Should we choose names for our children that will sound cute right now, or names that will sound cute 20 years from now?
I was named Emily in 1981; my parents caught it on the upswing. Nationally, it was ranked #29 the year I was born. However, it didn’t become common in my state until a few years later — the only other Emily I knew was a friend’s younger sister.
Of course, now it has climbed to #1, a spot it has held for the last 12 years. Looking at it one way, it’s nice to have a name that people still like 27 years later. Despite its commonness, I still get compliments on it, and lots of people say it is one of their favorite names. Another advantage to its current popularity is that my name will be more dated to my children’s generation than to mine. I like to think that will always make me seem a bit younger.
It can be hard to predict future name popularity accurately. We don’t know, of course, what movie character will give us the next Madison or what starbaby will become the next Ava. But there are some things we can predict. Since names tend to become popular in approximately 100-year-cycles, the names of our great-grandparents’ generation often appeal for our children.
If you want to be a trendsetter, instead of turning to the names of 100 years ago, consider looking only 60-70 years back and choosing one of these ahead-of-the-curve names. They’re not quite fashionable yet, but in 20 years, there’s a good chance they’ll sound cute and current. Of course, since your child will also have to wear the name now, I’ve carefully selected the names on this list to be ones that could still appeal now, though they might be surprising choices for a baby.
Try to get past the motherly/grandmotherly feel of these names. Picture them on a cute little girl with pigtails. See, they work, don’t they?
- Diana, Cynthia — Classic moon goddess choices that won’t stay out for long; they’re insanely pretty
- Sylvia — An appealing, silvery, woodland fairy sort of name
- Gloria, Joyce — Positively exuberant
-
Theresa — The least popular it has ever been, but too classic not to resurface
-
Anita — This Spanish and Finnish Anna-diminutive may succeed Anna and Annika
- Ruth, Esther, Susanna — When parents tire of Abigail and Hannah, they may return to these biblical classics
- Dorothy — A successor to Emily, perhaps?
-
Lois, Phyllis, Doris — Fashionable Iris and Carys could bring back the S-enders
- Shirley — Miss Temple makes it feel young; Charlotte Bronte’s novel gives it literary clout
- Marjorie/Margery — A sweet nursery rhyme name with the rhythm of Emily
- Carol — Sounds musical and festive
- Nancy — As sweet as Emmy, Lily, and Lucy
- Judith — A biblical name with movie star appeal, thanks to Ms. Garland
And for boys, try to picture these on a romping, stomping toddler:
- Philip — Sleeping Beauty’s handsome prince
- Gary — Kind, happy, and welcoming
- Dennis — Perfect for a saint or mischievous imp
- Franklin, Arthur — The storybook turtle and aardvark lend these names childhood charm
- Edward, Theodore — Still in use, but the least popular they’ve ever been; sure to rise sooner rather than later
- Frederick — Will probably follow Eddie and Teddy back up the charts
- Martin — Has two great namesakes in Mr. Luther and Mr. King
- Laurence/Lawrence — Reminiscent of dashing Old Hollywood star, Laurence Olivier; if nickname Larry doesn’t appeal just yet, try Lore
- Clarence — Strong and judicial; consider using Clay as a nickname
- Warren, Walter — Good Norman names, the first presidential (Warren G. Harding) and the second literary (Sir Walter Scott)
- Gilbert — If the fishy Finn is in, then why not Gil? The best candidate for leading the other “-bert” names up the charts
- Donald, Ronald, Douglas — Handsome Scottish choices; just don’t use the first two together!
- Raymond, Edmond, Leonard, Gerard — As we tire of N-enders, D-enders may come back; Ray, Eddie, Leo, and Jerry make these feel kid-friendly
- Lewis/Louis — Has literary appeal due to C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll
- Ernest – In a few years, we’ll be over the Ernest movies, but Hemingway will still be around
Yes, your neighbors will be surprised to meet your little Sylvia or Walter. But give them a few years, and chances are good that they’ll be following suit!
Oh, I just LOVE the names Silvia (spelt the traditional Italian way, the ‘y’ bugs me) – I’d use it in a heartbeat.
I’m 17 and I know a few girls my age called Esther, Anita, Theresa, Ruth and Susannah.
Most of the names on this list are just lovely! However, I can’t see names like Phyllis, Dennis, Clarence, Lois or Walter making a return. Perhaps I’m biased because I despise this names.
