Give me your gross baby girl names!

[Guest]

You know, I read variations on this all the time - don't name your kid Alf, the kids will tease him. Don't name him Milo, or Noah. Don't name your girl Myrtle or Gertrude or any other name you like. But don't give those same kids popular names either!

 

It's all silliness. Unless you name your child something really, really outre, like Hitler or Moon Unit, their peers won't think it's anything strange. Adults listen to these names and think "That's an old lady name" or "That name belongs to a stripper" or "That's a weird name!" or "That's the name of a dumb character from that dumb TV show when I was a kid*", but kids just hear "That's my friend" or maybe "That's that kid I don't like". They don't know which names are "old lady names" (and when they're grown, it is YOUR name that will be an "old lady name") or "stripper names" (another thing which varies from one generation to the next) or "weird names" (ditto), and as for old TV shows - well, have they ever seen those shows? Why would they?

 

* Can't avoid this. You might give your kid a perfectly normal name and then a TV show or movie airs when they're six or seven and forever more people call them a mermaid or ask where their twin is.

Yeah, it’s true. And naming culture changes extremely quickly now compared to when I was born when it took ten years for names to rise and fall in public awarenesss. When we first told people we were considering the name Mason, it was still in the realm of the unusual; one relative got a smells-bad look on her face and said, “Kids will call him a Mason jar!†But within six years of naming our kid Mason, it moved to the #2 most-popular boy name in my state. So apparently the name sounds good to a lot of people and I don’t think anyone has serious used “Mason jar†to try and insult him.

 

And when kids want to insult you, it doesn’t matter how beautiful or weird your name is. I was called “Dan-smell!†at times. But I doubt many people think “Danielle†is an ugly name. Kids bent on teasing me also make a rhyme from my last name that ended in “flat-as-a-bench.†So, yeah -not much you can do about your last name.

 

Having said all that, though, I’m not really a super-big fan of “gross†as the adjective the OP used, but meh - it’s her post.

 

P.S. also, when I wanted to use the name Lydia for my baby, I was nervous about it because that is a very old name (Biblical) and I expected some people would think it was terrible. My other two kids had “modern†names. But I loved it and DH loved it and a dear friend of mine said she had thought it was beautiful through her pregnancies, but only had boys. I am so glad we chose that name. Although that baby did not survive, I still cherish that name and think it is truly the name that was meant for her. So I think in some ways, the child becomes the name. You can ask God (or the Universe) what the name should be and in the woo-woo corners of my mind, I believe you will just “know†the correct name.

[Guest]

I think kid names all sound lovely after a while of knowing a kid.

 

But I do have a story -

 

My husband advised his colleague to not tell anyone his child's name before it was born so they wouldn't criticize it. His colleague was Dutch and named his kid (not kidding) "Rover", which we found pretty bad since it is a stereotypical dog name.

What's worse, we learned later, is that in Dutch, "Rover" means "robber".

 

What was he thinking???

 

ETA: I know an Agnes, Willa, etc and they all are as sweet as the kids after a while.

I do think it is better to ask around about potential names, rather than saying nothing to avoid criticism. People could alert you to an actual drawback you were unaware of and then, at least at that point, you can decide if it matters to you. So, for example, I knew someone who was considering “Steven Tyler.†People pointed out the Aerosmith (band) connection; she had not known about that. She changed the middle name. But another family might decide, “well - I don’t care.â€

[freesia]

Esther, Naomi, Ruth, and Miriam are all popular. Also Eleanor, Lydia, and Evelyn. Oh, and Lyla.

Yes, I know more than one of all of these except Miriam (which is my favorite).

[freesia]

You know, I read variations on this all the time - don't name your kid Alf, the kids will tease him. Don't name him Milo, or Noah. Don't name your girl Myrtle or Gertrude or any other name you like. But don't give those same kids popular names either!

 

It's all silliness. Unless you name your child something really, really outre, like Hitler or Moon Unit, their peers won't think it's anything strange. Adults listen to these names and think "That's an old lady name" or "That name belongs to a stripper" or "That's a weird name!" or "That's the name of a dumb character from that dumb TV show when I was a kid*", but kids just hear "That's my friend" or maybe "That's that kid I don't like". They don't know which names are "old lady names" (and when they're grown, it is YOUR name that will be an "old lady name") or "stripper names" (another thing which varies from one generation to the next) or "weird names" (ditto), and as for old TV shows - well, have they ever seen those shows? Why would they?

