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HelpRe: Susan ? (and other names from the 50s)
in reply to a message by Lily8
I think that names definitely go in cycles. Right now all of the names that you mentioned are seen as middle-age names. They were just too popular about fifty years ago, and the women who had those names, when they became mothers, wanted to use something different than the names that their mothers had liked. The names went out of style and became dated.
But once all of the Susans, Karens, Nancys, and Barbaras have passed on, and their great-grandchildren can't even remember the middle-aged and old women who had these names, the names will come to be seen as charmingly quaint and old-fashioned, and some of them at least will come back in style.
I work with a woman who has a daughter born in 1982. She told me that she had wanted to name her Sarah, but her parents and in-laws were horrified by this, telling her that it was dowdy and old-fashioned. That was how Sarah seemed to their generation, but actually Sarah was one of the most popular names during that era. To them it was an "old-lady" name, and they weren't aware of the fact that it was coming into vogue again. I remember how my mother was horrified, in the early 80's, that anyone would name a baby Nicholas. That's probably how I would feel if my grandchild told me he or she wanted to name a girl Carol. It will always feel dated to me, even if I do live to see the days when it will seem retro-chic.
By the way, I have a sister named Pamela, and another one named Linda, and my middle name is Diane. :-D
But once all of the Susans, Karens, Nancys, and Barbaras have passed on, and their great-grandchildren can't even remember the middle-aged and old women who had these names, the names will come to be seen as charmingly quaint and old-fashioned, and some of them at least will come back in style.
I work with a woman who has a daughter born in 1982. She told me that she had wanted to name her Sarah, but her parents and in-laws were horrified by this, telling her that it was dowdy and old-fashioned. That was how Sarah seemed to their generation, but actually Sarah was one of the most popular names during that era. To them it was an "old-lady" name, and they weren't aware of the fact that it was coming into vogue again. I remember how my mother was horrified, in the early 80's, that anyone would name a baby Nicholas. That's probably how I would feel if my grandchild told me he or she wanted to name a girl Carol. It will always feel dated to me, even if I do live to see the days when it will seem retro-chic.
By the way, I have a sister named Pamela, and another one named Linda, and my middle name is Diane. :-D
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