Tag: gerry

“Everly” is hot…”Beverly” is not. It’s a one-letter difference between fashionable and fusty.

If you’re sensitive to style, you’ll prefer Everly. It fits with today’s trends far better than Beverly does.

But if you’re someone who isn’t concerned about style, or prefers to go against style, then you may not automatically go for Everly. In fact, you may be more attracted to Beverly because it’s the choice that most modern parents would avoid.

If you’ve ever thought about intentionally giving your baby a dated name (like Debbie, Grover, Marcia, or Vernon) for the sake of uniqueness within his/her peer group — if you have no problem sacrificing style for distinctiveness — then this list is for you.

Years ago, the concept of “contrarian” baby names came up in the comments of a post about Lois. Ever since then, creating a collection of uncool/contrarian baby names has been on my to-do list.

Finally, last month, I experimented with various formulas for pulling unstylish baby names out of the SSA dataset. Keeping the great-grandparent rule in mind, I aimed for names that would have been fashionable among the grandparents of today’s babies. The names below are the best results I got.

Contrarian Baby Names: Girls

Alberta Anita Ann Annetta Annette Bambi Becky Benita Bertha Bessie Beth Betty Beverley Beverly Blanche Bobbie Bobby Bonita Candy Caren Carlene Carol Carole Cary Caryn Cathleen Cathy Charla Charlene Charmaine Cheri Cherie Cheryl Chris Christi Cindy Claudette Coleen Colleen Connie Dale Danette Danita Darlene Dawn Dawna Deanne Debbie Debora Debra

Deirdre Delores Denice Denise Diane Dianna Dianne Dollie Dolores Dona Donna Doreen Dori Doris Dorthy Eddie Edwina Ernestine Ethel Gail Gayle Gena Geralyn Germaine Gilda Glenda Glenna Harriett Jackie Janet Janice Janis Jayne Jean Jeanette Jeanie Jeanine Jeanne Jeannette Jeannie Jeannine Jeri Jerri Jerry Jill Jimmie Jo Joan Joann Joanne

Jodi Jody Joellen Joni Juanita Judi Judy Juli Kandi Karin Kathie Kathy Kay Kaye Kerrie Kerry Kim Kimberley Kitty Kris Kristi Ladonna Laureen Lauretta Laurie Lavonne Lee Leesa Lois Lorene Lori Lorie Lorinda Lorna Lorraine Lorrie Lou Louann Lu Luann Luanne Lucretia Lupe Lyn Lynda Lynn Lynne Madonna Marcia Marcy

Margie Mariann Marianne Marla Marsha Maryjo Maureen Meg Melba Melinda Melva Michele Migdalia Mitzi Myrna Nanette Nelda Nicki Nita Norma Pamela Patrice Patsy Patti Patty Pauline Peggy Pennie Phyllis Randy Reba Rene Rhonda Rita Robbie Robbin Roberta Robin Rochelle Ronda Rosanne Roseann Roxane Roxann Sandy Saundra Sharon Sheila Shelia Shelley

Shelly Sheri Sherri Sherry Sheryl Shirley Sondra Sue Susanne Suzan Suzanne Tammie Tammy Tena Teri Terri Terry Thelma Theresa Therese Tina Tonia Tonya Tracey Traci Tracie Tracy Treva Trina Trudy Velma Verna Vicki Vickie Vicky Wanda Wendy Willie Wilma Yolanda Yvonne

Contrarian Baby Names: Boys

Adolph Al Alford Alphonso Arne Arnie Arnold Artie Barry Barton Bennie Bernard Bernie Bert Bill Billie Bob Bobbie Brad Bradford Brent Bret Britt Bud Buddy Burl Burt Butch Carey Carleton Carlton Carmen Carroll Cary Cecil Chester Chuck Clarence Claude Cletus Cleveland Cliff Clifford Clifton Columbus Curt Curtiss Dale Dan Dana

Dannie Darrel Darryl Daryl Dave Davie Del Delbert Dell Delmer Denny Derwin Dewey Dirk Don Donnie Donny Doug Douglass Doyle Duane Dudley Duwayne Dwain Dwaine Dwane Dwight Earl Earnest Ed Edsel Elbert Ernie Farrell Floyd Fred Freddie Fredric Gale Garland Garry Garth Gene Geoffrey Gerard Gerry Gilbert Glen Glenn Greg

Gregg Greggory Grover Guy Hal Haywood Herbert Herman Homer Horace Howell Hubert Irwin Jackie Jame Jeff Jefferey Jeffry Jerald Jerold Jess Jim Jimmie Jodie Jody Johnie Johnnie Karl Kelly Ken Kenney Kennith Kent Kermit Kerry Kim Kirk Kraig Kurt Laurence Lawrance Len Lenard Lennie Les Leslie Lester Lindell Lindsay Lindsey

Linwood Lloyd Lonnie Lonny Loren Lorin Lowell Loyd Lynn Marion Marty Matt Maxie Mel Merle Merrill Mickel Mickey Millard Milton Mitch Mitchel Monty Neal Ned Nicky Norbert Norman Norris Orville Perry Pete Phil Ralph Randal Randel Randell Randolph Rayford Rick Rickey Rickie Rob Robby Robin Rock Rodger Rogers Rojelio Rolf

Ron Roosevelt Rudolfo Rudolph Rufus Russ Rusty Sal Sammie Sandy Sanford Scot Sherman Sherwood Skip Stan Stanford Steve Stevie Stewart Stuart Sylvester Tad Ted Terence Thurman Tim Timmothy Timmy Tod Todd Tom Tommie Toney Tracey Tracy Val Vernell Vernon Waymon Wendell Wilbert Wilbur Wilford Wilfred Willard Willis Winfred Woody

Interestingly, thirteen of the names above — Bobbie, Cary, Dale, Jackie, Jimmie, Jody, Kerry, Kim, Lynn, Robin, Sandy, Tracey, Tracy — managed to make both lists.

Now some questions for you…

Do you like any of these names? Would you be willing to use any of them on a modern-day baby? Why or why not?