname which I think sounds pretty rad.
I know a 10-year-old Agnes! And also a 40s/50s-ish Agnes (I can’t guess adult ages well).
Maybe it's regional, then?
The only (non-fictional) Agnes I can recall is Agnes Moorehead from Bewitched. Guess it hasn't been a popular name around me for some time.
Bort
Gertrude...who goes by Gertie
Thaddeus, Ulysses, etc. I liked that people used to name their kids after figures of the ancient world.
Gaylord
Godfried
Roland always sounded cool.to ne.
Roland was a warrior. From the Land of the Midnight Sun. With a Thompson Gun for hire. Fighting to be done.
Cthulhu
Middle name F'tagn
I must be in a weird spot because I know 3 different Evelyns under the age of 8.
Yeah, I noted that one as the oddball. Based on replies here, it's definitely a regional difference. In my area, it's all but extinct under the age of 60.
It's definitely just those kids and super old folks, I don't really know any in-between
Gladys
Roy. Ol'roy
Ebenezer, or Eben for short
Neez
Neez nuts
I work with a Burl (short for Burlin) and he's probably pushing 70...haven't seen any Horaces around lately, though. For a lady, Constance.
Vivien / Vyvien
Modern version would be Vyvyyn.
Tamsen
Dick
Every time I hear "Verna" I think of Jenna's mom on 30 Rock played to perfection by the late Jan Hooks.
I've always liked the old anglo saxon names like:
We just get stuck with plain ol Ethel and Alf.
Thought this was @[email protected] for a second
Wuduweard
Thurl (as in Ravenscroft.)
Trollip
Thaddeus
Probably not Adolf.
How about Gaylord?
Definitely not Adolf lol
Re: Gaylord (and my 4th 30 rock reference in this post)
I always liked the name Woodrow, but I hate the nickname Woody, so it's a bit of a wash.
Hiram.
My friend has little sons named Ray, Malcolm and Ernie. It suits them immensely to have these old man names and they are so adorable.
Ira
I know a couple younger dudes named Ira (35yo or less). Still sorta popular among Jewish circles, and not even both of the Iras I know are of Jewish origin so it seems others still use it too.
Papageorgio
Orpheus, Raphael, Hepaestus, Karlach, Orin, Sylvanus, William, ...
oops
Not surprised to see nobody recommended bringing back Wilfred
Knew a Wilf once and he was a complete dickhead
But he was the best Doctor Who companion.