About.com guide Robin Elise Weiss recently published a list of 10 Baby Names That Won’t Make a Comeback. These were her picks:
- Girl names – Mildred, Eula, Deloris, Gladys, Norma
- Boy names – Herman, Chester, Elbert, Norman, Ralph
Hm. I can’t quite agree with Robin here. The only thing holding most of these back is style, and style is always in flux.
Even Ralph, which became a slang term for “vomit” several decades ago, isn’t necessarily doomed. Slang meanings stick for a while, but not forever. (Just look at Roger.)
Do you think there are any names out there that will never make a comeback? Which ones, and why?
Ralph is high on my list of boy’s names, I know a 6 year old called Chester and Norma and Deloris are the kinda old school names I like!
I can definately see Eula making a comeback in the trendy sets, it’s quite similar to Elsa I suppose.
I never knew about the Ralph/vomit thing?! Well I’ve never heard of it over here in England anyways…
In England, too, isn’t it pronounced with a longer A? Here it does sound like someone chucking into a toilet: raaaaooolphhhh.
I like Norma and Dolores (that’s how I would spell it) although I had names much higher on my list. and Eula definitely shouldn’t be on that list. Gladys Knight? Come on!
Chester (and Lester) both rhyme with molester and I can’t see them catching on in a big way…And Herman and Norman sound like they wouldn’t come back but I used to think that about Harry so what do I know?
A name I would be surprised to see make a big comeback…Cunigunda. It’s a German name. Hildegarde (although I had it on my list due to the saint). Brunhilde. Those sorts of things. Adolf. Other names with infamy behind them.
Dick, Fanny, Cletus.
I think all the names in the original list could come back. Although I am not a huge fan of any of them, I do like some super-unfashionable names like Myrtle, so there must be Norma likers out there too.
When I was 5, I thought Norma was a hilarious name. ( I was sent to the cloakroom for making fun of a classmate’s mother’s name.) Now I find it charming.
I’m frequently amazed by the names that I think feel modern… only to learn that my dad went to school with a Grayson and my parent’s bought their first house from a couple named Genevieve and Eliot. Like you said, styles are always in flux…
As for names that won’t come back:
Sambo
Iago
Philander
Ebenezer
Pluto
I am quite a fan of Chester, actually.
I agree with the previous poster who said Adolf probably won’t be making a comeback any time soon.
Then I consider other Chesters and I think it will be ok. I don’t think Lester will, though. And Ebeneezer!! Ha! Cletus and Sambo. Was Sambo ever popular, though? (Laughing…these are so bad…).
I don’t think we should assume Dick won’t come back. My 6 year old is determined to name her son Dick for the secret identity of Robin.
Bertha, because of Big Bertha.anything given to cartoon characters like Elmer, Barney,Homer, Elmo, Kermit. Dorcas (have not met a woman yet who wants the letters D O R K in her name lol).