Are you still looking for the perfect name for your baby girl? Great news, just like the latest fashions, what's old is new again! Old fashioned names are on the rise. When I was young girl, my grandmother told me a story about when she was young girl. Everyone was named Nancy and Daphne, she said. {Daphne is timeless!} When I was in school everyone was Jennifer and Melissa. Now my daughter, Madison - has 4 Madison's in the 4th grade. Where will the next trend be? I love hearing new baby names...so I did some digging and my friends at Ancestry.com have put together a top ten list of names that are coming back this year.
Betty: Throughout the 1930s, Betty was second only to Mary among girl names, but has been on a steady decline since 1940.
Ethel: Strong showing during the 1890s, hitting 8th place, slipped to 12th in the 1900s, then dropped to 80th the following decade and never recovered.
Tammy: This female moniker skyrocketed out of nowhere in the 1960s and landed in the 13th spot. But by the 1990s, it was no longer in the top 200 and has all but disappeared since then.
Dorothy: In the 1920s Dorothy was all the rage (way before The Wizard of Oz) and peaked in the No. 2 spot, but since then, this name has slipped significantly. While it still merits a place in the top 1,000, it was most recently ranked at 808. The similar Doris (13th in the 1930s) has also been ignored over the past 15 years, not even making the top 1,000.
Ida: This classic name was the 7th-most-popular female name during the 1880s, but then slipped into disuse in subsequent decades.
Mildred: The name peaked at 6th place during the 1910s and held strong through the 1920s, but then went on a rapid decline.
Edna: It never quite reached top 10 popularity, but it was a strong contender from the 1880s all the way through the 1920s before it started sounding old-fashioned.
Gladys: Managed to crack the top 20 at the turn of the century, but dropped off by the 1910s.
Florence: For almost five decades, Florence managed to stay in (or very close to the top 20), but by the 1930s, the name was losing favor.
Bertha: In the 1880s, this name was the 8th-most-popular female name for the entire decade and then took a slow downturn. Now we think of Bertha — and Bessie, which followed a similar popularity arc — as a name more regularly associated with farm animals!
Which ones do you agree with? I think I might see a Dorothy or a Betty this year!
Planning baby names is just as much fun as planning your newborn portrait session. Most parents visit us around week 30 to get on our shooting calendar. If you are getting close to week 30 or know someone who is, send them our way for a consult. Consults include a studio tour, products and props adventure planning. You only get one shot at newborn portraits. Trust a photographer that has photographed hundreds of newborn babies.
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Daphne Ellenburg is the owner of a bustling Portrait photography business called Ellenburg Photography located in Southern Alabama. Daphne has a supportive family and a fancy-pants 2000 sq ft studio in the heart of Saraland, Alabama. She loves college football, big handbags, lip gloss and all things Apple. She also enjoys writing about her Photo-Adventures and her entertaining family. Daphne is a proud member of PPA, WPPI, and the local chamber. Catch up with her at EllenburgPhotography.com or email her at daphne@ellenburgphotography.com. We love to read your comments.
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