 

* Can't avoid this. You might give your kid a perfectly normal name and then a TV show or movie airs when they're six or seven and forever more people call them a mermaid or ask where their twin is.

I agree. I have friends who recently named their daughter a name that we would consider an old lady name. The older generation cringes. My kids reaction? Oh that is a beautiful name, I love it.

 

I don't understand why Mildred was so popular (other than the cute nickname Millie-and my grandma used Mid instead). However, it must have sounded great to the late 1800 crowd.

 

Phyllis is another old but popular choice.

[Word Nerd]

I don’t think any of these names are gross.

Edited November 11, 2017 by Word Nerd

[Hyacinth]

Virginia

Erma

Isabelle

Alberta (Bertie)

Linda

Patricia

Florence

[Sarah CB]

I really think Dorcas cannot be revived. It just has too strong of an affiliation wih “Dork.†Mildred might be the same because of “-dred†sounding like dread.

 

I do see potential in Norma and Alma and maybe Eunice. I think those names have a good potential to sound fresh within the next five - ten years. Perhaps not even that long.

 

Other “old†names (I can’t really call a name that someone, somewhere thinks is pretty “grossâ€) that do seem to have come-back potential:

 

Maude

Mavis

Florence

Nellie

Ruth

Eileen

 

 

 

Isn't Nellie short for Eleanor?

[freesia]

Isn't Nellie short for Eleanor?

Or Ellen in my family.

[Andromeda]

A couple of years ago I taught a class with a Champaigne and a Tequila. Seriously. Those were the legal first names.

 

 

[Wheres Toto]

I was named after both of my grandmothers who were born between 1910 and 1920 so I guess I can't deny they're "old lady" names.

 

Dorothy Anna

 

In my family, we also have:

 

Kathleen (goes by Kaye)

Frances

Lillian

Ellen

Connie

 

[unsinkable]

Connie has been mentioned more than once...I love the nickname.

 

I've known 2 Connies:

 

One was a Concetta and one was a Constance.

 

The funny thing is Constance married someone whose surname had the same first 6 letters as Constance! :lol:

Edited November 11, 2017 by unsinkable

[I talk to the trees]

Eugenia (Genie)

Euphemia (Effie)

Talulah

 

One of my great grandmothers was named Hattie (no, not short for Henrietta, just Hattie).

[luvbug in Ohio]

I always loved my great-grandmother's names, one was Alice and the other was Bonnie. If I'd ever been blessed with a daughter, she would have had one of those names. I also like Virginia, Ruby, Clair, Ellen, and Violet. My middle name is Lorraine, I always liked that too. My grandma's name is Mildred, but she's always gone by Millie and since she's the sweetest grandma in the world, of course I love that too.  

Funny memory. With my last pregnancy we were tossing around names. I was considering Adrienne, because I remember a sweet older lady by that name from church, and plus I just love it. But my dh was like no way, people will go around saying "Yo Adrienne!" like the movie Rocky.  Turns out he was a boy anyway, so no Rocky impersonations here lol.

[Guest]

Isn't Nellie short for Eleanor?

I think, and maybe for Elizabeth, too, but of course, a lot of names that began as nicknames morphed into names in their own right. Like Molly. Or Jack.

[Lorien]

Verna

Zelma

Irma

Nancy

Henrietta

Francy

Pearl

[knoxinsox]

I pulled hard for a Frances or Mildred or a Liza.  We ended up naming my daughter Leila Grace.  I would have loved a little Millie Grace or a Liza Grace a Liza Frances. (Double names are popular here in the south.)  Husband didn't like the name Liza, Elizabeth might have been ok, but her initials would have been EGG and then I didn't like it. We were arguing over names til my water broke.  

 

Mildred was my grandma's name and Leila was my husbands grandmother's name--actually spelled Lela. The other great grandmother's names were Susan and Alvira.  

