Names are weird.
Here are some names which are perfectly normal for people my parents’ age, but kind of weird for people my age. When I meet people my age with one of these names, I think there must be some kind of reason, like they’re named after someone or their parents are immigrants who wanted an anglicized name for the kid but weren’t quite on top of the trends. Note: I actually find this kind of adorable. There was just such a Doris who lived in my dorm in college and I got a kick out of it.
- Judy
- Carol
- Diane
- Bob
- Jan
- Terry
- Randy
- Joyce
This has been on my mind lately. I don’t know why. Equally weird is the fact that in a generation or two, there are going to be wrinkly grandmas named Tiffani-Amber and Britney and Madison.
Also note, my more sensitive readers, that I am in no way insulting any of these names. I just find their absence and presence among certain demographics interesting.
I’m going to go ahead and add Marge to that list.
I would bet that there are few Jennys, Saras, Matts, and names like that in our kids’ generation. Instead they all get our grandparents or great-grandparents’ names.
My sister’s father in law is named Randy and he has vowed that when his mom dies he will go right out and legally change his name. I think that of those on the list, the only person our age I never knew that matched was Joyce. (Which often just makes me think of Threes Company.)
Yes… an interesting phenomenon. There were several girls named Carol in my high school class and in the office where I worked there were 2 Carols, Carolyn, and Carola (in 1960). If I run into a woman named Carol I can spot her age within 10 years. My grandmothers, circa 1875, were named Aletha Belle and Lulu Gertrude. Haven’t heard those for awhile.
I had an Aunt Carol and an Uncle Bob. I also submit Janet – my mom’s name.
My grandma’s name is Myrtle.
You might like this:
http://www.babynamewizard.com/
What goes around, comes around. There are three Avas in Ava’s preschool class. This is out of, what, maybe 12, 15 kids, not all of whom are girls.
I’ve always found it hard to imagine someone having a grandma named Crystal.