By old-timey names, I mean ones that you don’t typically associate with anyone alive or younger than like 70.

Examples being:

  • Burl
  • Mildred
  • Herbert
  • Agnes
  • Evelyn (not as rare at the others, but getting there)

I’ve always liked the name “Opal” but I’ve only ever known two in my life. I was like 10-12 at the time, and they were both pushing 90.

      • @Furbag
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        32 months ago

        On that note, Melchior would make for a metal af middle name.

    • Flying Squid
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      22 months ago

      I actually went to school with a Balthazar.

      His parents were hippies in the 60s and never stopped being hippies.

    • go $fsck yourself
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      252 months ago

      You definitely don’t see many people named Lance, but back in the day people were named Lancelot.

    • Flying Squid
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      42 months ago

      I went to a school with an Eleanor, who really embodied her name by being way into the local SCA group, doing ren fairs all the time, and is now a medieval history professor.

      She’s the most Eleanor Eleanor you can possibly Eleanor.

    • @dufkm
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      22 months ago

      Eleanor

      Eleanor (spelled “Ellinor” here) has definitely made its comeback already, we considered it if we got a girl (got a boy instead) and have since met multiple Ellinors in his age group.

  • [email protected]
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    232 months ago

    Évelyne is faily common around here still.

    Gilgamesh is one I haven’t heard in a hot minute, not sure about the comeback though.

    • @Sarmyth
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      42 months ago

      I knew a Gilgamesh! Went by Gil.

    • Admiral PatrickOP
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      2 months ago

      True. Evelyne Brochu is my age.

      Gilgamesh is one I haven’t heard in a hot minute, not sure about the comeback though.

      Not with that attitude lol. Maybe we can ease it back in as a middle name or something.

  • @proudblond
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    202 months ago

    I’m fond of “Gwendolyn” but I’ve never met or even known of one, to my knowledge.

    • @proudblond
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      92 months ago

      Oh! I thought of one, Gwendolyn Christie.

    • @taiyang
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      92 months ago

      I’ve seen it once, although more recently met a Genevieve which feels even rarer and just as pretty.

      • @proudblond
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        52 months ago

        I knew a Genevieve in college, and then my son’s best friend in preschool was a Genevieve who went by Jenny (or Geny?) and now my daughter has one in her class, so they’re making a comeback maybe?

    • Admiral PatrickOP
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      72 months ago

      I knew a Gwen in college, but it wasn’t short for Gwendolyn. Just “Gwen”.

        • @[email protected]
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          12 months ago

          I’ve heard a Welsh musician called Gwennifer.
          I think Jennifer, Guinevere are all probably similar just different languages.

  • all-knight-party
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    182 months ago

    I want people to go by their first two initials, and then the entire last name. Y’know, “H. G. Wells, J.G. Wentworth”.

    It just makes everyone sound more fancy and serious.

    • Admiral PatrickOP
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      92 months ago

      My boss does that, and for that reason. I do like it. Unfortunately, he cannot help me get cash now from my structured settlement.

      • palordrolap
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        22 months ago

        Funny. I had a boss who thought that use of initials was pretentious. Or maybe I’m putting words in his mouth and it was specifically my use of a middle initial he didn’t like. Harry S Truman’s name would presumably have given him a headache.

        Either way, I countered that having a customised number plate on a car was surely just as bad, to which he had no answer.

    • edric
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      92 months ago

      I have 2 first names and I prefer to go by their initials. I’m so used to it that I sometimes don’t notice when someone calls me by my actual first name.

      • palordrolap
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        -12 months ago

        I’m imagining that your first name is something like Vijay and your middle initial is J, and so no wonder you wouldn’t notice.

    • Bizzle
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      42 months ago

      I’m about to heavily doxx myself so please be cool, but I go by B.E. Moore professionally on account of the fact that those are my initials and last name

  • @theedqueen
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    172 months ago

    I think Millicent and Winnifred would be cute because you can shorten them to Millie and Winnie

    • @AA5B
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      12 months ago

      I used to work with a Millie - it was difficult to resolve such a cute name with such a competent engineer. Maybe it shows my biases but I feel like she had to overcome her name

    • Admiral PatrickOP
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      52 months ago

      True. And on the same note, I’ve known more men named Kelly than women.

    • Nuggsy
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      52 months ago

      My great grandfather’s name was Hilary. My nan wasn’t entirely impressed when I mention it was a girls name as a kid xD

    • Flying Squid
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      12 months ago

      Yves (pronounced ‘Eve’) as well.

      My grandfather’s name was Zälly on his German birth certificate, but when he emigrated to the UK, people laughed because it sounded like “Sally,” so he changed it to Solly, and eventually Sol.

      I also went to high school with a guy with South African parents who was named Kerrin (which sounds like Karen), which I am guessing is less weird in South Africa.

    • Taybur
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      52 months ago

      And none for Gretchen Wieners.

    • @[email protected]
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      42 months ago

      As a German I find Gretchen hilarious. Not a name you’d see in Germany despite its origins.

      My vote is on Brunhilde, my grandma’s name. It’s a name only 80+y olds would have, but I like it

        • @atomicorange
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          22 months ago

          My great aunt was named Ute, I’ve never seen anyone else (in the US at least) with that name.

  • @eran_morad
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    2 months ago

    Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack.

  • @son_named_bort
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    152 months ago

    May and June. I feel like there’s a lot of younger Aprils but the other two month names seem like old lady names.

    • Admiral PatrickOP
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      42 months ago

      Can confirm. I know several Aprils my age or younger, but no Mays at all, and no Junes younger than 70.

      • @[email protected]
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        42 months ago

        Went to university with a lady named (I kid you not): April May June

        According to her, her parents thought it would be “fun”.

        I would guess she is about 50-60 years old now.

        • Admiral PatrickOP
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          12 months ago

          There was a joke on Married with Children way back where Bud gets a Valentine’s day card from someone with that name. He is suspicious it’s a prank from his sister because “those are all works [Kelly] knows”.

          Wonder if she was named after that episode? Lol

    • @[email protected]
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      42 months ago

      I used to know a woman named April, and her two daughters are May and June. (Both still under age 12.)

  • @[email protected]
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    142 months ago

    Zebulon – traditional Biblical name. Maybe still used in Israel, but not many Americans have used it since the days of Zebulon Pike (Pike’s Peak) and Zebulon Vance (Civil War era NC governor).

    • @TheRedSpade
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      52 months ago

      I worked with a Zebulon (of course, we called him “Zeb”) a couple years ago. He’s in maybe his mid 20s now.