I did hesitate about putting Lois, Doris, and Phyllis on the list. I don’t think they’ll be as easily received as Sylvia or Diana. However, they have good historical precedent (Lois is biblical, Doris is a Greek ocean nymph, and Phyllis is a medieval literary lady love), so that opens the door for them to come back in. I think they have a better chance of returning than, say, Glenda (an invented Welsh name popular around the same time period). Names that materialize out of thin air are more likely to return whence they came.
Oh, this is a neat-o list, Emmy Jo! You know Clarence (with nn Clancy) Arthur & Edward are already on my lists and that I like Martin, Ernest, Douglas, Dennis, Gary & Philip! The girls are where I’m a bit more selective, Margery, Dorothy (as Dorothea) and Susanna are on the lists already, Cynthia’s my “favoritest” cousin the Universe, and I think Sylvia (with whichever spelling you prefer) is next on the list of comebacks! In fact, Sylvia & Marilyn are names I’m starting to see being mentioned a bit more online. Good harbinger for future explosion. I can still remember hearing Emily before the rise. I can recall when the old ladies were named Emily and no one else!
Theresa is one I can’t decide on. I like the sound, in theory and I adore Tess & Tessa as well as Tessie, even. But Threresa? Not yet. I have a ton of contemporaries named Theresa/Teresa and it doesn’t feel vintage enough to me yet. Maybe this is a case of “the nickname comes back first”? Patricia is in the same boat as Theresa to me. All sorts of 40 somethings named Patricia too. Not old enough yet. And we have friends with a little Gilbert (Pop is a Gilbert too). Little Gil is almost 3 now! We also know a grown Walter, who does nothing to endear on to his name. I like Walter for others but not me!
I hadn’t thought of Clancy for Clarence; that’s brilliant. I was just trying to find a way to get around having to call your son Clare.
Theresa is a funny one. For some reason, I always want to lump it in with Elizabeth, Katherine, and Margaret, though it has never been as popular as they have and it has sharply declined in favor recently. Up until the 80′s, I probably would have labeled it a timeless classic, as its popularity varied relatively little. I wonder why it is so “out” now.
Love Diana, Sylvia, Joyce, Theresa, Ruth, Dorthy, Marjorie for the girls. Franklin, Arthur, and Ernest for boys.
What do you think of Sylviana? It has been on and off my list numerous of times. I love the nickname Sylvie. I was thinking once more putting it on my list, perhaps booting it up to near the top.
Sylvia is our current choice for our little one due in a month! I love that it’s so pretty and feminine, nice meaning, long history, but it’s not completely over-used. I think it will fit in on the playground nicely with the little Olivias and Abigails, and will grow well with her and work on an adult. My only worry is the nickname “Saliva” – makes me cringe, but not enough to not use it.
Congratulations! Sylvia is beautiful. Writing this post has made me wish it were on our list. I may have to ask my husband about it. I’ve never heard it being nicknamed Saliva. I’d hope the fact that it’s closer to “silver” than “saliva” would save it from that fate.
Oh, and Bunny, I love Sylviana, too! I just recently started toying with extending Sylvia to Sylviana, but I don’t know if DH would go for it. (And I worry that people would confuse it with the appliance company Sylvannia.)
To Toni and Bunny — Sylviana feels rather fussy to me. While it sounds more contemporary (more likely to fit in with all the little Liliana’s, Juliana’s, Adriana’s, and Eliana’s being born now-a-days), that also makes it trendier. Sylvia is effortlessly elegant, and the extra fluff at the end detracts from that. I think I’d only recommend Sylviana if you’re trying to honor a Sylvia and an Anna at once.
Oh, Sylviana reminds me of another obscure Sylvia alternative that I can’t use because of the length (long last name):
Silvestra
This is the feminine of Sylvester, and I love it. And you can get Silvie / Sylvie out of it. Too be my last name is so long.
I find I’m liking more of these pre-popular names than I guessed. I like Sylvia, Gloria, Esther, Susanna, Dorothy, Doris, and Judith (Judith is definitely growing on me!). Of the boys, I particularly like Arthur, Edward, Martin, Warren, Douglas, Edmond, and Lewis. Curiously enough, I know both a Diana and Cynthia who are my age (they’re both Latino; there tends to be a different name puddle in that community. I also know a Hispanic Oscar, Luis, Porfirio, and a few other uncommon ones I can’t think of now). I also know a young Joyce and Gilbert who goes by “Gil.” Cool, Emmy Jo!