 

Also, I must have gone to church with a lot of hipsters, but there are all sorts of old names used....Ruby, Nora, Oliver, Addy, Miriam...I even know a little Goldie.

[SebastianCat]

I think all this older siblings naming babies is funny.

When I was a teenager, my mom was having my youngest sister, which was horrifying enough when you’re 16. Then she was insistent on naming the baby Olivia. I thought Olivia was a terrible, ugly, horribly old fashioned name, and eventually I prevailed and the baby was named something else(a truly lovely name, too). The argument went on for months before my sister’s birth though. My poor mom had her heart set on Olivia and I thought it was just an absolutely awful name for a baby.

 

Fast forward about sixteen years, when I gave birth to my own daughter.

You should have seen the look on my mother’s face when I handed her my Olivia.

I did the same thing!

 

When my mom was pregnant with my sister, she had names picked out.   I was insistent (in the days before ultrasounds and knowing baby's gender ahead of time) that it WAS going to be a sister and her name would NOT be Laura (my mom's choice) but instead would be Cindy.   When my sister was born, my mom took one look at her and said, "She doesn't look like a Laura - she looks like a Cindy."   So at 5 years old, I was responsible for naming my sister.

 

What name did DH & I keep coming back to when I was then pregnant with my own DD?   Of course - my DD's name is Laura.

[KarenNC]

Pulled from our family tree (hopefully no duplicates from above):

Adaline, Agrippa, Albertine, Althea, Amarinta, Appollonia, Arbesean, Artemesia/Arthemise, Arthesha

Barvais, Bersela, Bessie, Bibianne, Blanche

Cecilia, Clementine, Clorina

Dentina, Dinah, Dionicia, Dolsa

Easter, Elefare, Eliesheba, Elmina, Elodie, Elvira, Eula/Eulalie, Euphorsine, Evadean, Ezell

Fancy, Fanny, Flovilla

Glendora

Hepzibah, Hilda, Honorah, Huguette, Hulda, Hypatia

Iola

Jacoby, Jennet, Judah

Kissiah

Louvinda, Lucretia, Luelsey, Lurina, Lutetia, Luzella

Magnolia, Mahala/Mahalia/Mahaley, Malvena, Marcella, Matholine, Melvina, Minna, Mittie, Morena, Mourning, Myra

Narcissa, Neomia, Nettie

Odell, Olive, Ora, Osithe, Ottillia

Perrine, Pharebe, Phillippa

Rhoda, Romie, Rozilla

Sabina, Sabra, Salida, Samala, Seba, Seluda, Semilla, Senoth, Serepta, Suda, Sukey, Sybele/Sybilla

Tabitha, Tamar, Tappahanas, Temperence, Theo, Tirzah

Ulsey, Unity

Vada, Veola, Vergie

Walpurga

Zada 

 

[Reefgazer]

Ida, Irene, Pearl.

[zejh]

Agnes was a name I was going to consider for our baby, except our older daughter made it very clear early on what she wanted to name her (her choice was less "old-fashioned" than Agnes, but actually a name you don't hear of for anyone under 30 or 40... We liked her choice.)

 

Beatrice/Beatrix is something I wish I could have used, but our last name starts with S... Initials get in the way sometimes.

 

I think there's a lot on whether names are "nice" or "icky" that depends on context. My grandfather changed his name (which had been the same as his father's) as an adult because he didn't like his old-fashioned name. We gave the older name to my son, and it's trendy enough now that we run into other boys with the same name at least monthly. Another bit of individual context: I recall reading another conversation about "old-fashioned" names, and the names Ruth and Mabel came up. I've done a fair bit if Gilbert and Sullivan, and if you know anything about Pirates of Penzance, you probably know that Mabel is the beautiful young soprano, and Ruth is the 47-year-old overbearing nursemaid... Anyhow, on the message board, the names were just together randomly, and someone said that Ruth was a cute, young sounding name, but Mabel sounded like an old lady's name... I guess the moral of the story is you can't always predict what people will think. (I've met someone under age 40 from the US who wasn't familiar with my name... Emily.)

