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Help[Opinions] What do you think of as “grandparents names”?
In my case, in the case of Korean names, I recognized names that end with ja or names containing Sook, Sun, Ok, Myeong as grandparents's name.
And in the case of English names, I recognized names that are have comeback, such as Alice and Evelyn, and those that have not comeback, such as Gertrude and Bertha, names popular during World War II like Barbara and Phyllis, mid-20th century names like Brenda and Debbie, as grandparents's name.
(And now that I think about it, old names are trending these days, and I guess I'm one of them. I really like (next-generation) grandparent names like Jennifer, April, Jason, Heidi, Julie, Holly, Michelle, Jeffrey, Erica, Brian, Darcy, Scott, Christine, Dawn, Jacqueline, Heath, Stacy, Kelly, Heather, Jesse, Dana, Leslie, Kimberly, Amy, Robin, Erin, Denise, Jeremy, Monica, Shannon, Bridget, Renee, Wendy... (It was a joke. Names from the 60's to 70's are not popular now.))
Edit-The comments on this post made me reflect on my own ageist prejudice. In the end, most names become the names of grandparents over time, and that doesn't mean the name becomes bad. From now on, I have decided to refrain from using the expression old or old-fashioned when I feel that the name are not my style or when I do not like this. And I apologize for using such expressions.
And in the case of English names, I recognized names that are have comeback, such as Alice and Evelyn, and those that have not comeback, such as Gertrude and Bertha, names popular during World War II like Barbara and Phyllis, mid-20th century names like Brenda and Debbie, as grandparents's name.
(And now that I think about it, old names are trending these days, and I guess I'm one of them. I really like (next-generation) grandparent names like Jennifer, April, Jason, Heidi, Julie, Holly, Michelle, Jeffrey, Erica, Brian, Darcy, Scott, Christine, Dawn, Jacqueline, Heath, Stacy, Kelly, Heather, Jesse, Dana, Leslie, Kimberly, Amy, Robin, Erin, Denise, Jeremy, Monica, Shannon, Bridget, Renee, Wendy... (It was a joke. Names from the 60's to 70's are not popular now.))
Edit-The comments on this post made me reflect on my own ageist prejudice. In the end, most names become the names of grandparents over time, and that doesn't mean the name becomes bad. From now on, I have decided to refrain from using the expression old or old-fashioned when I feel that the name are not my style or when I do not like this. And I apologize for using such expressions.
This message was edited 2/2/2024, 5:55 AM
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Replies
My grandparents names are timeless I think (Elizabeth, Adriana, JW) except for my grandfather Pete’s name.
I still see popular names like Frank, Arthur, Oscar, Theodore, Reggie, Chester & Florence, Evelyn, Ada, Mabel, Edith, Beatrice as grandparents names (and should have kept so).
Having worked with elderly I have most often encountered Mary, Joan, Doris, Annie, Jos (female, nickname), Hannah & John, Nicholas, Theodore, Albert, Leo (so many Leo’s!)
I still see popular names like Frank, Arthur, Oscar, Theodore, Reggie, Chester & Florence, Evelyn, Ada, Mabel, