vintage first names no longer in use today or not popular anymore

[paperlillies]

I do data entry for my job and I get to see a lot of interesting names. Ive even went so far as to start writing down the really neat ones.
Emmaline
Rosalind
Dinah
Della
Mae
Bonita is an interesting name that seemed to be mildly popular in the 1940s for girls.
Laurel is my middle name and I always thought it had a pretty old fashioned sound to it

The one Ive heard that I can say I really wouldn't consider would be Clothilde.

 

[Miss Moonlight]

I love the name Honoria. But no one ever pronounces it correctly, and it ends up rhyming with a social disease. :/

I know a Dinah, and a Mae.

 

[djd]

Honoria - straight out of PG Wodehouse

Love it

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Unity as in 1930s fascist groupie Unity Mitford (full name Unity Walkure Mitford) -- a name that was probably unusual even back then. [huh]

 

[adouglasmhor]

Does anyone know a Douglas?

I only ever met one guy named Douglas in my life.

And no, his last name was not Fairbanks.

Me I am a Douglas it's a pretty common name here, my brothers are Stuart, Colin and Euan.

 

[adouglasmhor]

Talese's first name is an abbreviated form of Gaetano, or so I've been told.

A girl in my high school class was (and still is, presumably) named Gay. The word had at that point not taken on its now most common meaning, at least not in the popular lexicon.

My grandparents were Leo and Hulda, Joseph and Josephine.

There used to be a girls clothes shop in a run down market area of Glasgow called Gay Fashions.

 

[Puzzicato]

So my middle names are Godbold and Lincoln. As a kid I hated my name, now I wouldn't change it for anything. My dad is named after his grandfather, Donald.

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever heard the name Godbold (as a last name)?

It's not exactly a common one is it? I remember a TV presenter in Australia called Cathy Godbold.

 

[dhermann1]

I knew an Honoria once. Lovely girl. Rhymes (sort of) with malaria, right? And I was in a show last year with a girl named Douglas Ann. Yes her first name was Douglas.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I knew somebody in high school who had Gay as a last name.

 

[McVolke]

Just had to add one more...my grandfathers name was Regal and I asked my mom if my grandmother's name was, Hattie, was short form of Harriet and in her case it was just Hattie. Of course to all their friends they were known as Hattie and Leftie (from Leftwhich)

 

[Black Dahlia]

One of my favourites isn't used too often any more, Violet. Hazel, Alice, Lucy, Ivy, Lilly also.

 

[Black Dahlia]

I knew a guy in school named Duncan.

As yet, nobody here has replied to my posts and said: "I knew a guy named Aloysius, he was..."

What about Bertha?

The only person I know named Bertha is my grandmother.

Or Margaret? My aunt.

What about Wilfred? Ain't never met one of those...Although I think it's a kinda cool name.

*waves hand* You've mentioned my name in there....

 

[AtomicEraTom]

While at work, I was pondering the fact that I like the name Lucille. Heard it in a Waylon Jennings song today.

One of my favourites isn't used too often any more, Violet. Hazel, Alice, Lucy, Ivy, Lilly also.

 

[DNO]

I always like the flower names. I've known Rose, Iris, Ivy and Lilly.

My nephew just named his new daughter Enid. A very old fashioned choice...perhaps the name is coming back.

 

[MisterCairo]

^I have noticed that as well, and similarly some acquaintances have given their small children names I used to think of as mainly pet names.
As a teenager I once borrowed a friend's much too small bike to get home, and whilst cycling through a park attracted the attention of a dachshund, who tried to bite my leg. The owners started calling my name, over and over again, which really confused me as I didn't know them, until I figured out that the aggressive little dog and I shared a first name. What a sad day that was!

When I was a kid in the 70s I witnessed a similar incident. My mum was shouting at our dog "Tara" to "COME HERE!", causing much fear in the little girl Tara riding her bike past our house!

My grandmother and her siblings (born 1893 to 1905) were: Josephine Harriet (gran), Ruth, Rose, Eugene, Katherine (known as Kitty) and the one boy, Joseph. My dad was Patrick, his father John. On mum's side, she is Margaret, her mum was born and christened Maggie, and her dad was Thomas.

We have lots of Johns, Michaels, Josephs, Patricks, Margarets and Maggies. Also, Anthony and George. British on both sides, and Catholic on my dad's side, so there are influences there at play.

 

[Almost Vintage]

One of my favourites isn't used too often any more, Violet. Hazel, Alice, Lucy, Ivy, Lilly also.

I think Lilly is making a comeback. I know several toddlers/baby with that name. I also know of a baby named Lucille (called Lucy), but that sure isn't a name you hear often.

My own girls are Rhonda and Amelia (but we call her Millie)

 

[MikePotts]

My father was Wlfred (Wilf usually), his father too, and my mother was Norah, although she only used the 'h' on official paperwork!
Not too many George's around but my son is one,


MP

 

[Miss Sis]

Does anyone know a Douglas?

Yes. My friend's 30 year old brother is called Douglas. I'll admit, he's the only one I can recall meeting of any age.

And I also have a friend called Duncan who is about 37 now.

I was going to say that you rarely hear of little girls being called Sarah anymore. I went to school/ballet with several and then suddenly it has dropped out of popularity. Richard has also gone the same way.

I work in children's nurseries (I temp, so I see lots of children) and here in the UK there is definitely a leaning towards old fashioned names for both boys and girls with a few out there ones just to throw you. The latest one I thought ??? over was a girl called Posy. I guess as in a posy of flowers but I think it's a bit unfortunate when you think of the slang meaning!

 

[hatophile]

I think Lilly is making a comeback. I know several toddlers/baby with that name. I also know of a baby named Lucille (called Lucy), but that sure isn't a name you hear often.

My own girls are Rhonda and Amelia (but we call her Millie)

I like the name Amelia, like Amelia Earhart.

 

[Marla]

Does anyone have examples of gender-neutral vintage first names? Almost all of the names mentioned so far are gender-specific, so I'm wondering if they exist.