 

I'm still really undecided about baby names. Awhile back I ran a thread about virtue names but I still don't know about the ones that I have left. I've only got a month left so I need to get cracking! Anyway, I've got a fond affection for really old school names that everyone thinks are gross. Ultrasound says that we're having a girl. So give me your "gross" girl names that badly need revival. Here's a few to get you started:

 

Gertrude

Dorcas

Mildred

Eunice

Enid

Beulah

Beryl

Agnes

Alma

Norma

[Bluegoat]

It's so funny, I love a lot of these names.  Even Dorcas.

 

Anyway, my thoughts were Petra, which someone mentioned, and Ursula, and Morag.  I've got one of those myself, and considered both of the others for my girl babies.

[Bluegoat]

If I think about the older generations of my family the names are Dorothy, Eva, Evelyn, Augusta, Grace, Alfreda, Janette.

 

 

[Pippen]

I don't think all of these are gross, but I went through my family tree and here are the names that are uncommon, at least in my neck of the woods.

 

Lucretia

Velma

Georgella

Eugenia

Williampe

Letitia

Hazel

Beola

Viola

Euphamy

Mildred

Cordelia

Frances

Madge

Florence

Evelyn

Lourana

Augusta

Leora

Emmaline

Opal

Ida

Bernice

Myrtle

Zella

Blanche

Olive

Isobelle

Alta

Louella

LaVon

Lelah

Verda

Thyra Mae

Eudora

Talitha

Nora

Hattie

Pearl

Fern

Thalia

Rhoda

Alva

Gladys

Eunice

Elba

Verna

Nadine

Iva

Sophronia

Ethel

Junia

Lena

Mabel

Lovenia

Melba

Beatrice

Alvessa

Elmina

Alverda

Vivian

Celestia

Leta

[musicianmom]

Vivian (or Vivienne) is getting trendy again.

Margo, Edith, and Agnes are the 3 little girls from the Despicable Me movies, so look for those names to make a comeback.

I know a 10yo Mabel, a 9yo Olive, a 7yo Nancy, a 2yo Evelyn. One of my FB friends has a Petra.

 

I say go ahead with any “old-fashioned†name you want. To me the gross names are the trendeigh ones (spelling for snark).

[Rosika]

I don't if it's just that my extended family has a handful of babies each year, or what, but a lot of these names ring familiar to me :) I'm related to, or know kids through my relation to, most of these names - except for Dorcas. I'm also Catholic, so it's not unusual to hear those that are also saint names (e.g., Agnes, Ursula, Bernadette, Dolores.)

 

My only daughter's name was mentioned in several posts. She's 12. At the time we got a lot of push back about her name, but it's been steadily climbing the charts ever since. I often see it mentioned in name polls (though it's less frequently chosen, this tells me that it's becoming more of a socially legit option.) I just looked it up and it was in the #1700s the year she was born but is in the #300s today.

 

OP, I don't think any of the names below are "gross" but I get your sentiment. I think the following names would get a lot of push back by Joe & Jane Citizen because they're too far left of the old-fashioned name trend. These names feel more appropriate for those trailblazers in the baby name game (and/or anyone with a personal attachment to the name.)

 

I second the suggestions for these.:

Ursula

Beverly

Doris

Myra

Edna

 

I don't think I saw these, but maybe they're not "old" enough:

Marilyn

Donna

Marion

Isadora 

 

Naming is such a fun, but stressful, part of bringing a child into the family! 

 

I loved reading about siblings naming younger siblings. I laughed at the two of you who rejected a sibling's name, only to use it years later. I wonder what your siblings thought, if they were glad you stepped in or if they would've liked the name after all! 

[Insertcreativenamehere]

Shirley

[Rosika]

My mother's name is Dorcas. I'm not kidding. 

 

I've often gotten the "huh" response when I give my mother's name. I've had people accuse me of making it up. 

 

My mother would tell you not to name your daughter Dorcas. :)

 

It's so unfortunate that this name has become linked with the idea of "dork" because for anyone familiar with Dorcas in the Bible, it's a lovely story and association! 

[Maus]

I've always liked Enid. I think I read a book with a lovely character by that name when I was a child.

My mother's favorite author when she was a child was named Enid Blyton.