I’d just about die of excitement if I met a little Gil! What do you think of Joyce on a little girl, since you’ve met one? Nameberry has called it a “no baby” name and has put it on the list of names no girl may be cool enough for, but I actually think its very pretty when you get around its dated feel.
You’re right that different cultures seem to draw from different name pools. My sister and I have a lot of college friends whose parents immigrated here from various Asian countries, and they’ve tended to pick names for their kids that are a generation or so behind the times. We have 20-something friends named Esther, Nancy, Joyce, Shirley, and Susan. That may be part of what makes these names sound current to me — when I hear these names, I don’t picture grandmotherly types, but beautiful college-educated young women!
I, as well, am an Emily! I personally don’t understand why it’s considered popular. In my ten schools and three states I’ve lived in, I’ve only met two others!
I’m loving Diana, Cynthia, Theresa, Anita, Shirley, and Carol on the girls’ side; with Philip, Dennis, Lawrence, Clarence, Leonard, and Louis for boys. Coincidentally, Theresa, Anita, Dennis, Lawrence, Leonard, and Louis are all family names, so I might be in luck in the middle-names department!
Emma-Jemma:
Popularity really is region-specific. At the school where I teach now, there are a ton of Emilys in grades 5-8 but I haven’t met any in preschool to 4th grade, even though the name has been #1 nationally for the last 12 years.
It also depends on when you were born. In my immediate area, the name skyrocketed two years after I was born. I remember looking through my middle school yearbook — I was the only 8th grade Emily, there were no 7th grade Emilys, but there were at least six Emilys in 6th grade.
Emily is a great name. It’s not one I’d recommend now to due its popularity, but I think it’s one of the prettiest names to say — its soft lilting sounds are rivaled by few other names. Plus, you’d be hard pressed to find another name that sounds equally sensible yet equally sunny.
Aah I love so many of these! And I can totally picture them on children. I especially find “old man” names charming on little boys.
From the list you’ve presented, my favorites…
Diana
Gloria (And Glory!)
Ruth, Esther & Susannah (What a darling sibset this would make! <3)
Dorothy
Laurence
Clarence
Raymond
Walter (I’m seriously considering adding this to my boy’s list. The nickname Wally is precious too.)
Ruth, Esther, and Susannah would be precious together. I’ve considered using Susannah Ruth as a way to honor my mother-in-law (she’s Ruth Anne).
Walter is one I’ve seen considered recently by several people whose naming style I really respect. Funny, because I wouldn’t have thought it was ready for a resurgence until I saw it on their lists.
Actually, Susannah is one of my favorite names.
It’s one of mine, too!
Very true, Emmy Jo, Sylvianna does feel a tad trendy. I think I will put Sylvia on my list instead. It would be adorable as a sister for Rose, Alice, Hazel, and Mary Caitlín. What do you think?
Yes, Sylvia fits in really well with those other sibling names. I’m especially liking Alice and Sylvia (both feel literary) or Hazel and Sylvia (both feel like color names).
Another great blog, Emmy Jo! Diana for a girl is growing on me – I have a friend named Deanna whose name appeals to me for some reason, although changing a few letters seems to give it a less 80′s-like feel. I’m also liking Martin for a middle name on boys; it seems to flow well with many of the boys’ names I like.
Personally, I think that “grandmotherly” names with cute nicknames are likely to make a comeback. I don’t think that I would’ve been very fond of Theresa without the nickname Tessa, or Margaret without Maggie. I think it’s mostly because the nicknames are different enough from the full names to suit different personalities and stages of life – Theresa and Margaret seem to be beautiful and dignified women, while Tessa and Maggie work for modern teenagers.
I might also suggest Avagail/Avigail – it’s similar to the popular Ava and Abigail – in fact, the name Abigail comes from it – and Ava could be a nickname option. Perhaps parents looking for a less-common alternative will start turning to that in the future?
Avigail is very pretty. I see it as a bit more of a tag-along name than an ahead-of-the-curve name, though. If it enters the charts at all, it will probably be sooner rather than later as parents begin to search for alternatives to Abigail. It’s sort of like how parents looking for Emily-alternatives turned to Emma, then Amelia, and now Emmeline. But they’re all popular now as part of the name naming clump.
You’re right that a fresh, young nickname can help older names like Margaret and Theresa. I think Sylvie’s similarity to Sophie and Gil’s similarity to Max and Finn might help those names make a comeback, too.
