'Normal' names are dying out.
Discussion
Found this article really interesting. There's some rather common mainstream names which are basically totally dying out for this generation.
Numbers in brackets are the total number of babies with those names in 2014.
Gary (33), Colin (48), Ian (80), Lee (97), Craig (50), Stewart (6!), Nigel (10).
The current Top 10 is:
1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Harry
4. Jacob
5. Charlie
6. Thomas
7. George
8. Oscar
9. James
10. William
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/11942315...
Numbers in brackets are the total number of babies with those names in 2014.
Gary (33), Colin (48), Ian (80), Lee (97), Craig (50), Stewart (6!), Nigel (10).
The current Top 10 is:
1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Harry
4. Jacob
5. Charlie
6. Thomas
7. George
8. Oscar
9. James
10. William
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/11942315...
wiggy001 said:
Only if you split out the 3 different spellings of Mohammed... lights touchpaper...
Funny you should mention that. In finding the Top 10 I looked at 3 websites, two (Independent, BBC) had the list above and one (babycentre.co.uk) had Mo as #1. I went with the Beeb to avoid the controversy 
What you're classing as 'normal' appear to be named without historical value. The names on the list above all are. My eldest is almost 22 and he's a Jack Oliver Ernest - younger two have biblical names, albeit not 'normal' or common.
My name is probably classed as 'normal' yet there's no history to it and has only been used since the '60s/'70s really.
My name is probably classed as 'normal' yet there's no history to it and has only been used since the '60s/'70s really.
PH5121 said:
Both of my sons names are on that list and they are 6 and 8, so it is hardly a passing phase.
Who knows, when they grow up they may be calling their kids Kevin and Gary in a hark back to old fashioned names.
This is exactly it. Most of that top ten (and the girls' ones) are names I associate with my grandparents' generation.Who knows, when they grow up they may be calling their kids Kevin and Gary in a hark back to old fashioned names.
There will be a second coming of Steves in 50 years time, as children are again named after their grandparents' generation. My son is named after one of my Grandads.
3 on the list are diminutives of proper names and 7 have been King/Protector of this country - how more normal do you want? I'd suggest that the Gary/Ian/Nigel were the Baby Boomer reaction to their parents and the names have just gone full circle.
Edited by TEKNOPUG on Wednesday 21st October 10:51
[quote=TEKNOPUG]3 on the list are diminutives of proper names and 7 have been King/Protector of this country - how more normal do you want? I'd suggest that the Gary/Ian/Nigel were the Baby Boomer reaction to their parents and the names have just gone full circle.
I'm an Ian - there were 3 of us in my class at primary school, all with the same spelling (no Iain). My parents chose it because my Grandfather's Hebrew name was Isaac, and Ian is a sort of Anglicised version. Gareth is an old name, first written in that form in 1485 as a character (Sir Gareth) in the legend of King Arthur, and it's apparently of Welsh origin (Geraint). I'm not sure it's that modern! Nigel also has ancient Latin and Norse origins. I never knew until I looked it up just now! Fascinating, love this stuff.
I'm not sure anyone will be looking for the origins of Chardonnay and La-tish-oo or whatever.
I'm an Ian - there were 3 of us in my class at primary school, all with the same spelling (no Iain). My parents chose it because my Grandfather's Hebrew name was Isaac, and Ian is a sort of Anglicised version. Gareth is an old name, first written in that form in 1485 as a character (Sir Gareth) in the legend of King Arthur, and it's apparently of Welsh origin (Geraint). I'm not sure it's that modern! Nigel also has ancient Latin and Norse origins. I never knew until I looked it up just now! Fascinating, love this stuff.
I'm not sure anyone will be looking for the origins of Chardonnay and La-tish-oo or whatever.
mr_spock]EKNOPUG said:
3 on the list are diminutives of proper names and 7 have been King/Protector of this country - how more normal do you want? I'd suggest that the Gary/Ian/Nigel were the Baby Boomer reaction to their parents and the names have just gone full circle.
I'm an Ian - there were 3 of us in my class at primary school, all with the same spelling (no Iain). My parents chose it because my Grandfather's Hebrew name was Isaac, and Ian is a sort of Anglicised version.
Eh? Ian is the Anglicisation of the Jockification of John (which is what Iain is) - see other Celtic variants of John, e.g. Sean, Euan, Ieuan, Ifan etc. Originally Yohanan in Hebrew. Nothing to do with Isaac. I think your parents slipped up there.I'm an Ian - there were 3 of us in my class at primary school, all with the same spelling (no Iain). My parents chose it because my Grandfather's Hebrew name was Isaac, and Ian is a sort of Anglicised version.
I read that Wayne has died out altogether.
My 9 year old is called Charlie (Charles on his BC), middle name Arthur after my F in L.
I wanted Wilf (Wilfred) after my Grandad but that was rejected at Board level (wife).
Not surprisingly none of my dads names were on the short list (Brian Vincent).
My 9 year old is called Charlie (Charles on his BC), middle name Arthur after my F in L.
I wanted Wilf (Wilfred) after my Grandad but that was rejected at Board level (wife).
Not surprisingly none of my dads names were on the short list (Brian Vincent).
This site does a pretty good job at explaining what is going on:
http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/12/how-to-name-baby.htm...
http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/12/how-to-name-baby.htm...
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