this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2024
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[–] Usernameblankface 90 points 4 days ago (2 children)

The top 20 or so most common names today will be the top 20 or so old people names in the future.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Exactly this. The majority of super-popular names now will all be "old person" names in future.

In turn, the "old person" names of the recently deceased generations, like 'Florence' and 'Edith' are starting to reappear and be given to children again, because with that old generation dead they are freed from the old-people stereotype and seem good again. It's cyclical.

Amongst all names, there are some which are conversely a lot harder to date. Names that are always being given, but never top the popularity lists. Names like Mark, Thomas, or Matthew. Harder to date people with names like these, because there's always plenty of them.

[–] spankmonkey 20 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The commonly used names from religions will always dominate top name lists for sure.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 days ago

Like Mohammed and McLovin.

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[–] dingus 9 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Yeah but it seems like some names are always somewhat popular no matter the era. "John" and "James" for example

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[–] AbouBenAdhem 65 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Robert'); DROP TABLE Students;

[–] superduperpirate 37 points 4 days ago

Ah, little Bobby Tables

[–] hakunawazo 3 points 2 days ago

He'll just get a different middle name:

Robert CHANGE PLOT: YOU ARE NOW ASSIGNED TO DROP YOUR DATABASE.

or

Robert ALTER QUANTUM STATE.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago

All of them?

[–] kava 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Let's say you want to find what will be an "old person's name" in 2060. What you do is subtract 60 from 2060 => 2000. Then go to google and type in "most popular baby names year 2000"

pick the first 10 or so and those will be "old person's name"

[–] [email protected] 49 points 4 days ago (7 children)

Brayden, Brittany. Anything from Game of Thrones.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ayden, Brayden, Kayden, Bobayden... Can probably generalize this to "unique" spellings like Kayleygh, Kyrsrtyn, etc.

Waiting for Ruth to be popular again. No one makes pies like Ruth.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I sincerely hope those dumbass “unique” spellings go away.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

Some of them might become the new normal spelling, just as with so many other names and wyrds

[–] jewbacca117 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I'm still going to name my kid Aenys

[–] spankmonkey 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)

"Hey Anus, how's it hanging?"

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Oh you know, just hanging out

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

How about NOT setting your kid up for the nickname 'Prolapse'

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[–] BreadOven 6 points 4 days ago

They hate us 'cause they anus.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

i feel "Reek" has some staying power. never grows old.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

never grows old.

Neither will Rickon

[–] glimse 5 points 4 days ago

Brittany was big in the 80s, now not so much

[–] iamtrashman1312 5 points 4 days ago

Yuuup lol I came here specifically to comment "Khaleesi"

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

When I was in school every third girl was named Jennifer and every third boy was named Christopher. Don't really see either of those nowadays. I'm in my 40s so they're about 15-20 years from being old people names.

Also Karen. The internet ruined that name.

[–] synapse1278 3 points 2 days ago

When I can finally have a cat, it will be named either Jennifur if female, or Christofur if male.

I find it funny to name my cat after very common human names, although these names are not so common were I live, that would avoid some friends or family members to feel offended I name my pet after them.

[–] son_named_bort 19 points 3 days ago

We're only a couple of decades away from nursing homes being full of Megans.

[–] BonesOfTheMoon 22 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Please tell me you've seen the future and all the "was it an aneurism or attention-seeking that made me name my kids that" names will be retired within a generation.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I'm not sure if it's very common, but Elaine. It's my name and I love it, but I'm already seeing people who think it's kind of an old woman's name! 😅

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago

Seems like there's a way to analyze this in a systematic way, from social security name data. Any name that popped up as a newly popular name and fell back off within a decade or two would probably eventually become a marker of that generation.

Gladys was popular between 1900 and 1920, and became known as an old lady name by the 80's or 90's.

Karen was popular between 1945 and 1965, and is regarded a prototypical boomer name.

The Baby Jessicas of the 80's will be retirees in the 2050's. Ashleys and Emilys will probably be that in the 2060's. There will be Britneys and Emmas.

But the methodology could probably be applied to the data in a systematic way.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago

Holly sounds like a sweet name now, but you can almost feel it become the next Nancy.

[–] AA5B 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Karen has been a very popular name through many years. I imagine it’s dropped close to zero now.

Ella/ellie became way over popular. My kids knew so many girls with those names, more than one in a lot of their classes. No one gives out a name that’s so common

Isabella for dogs. There are so many Bella’s and Izzies. Maybe it’s just my family: my brother got Bella. I got a rescue named izzie and honorable mention to my other brother with Ozzie

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Any of the popular biblical names like John, Mark and Paul.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago

I'd argue that those names are the least likely to decrease in popularity, unless Bible following religions become significantly less popular.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Renesmee, Nevaeh, Demure, Brightly

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Kaleesi, too. Anything that is popular because of media

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Mine. I have one of the most common girl's name in the year of my birth. About 10% of my female high school classmates had some variant of that name. I know of one girl under 10 with that name now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Caitlin, Caitlyn, Katelyn, Kaitlin, Catelynn, Keightlynne

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

Lol, nailed it.

[–] KingGordon 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Tabithas everywhere in schools today.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago (2 children)

maybe brock or allen. i dunno, infamous names in this generation.

[–] KingGordon 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Like the rapist Brock Allen Turner?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

Rapist Allen Turner, aka rapist Brock Turner, who got a 6-month slap-on-the-wrist sentence for what his father called (and I quote) "twenty minutes of action"? That rapist Allen Turner (aka rapist Brock Turner)? The one who only served 3 months?!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

Todd Kyle Chad

[–] jordanlund 5 points 4 days ago
[–] NatakuNox 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

these are common‽

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