Are these names totally dead?

lm45678 · October 2015

Girls names from when we were young... Ashley, Stephanie, Courtney, Kristin, Britney, Jennifer, Jessica are they totally done for?

My husband likes Ashley, he likes like ee or eigh spelling which is a totally different story all together! But what would you say if you met a toddler which one of these name?

Asking more out of curiosity then for actual use but very interested on input!

wassuphoes · October 2015

Totally dead? Of course not. Girls names tend to trend much more extremely than boy names. All the Ashley, Jennifers and Brittneys are now having kids, and they generally don't want to use the name's they grew up with.

Ashley is still in the top 100, but given how when in its hayday there were 40k baby girls named it, now that less than 4k are given that name it feels like it's disappeared.

It's not my favorite, but I wouldn't side eye a (spelled right, none of that -we or -leigh endings ) toddler named Ashley.

jessilee15 · October 2015

I kinda like the 80s throwback names. Current favorite is Sarah. I think they'll be back in the next generation for sure

kayway85 · October 2015

As a Kristen, I have to say, it's been ages since I met a little girl with my name. I grew up with so many christys and Christians and Kristins, it's bizarre that I literally never meet anyone under the age of 18 named some Chris- derivative. Last time I checked Kristen was in the 400s in popularity, and when I was named Kristen it was 38! None of these names are biblical or classic, but I think some of them will see a resurgence in popularity in fifty years or so.

Jessica is also weirdly popular in Australia. Amy is on the rise in the UK. It's funny how other western cultures slowly cycle through other countries popular name choices (like Emma here in the US presently)

I actually really like the name Ashely but I'd never use it because it know so many! Too many personal associations for me.

lm45678 · October 2015

wassuphoes said:
Totally dead? Of course not. Girls names tend to trend much more extremely than boy names. All the Ashley, Jennifers and Brittneys are now having kids, and they generally don't want to use the name's they grew up with.

Ashley is still in the top 100, but given how when in its hayday there were 40k baby girls named it, now that less than 4k are given that name it feels like it's disappeared.

It's not my favorite, but I wouldn't side eye a (spelled right, none of that -we or -leigh endings ) toddler named Ashley.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that no daughter of mine would be Ashlee or Ashleigh!

Ashley Jane is sort of nice, just haven't heard it in YEARS!

LNic5 · October 2015

My sister is an Ashleigh, so not a name I would use for obvious reasons (and I'm not a common name type of person anyway, not weird, but not super common). I wouldn't side eye a toddler with a name like that...maybe be a little surprised as its not really the norm these days but it's not side eye worthy

lcq5504 · October 2015

My 2yo DD's name is Jessica, and that's one of the big reasons why we picked it, because it became uncommon with the newer generations! I thought it would be nice to minimize the likelihood of multiple girls with the same name in class as she grows up. I have known some lovely Jessica's, but at this point I don't know any under 30...and as for the other names, I rarely hear them as little one's names either. I think they're all great names, but would stick with the Ashley spelling.

Latina211508 · October 2015

My name is Courtney. I'm 24. I grew up with a lot of Courtney's in my school. But now I never hear that name at all. I don't know any little girls with those names. Only adults older than myself. I actually hated my name growing up because it was so common.

brie_and_almonds · October 2015

I wouldn't side-eye it yet. I did side-eye an elementary-school aged "Judith" who I saw at the zoo though. Probably would do the same if someone named their baby "Debra" or another 50s/60s "mom name."

Of course these will be grandma names to my kids, so my great grandkids will probably have them.

paytonpedro · October 2015

I think these names are like the newer Tammy and Karen's. They're easy to date. That being said, even though I wouldn't use Ashley- for other reasons altogether- I also wouldn't side eye. Jessica nn Jessie was actually a favorite name of mine and on my list for a long time.

bbiutmcph · October 2015

I wouldn't side eye an "80's name' it's just very much nms to use. Especially as a Jennifer of the 80's. I tend to dislike names that were trendy and popular when I was a kid. If I met a little Ashley or Jennifer or Britney etc I would just be taken back a little and surprised but I would take it over Kinley, Tenley, Henley etc.

lm45678 · October 2015

Thanks guys! I guess my question is really is Ashley the Harper of the 80s? To me these names sound so normal because I grew up with them, but I haven't heard them in awhile!

My list right now is:
Ava
Ella
Sophia
Amelia
Eloise
Charlotte
Madelyn
Savannah
Bridget
Avery
Olivia
Leighton
Logan

bbiutmcph · October 2015

laurenm2123 said:

Thanks guys! I guess my question is really is Ashley the Harper of the 80s? To me these names sound so normal because I grew up with them, but I haven't heard them in awhile! My list right now is: Ava Ella Sophia Amelia Eloise Charlotte Madelyn Savannah Bridget Avery Olivia Leighton Logan

Ashley is what Avery is now. So you could say Avery is the new Ashley. Masculine name turned trendy on girls in a massive popularity way. I LOVE Bridget and Eloise! Popularity aside, Ava, Ella, Sophia, Olivia and CHarlotte are beautiful.

lm45678 · October 2015

bbiutmcph said:

laurenm2123 said:

Thanks guys! I guess my question is really is Ashley the Harper of the 80s? To me these names sound so normal because I grew up with them, but I haven't heard them in awhile!

My list right now is:
Ava
Ella
Sophia
Amelia
Eloise
Charlotte
Madelyn
Savannah
Bridget
Avery
Olivia
Leighton
Logan

Ashley is what Avery is now. So you could say Avery is the new Ashley. Masculine name turned trendy on girls in a massive popularity way. I LOVE Bridget and Eloise! Popularity aside, Ava, Ella, Sophia, Olivia and CHarlotte are beautiful.