I have to say, I really do like Cynthia, Ruth, Sylvia, Esther, Susanna, Phyllis (but I would actually be a bit scared to use it), Judith, Arthur (do quite like “Art” or “Artie” as a potential nickname), Martin (LOVE Martin), and Gerard (a friend’s last name)
I do know a lot of “old folk” with these names, but most of them are my relatives, which seems to cancel out the potential old feel and makes it seem much more homey to me.
I really wonder if it’s a problem that I don’t particularly have a naming style. I like some of the new, some of the old, and some that remind me of someone or something important to me.
I also love some of the old names like Adeline, Agatha (I do like Aggie, but Agnes has always sounded like a word to be for some reason), Beatrice, Henrietta, Helen, Martha, Miriam, Roberta, Ramona, Vera, Wilhelmina, Winifred, and Willa for girls… A ton of these are also from my own family tree, and I didn’t know that they existed until just recently…. I’m also not sure how “old” these names are considered, but they’ve always felt rather old to me. Willa and Vera, in particular, are two that I’ve recently been debating over. We’re in a love-hate relationship, and I can’t quite decide if I should put them on my first name list, or leave them as middle names…
I also actually know little boys named Wade and Wane, and I think they both wear their names wonderfully. Neither of them are names that I particularly love, but I do think they can fit in with today’s society.
To my ears at least, Adeline, Miriam, Beatrice, and Willa seem fashionable now — possibly even Helen, though I don’t think the general public will realize it is fashionable. The others are probably mostly admired among the name enthusiast community, so they’d count as ahead-of-the-curve names.
Glad to see Edward up on here! He’s my 3 year old son!
And Theodore #2 is on the list for our bubby due in September so funny you should mention them together.
I hope your on the money here. I would love to see Edward popular again. He deserves it.
I’d love to see your whole list if Theodore and Ashley are on it. Do you know for sure that it’s a boy?
If they do end up Edward and Theodore, are you going to embrace the Eddie and Teddy thing or shy away from it (with nicknames like Eddie and Theo)?
We do not know for sure that it is a boy.
At the moment I like my boys names more though. They are more within the style of Edward whereas my girls list is full of wild names that we could never use.
And if it is a he, and he is Theodore, I think we might embrace the Eddie/Teddy nicknames. But only problem is what happens if we have another boy?!?!
I’ll email you the full list – (its pretty long)
Freddie, of course!
And I can’t wait to see your email. Thanks!
Did you get my email with our list?
I would love to know what you think of them! Especially the girls. So many names we love aren’t in tune with Edward’s name. At 18 weeks I guess it is not *that* important yet.
I’ve always loved Linda. Can it work, should it work?! I constantly shy away from the issue, yet it would be a perfect honouring name should I stay with my current boyfriend; my mum’s Belinda, his mother and sister both have the middle name Linda. I think it’s really pretty and I don’t really find the ‘dated-ness’ an issue, I just worry about what my peers would think. Come to think of it, though, since I’m at least five years away from having children maybe it will be on the rise by the time I get round to it! Wouldn’t that be a hoot.
I think Linda could work. It didn’t quite make the list because it was still somewhat popular in the 60′s and 70′s. But I think people acknowledge that Linda has a pretty sound. If you chose Linda, I’m not sure it would be so much an ahead-of-the-curve name as a “Trends be hanged! I’m picking the name I like,” sort of name.
If you check the SSA charts, Belinda is actually starting to come back in, probably following on the heels of all the “-bella” names, so that could be an option. I wouldn’t imagine Belinda would ever be hugely popular, since it never made it into the top 100 to begin with, but that could be a good thing.
I just found your blog and I love it!
I am done having kids, but I really like Diana, Gloria, Sylvia, Susanna, Marjorie, and Judith. For the boys, Phillip, Theodore, Martin, Douglas and Lewis.
The rest of the boys’ names didn’t appeal to me much because they remind me of baby-boom names of my parents’ and in-laws generation, and I am more of a fan of the timeless boys names (James, Charles, William etc.)
But the girls’ names sound like they are right on the horizon of being popular again. They have been out of fashion for so long, they sound interesting. It would make my day to see a baby Gloria or Marjorie instead of yet another Kaylee!
Thanks for stopping by!