[Maus]

My grandfather's sisters were named:

Vina

Iona

Velora

Zelpha

Letha

Elma

 

I always thought their mother, Minnie, made them up, but when I googled them, most of them showed up.

 

[MaeFlowers]

I haven't seen Gladys mentioned. It was my grandmother's name and my great grandmother. I loved them both so much.

 

Others I can think of that I don't think have been mentioned:

 

Elsalee

Lavonne

Flora

Verma

[kewb]

I'm still really undecided about baby names. Awhile back I ran a thread about virtue names but I still don't know about the ones that I have left. I've only got a month left so I need to get cracking! Anyway, I've got a fond affection for really old school names that everyone thinks are gross. Ultrasound says that we're having a girl. So give me your "gross" girl names that badly need revival. Here's a few to get you started:

 

Gertrude

Dorcas

Mildred

Eunice

Enid

Beulah

Beryl

Agnes

Alma

Norma

 

My grandma's name is Mildred and she is 105, so it equals longevity.

I know a Dorcas and she is a lovely person, so nice name.

Agnes, I always think of the movie Agnes of G-d.  Sorry, Agnes.

 

Names I love and others hate:

Beatrice

Margaret

Josephine

[greenbeanmama]

I must be in a really weird subculture. The vast majority of names shared here, I know at least one, often several girls/ladies with those names. And not all of them are my grandma's age!

[Guest]

My grandma's name is Mildred and she is 105, so it equals longevity.

I know a Dorcas and she is a lovely person, so nice name.

Agnes, I always think of the movie Agnes of G-d. Sorry, Agnes.

 

Names I love and others hate:

Beatrice

Margaret

Josephine

I LOVE Margaret and Josephine. We were going to use Margaret if DS12 had been a girl. And my niece is named Josephine, though she goes by a nickname.

[Guest]

I must be in a really weird subculture. The vast majority of names shared here, I know at least one, often several girls/ladies with those names. And not all of them are my grandma's age!

Yeah, me too.

 

I can’t really imagine many names that would actually make me think, “gross!†Except maybe something like Snot-Head or Hitler or Donnella Trumpette. But just picking from names that are still in a nursing home doesn’t seem like a deal-breaker to me, because a lot of people do that. (A LOT.) I grew up with a middle name that, at the time, was still an old lady name, but now is quite popular and sounds normal or beautiful to modern ears. (Lillian.)

[Zuzu822]

I'v thought it was strange that more people don't make the connection to the Bible story. I won't come out and say the name but DD is named for my mother but with the other version of the name. Very few people make the connection between my DD's name and my mother's name. I guess people aren't that familiar with Bible stories anymore.

I’m sorry to say my first association with Dorcas has always been the Salem witch trials. 🙈

 

Now that I’ve googled, I will say I’ve always been fond of the other version, however! 😊

[KungFuPanda]

It's so unfortunate that this name has become linked with the idea of "dork" because for anyone familiar with Dorcas in the Bible, it's a lovely story and association!

When people can get that same lovely association by naming their daughter Tabitha, most choose that version.

[Tanaqui]

Not that most people name their daughters Tabitha either. I don't know about you, but I hear "Tabitha" and think either "cat" or "witch".

[Storygirl]

A couple more that I don't think have been mentioned.

 

Martha   (name of my MIL and my grandmother)

Matilda   (I have a 2 year old cousin with this name)

Glynis   (I had a boss with this name and had never heard of it before that)

 

Which makes me think of these:

Gwen

Anita   (another boss with this name)

Neither of which have an old-lady connotation for me, but which are no longer common.

 

Also,

Marlene

Maybelene

Annabelle

Edited November 12, 2017 by Storygirl

[Kareni]

If I had had another girl I would have called her Joyce after three of the nicest old layers I have ever met

 

 

This made me chuckle.  I'm guessing your three Joyces were not chickens!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Tap]

A couple older names I can think of, that I don't think were mentioned, are Avis, Eide and Luella. 

[KathyBC]

Abigail

Agatha

Brunhilda

Donalda

Erma

Helga

Olga

Regina

Winnifred

Edited November 12, 2017 by KathyBC

[KathyBC]

You can find more by reading the obituaries. ;)

I was thinking a walk through a cemetery. 