Thanks! I'm working my way towards traditional, feminine names. I have always loved different names so for me this list is super tame. I know some are side eye-able, but if you saw it a couple months ago you would be proud!

yogahh · October 2015

I actually love Ashleigh. It's pretty without sounding crazy. You have a great list there!

ClaireBear90 · October 2015

I wouldn't think too much of it if I met a toddler with one of those names. I think Jennifer is perhaps the most classic/potentially timeless out of the names you listed and it would be my choice if I had to use one of them.

2-Step · October 2015

I have a friend who just named her daughter Ashley. At first it did surprise me, but not in a bad way! It's a nice name but I do know a lot of adult Ashley's. I think some names come back around but the most popular stay time stamped. For instance Vicki, Nancy, Debbie all remind me of my parents' generation and I don't see those coming back anytime soon. They will forever be associated with a person of a certain age/generation.

scotten · October 2015

My 2 year old daughter is named Dorothy, after her great-great grandmother. I was so apprehensive to name her such a "dated" name, but now I'm glad we did. Her name is unique for her age, not made up, and fit her personality perfectly. Whatever you choose will be perfect for your little girl!

4N6s · October 2015

They'll probably be the only Ashley.

cwbarrey · October 2015

Being a Courtney, I can say it's not dead yet, but it's totally being butchered to death with all the bad alternate spellings I'm seeing for little girls nowadays. ...kourtney, kortnay, kourtnee, courtnie, cortenay.. blah.

Sorry had to vent... anyway, out of your current list, I like Ava, Ella, and Charlotte.

I also think Ashley is always awesome.

TheHauntedHauswife · October 2015

This is such and interesting though that i hadnt thought of. All of those names would be so far off the table for me because I would see them all as being too popular. But im realizing after reading this that that is all because of my own childhood and not the current. Ive been keeping my choices so far off the normal/average I havent even thought to look up the ''new'' populars beyond the ones that I have heard a lot. (Olivia, Avery, Charlotte, Eloise....)

whiteteaandginger · October 2015

Some of those you listed are a bit more traditional in my eyes, although of course they all were quite trendy at one point - for whatever reason, Ashley, Courtney and Kristen are more classic to me than the others listed. I actually like the Ashleigh spelling, I believe it goes back quite a long way historically...

fwtx5815 · October 2015

I made a friend in college that has 2 older sisters - Nancy and Jessica. Nancy was only 2 years older than us and I found it SO weird that someone nearly my age had the name Nancy because that's a name which is common in my parents' generation. It just didn't seem to fit a twenty-something year old. I wonder if that's how Ashley will seem for our kids' generation ? It happens to be my middle name. It's common among my age group, but it fits nicely with my fn

mrstrax · October 2015

fwtx5815 said:
I made a friend in college that has 2 older sisters - Nancy and Jessica. Nancy was only 2 years older than us and I found it SO weird that someone nearly my age had the name Nancy because that's a name which is common in my parents' generation. It just didn't seem to fit a twenty-something year old. I wonder if that's how Ashley will seem for our kids' generation ? It happens to be my middle name. It's common among my age group, but it fits nicely with my fn

Agreed - I have a 24 y.o. friend named Martha, which is my grandmother's name. I think these kinds of names will probably come back around in the 2030-2050's when the next few generations start using their grandparents' names.

sorarose · October 2015

eastdurian · October 2015

I don't dislike Courtney nn Coco. I just much prefer old lady names.

SnarkasaurusRex · October 2015

FWIW, I teach high school and have had an Ashley/ee/eigh every year. I would consider it uncommon, but definitely not dead. None of the students ever act like they have a dated name, either.

cmerribury · October 2015

cwbarrey said: Being a Courtney, I can say it's not dead yet, but it's totally being butchered to death with all the bad alternate spellings I'm seeing for little girls nowadays. ...kourtney, kortnay, kourtnee, courtnie, cortenay.. blah. Sorry had to vent... anyway, out of your current list, I like Ava, Ella, and Charlotte. I also think Ashley is always awesome. Totally agree! As a Courtney, nothing bothers me as much as when people as me to spell it. Spell it?? I shouldn't have to. *eyeroll*

That said, I think Ashley (or Ashleigh, though I prefer the traditional spelling) is a lovely classic name, it's timeless. True, we see less Ashleys, Lindseys, and even Courtneys, but think of how your LO will stand out from the Addies and Averys.

lm45678 · October 2015

I think it's sort of unexpected, in a good way. I always loved these names growing up, but haven't thought about them in forever!

We're dead set on Jane for a mn for a girl, but are always going back and forth on first names.

Guess it's a good thing I'm not pregnant just yet!

groovylocks · October 2015

I like Jessica a lot.

Jennifer seems boring but I love Jennie as a nn. I know a Jennie and she's fun.

Ashlee? Ashleigh? no. Your husband needs to not do that again.

CJS2011 · October 2015

eastdurian said:
I don't dislike Courtney nn Coco. I just much prefer old lady names.

I haven't posted on this site in MONTHS, but this made me come out of the woodwork. I am a Courtney and have never heard the NN Coco. If someone called me Coco there is a good chance they would get punched in the face. Unless you want a stripper or prostitute, just say no to Coco. :-&

gingercatNJ · October 2015

If we were having a girl, Jessica would definitely be on my list of potentials!

gingercatNJ · October 2015

paytonpedro said:

I think these names are like the newer Tammy and Karen's. They're easy to date. That being said, even though I wouldn't use Ashley- for other reasons altogether- I also wouldn't side eye. Jessica nn Jessie was actually a favorite name of mine and on my list for a long time.

MTV's 'Awkward' Has a character named Tamara. I bet we see it come back in a few years as the current crop of cool kids start having babies.

Are these names totally dead?

Re: Are these names totally dead?

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