You know, if I have another kid, I’m considering Sylvia or Louis. I actually prefer Sylvie as a given name, but would consider Sylvia, nickname Sylvie as a compromise, since I suspect my husband would prefer that. I’m not sure because I’m not currently pregnant and haven’t really discussed it except in passing, and he knows I’m obsessed with names so casually mentioning names when I’m not pregnant doesn’t seem odd to him, I said, “I think if current top 10 names, Sophia and Olivia mated, you would get Sylvia, and I can see this becoming really big. But I actually slightly prefer Sylvie. Which do you prefer?”
He thought about it, seemed to struggle, and said, “I think Sylvia…”
But I’ve also found my husband may be ok with some names in theory or on other people’s kids, but be greatly against them for real kids of our own. If I ever got pregant again, he might nix both Sylvia and Sylvie…
But I really think these names on your list may get popular in 5-10 years instead of 20, which is really making me reconsider Sylvia and Louis. I mean my 2 year old is Fiona and I thought it was original. Come to find some name sites consider this an up-and-coming name, and my friend’s brother just had a girl last week and named her Fiona – sigh.
Other names from 50-70 years ago that I think have potential:
Beverly – come on with the trend setting v like Olivia, Ava, Evelyn…
Deborah – this is a solid Biblical classic that will most definitely come back at some point.
You’re right that Sylvia will probably be one of the first on the list to come back. I actually met a family a few months ago with young daughters named Sylvia and Beverly. Well, I didn’t really meet them; we were all flying on a plane together and they were a few rows ahead of us. They had another daughter and son as well, but I wasn’t able to catch their names. I did listen, though, because I was intrigued by their naming style.
I love looking back at the SSA top names from 1920. Some of the names are ridiculous, like Henrietta (sorry, I don’t really see that making a comeback). I think Philip is going to make a comeback. I have met several in the past few years.
I, personally, love old-fashioned names. Ruth, Susanna, and Marjorie are good examples of names that can very well work today. One of my good friends names (who is a teenager) has the full name Suzanna Katherine, and she goes by Anna Kate (like a double name.) I think it’s really cute and original, too.
As for the boys, I think almost all of those could work, especially with the nicknames many of them posess. I think Denny for Dennis, Marty for Martin, or Donnie for Donald would be adorable for a little boy. I know teenage boys my age with the names Arthur and Phillip, and I think those names are awesome (and they’re the only one’s with those names, unlike the tons of Tyler’s and Hunter’s!) My friend’s little brother is named Walter after his Daddy and he goes Walt, which I think is precious.
Oh, and I LOVE Ray on a little boy. (It’s my grandfather’s name, and I know for sure that at least Raymond will be a middle name for one of boys.) When hearing Ray, I picture that adorable little boy played by Jonathan Lipnicki in “Jerry Maguire”. It fit wonderfully on him! I can still definitely see Louis working, as it was Shia Lebeouf’s character’s name in “Even Stevens”, and he played a very young teenager. I also think Ren would be a really sweet nickname for Warren. I still think Douglas is a definite option, as well. My friend’s little brother (who is about seven) is named Paul Douglas, and it fits him perfectly.
Also, my friend’s little sister (who is about eight or so) is named Dorothy and she goes by Dot/Dotty. So cute!
Oh, and when you and ysaxenia were talking about different cultures have different style names, I know what you’re talking. There’s a little Asian girl who’s about nine that lives on my street, and her name is Tina. You don’t hear that one much anymore!
As someone who was given a name from 60-70 years ago, I’d strongly advise against doing so. Regardless of whether it will make you as a parent a “trendsetter,” giving a name that a child’s peers will associate with their grandparents’ generation is a social hindrance. My entire life I have been plagued with the ‘old lady name’ stigma, and to say I’ve loathed it is an understatement. Don’t do this to you kid. Don’t try to be ahead of the curve at the expense of your child being teased endlessly on the playground and silently pitied as an adult. Go with something current, not something that will make your child hate her old lady or old man name.
Great blog! I think many older names like those could be coming back, but the ones I’ve seen the most are Elisabeth and Charlotte. I personally love Charlotte. Carly as a little girl and teen, and Charlotte as a grown woman. I hate the “Z” in Elizabeth, it just really bugs me. I’ve always loved Elisabeth. And I know many Beths, Lisas, and even a Lissa. However, some names that I hope will not be coming back would be Gertrude, Gladys, and Dorian. Those names just make me cringe, especially the nickname Trudy.