[KungFuPanda]

Not that most people name their daughters Tabitha either. I don't know about you, but I hear "Tabitha" and think either "cat" or "witch".

 

I didn’t mean most of ALL the people naming babies. I meant most people considering either version of that name.

[KungFuPanda]

What about Valerie? It’s never old or new. It’ll never be in the top 10. It’s not common, but still normal enough that people can spell and pronounce it easily.

[HS Mom in NC]

Oh man. When you said gross I was thinking of the urban legends ... yeah. 

 

So, anyway. There are some that I think are very dated but quaint and charming. Of the ones listed I'd go with Beryl, Dorothy, Glenda, Maude, Ruth (seriously, if I had a dd that would be her name), Edith, Gwendolyn, Hester, Winifred, Phyllis, Harriet, Moira. Other ones that I happen to like would be Adelaide, Rose, Pearl, Clara, Grace, Evelyn, Marjorie, Judith, Constance, Priscilla, Lydia, Genevieve, Rosalind, Lillian, Gillian, Jessamine. 

 

Then there are some that are just plain dated and I don't really see them making a comeback. Edna, Gertrude, Dorcas, Eunice, Enid, Bertha, Helga, Agatha, Agnes, Ermentrude, Mercy, Silence, Keziah, Mehitabel, Edwina, Sophronia (Phronsie!), Theodosia, Lettice (everyone would call her lettuce!), Griselda, Bathsheba, Eulalia, Eglentine, Petronella, Scholastica, Elfreda, Etheldreda, Godiva, Urith. 

 

Mercy is my middle daughter's name.  Another local homeschool family has a Mercy.   Her pediatric neurologist had another patient with the Hispanic versions of her first and our last name close in age to my daughter so we had to be careful because they pulled the wrong file and we got the other girl's at one appointment. 

 

The name Mercedes was a popular Hispanic name for girls in the 50s and 60s around here and Merci is a common nickname for them.  That's why a member of my quilter's guild has that name and I'm betting the other patient whose file got pulled for my daughter's appointment was given that name in honor of an older relative or as a retro Hispanic name.

 

[scoutingmom]

That's how my sister got her name. She was named Amanda instead of Julie or Julia (they were still arguing discussing that one). When I was 9, Julie/Julia was the ugliest name I'd ever heard, so I got to name her.

 

Also, my sister's childhood friend was almost named Dorcas. The dad gave the mom the choice of Dorcas or Lydia. I mean, really, is that even a choice?

I suspect he really wanted Lydia

[kiwik]

I really think Dorcas cannot be revived. It just has too strong of an affiliation wih “Dork.†Mildred might be the same because of “-dred†sounding like dread.

 

I do see potential in Norma and Alma and maybe Eunice. I think those names have a good potential to sound fresh within the next five - ten years. Perhaps not even that long.

 

Other “old†names (I can’t really call a name that someone, somewhere thinks is pretty “grossâ€) that do seem to have come-back potential:

 

Maude

Mavis

Florence

Nellie

Ruth

Eileen

 

Maybe Lois, like Lois Lane. Actually, that one is not hard to imagine at all.

 

My grandmother was supposedly going to be named Gertrude, but her sister (Nellie) suggested that that name was ugly and she should be called Elsie. Elsie is a pretty terrific name and I’m guessing that is already on the come-back trail since Elsa in Frozen.

 

ETA: homophones!

I know at least two children called Florence.

[tuesdayschild]

I'm still really undecided about baby names. Awhile back I ran a thread about virtue names but I still don't know about the ones that I have left. I've only got a month left so I need to get cracking! Anyway, I've got a fond affection for really old school names that everyone thinks are gross. Ultrasound says that we're having a girl. So give me your "gross" girl names that badly need revival. Here's a few to get you started:

 

Beryl

 

 

I know a young woman named Beryl, she is beautiful inside and out!

 

 

A few more fashioned names (which are not gross!):

Gwendolene

Verity

Georgette

Paulette

Suzette

Elsbeth

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lea1]

My mom's name was Mozella and my grandmother was Rilla.

[Stibalfamily]

Hazel, I love that name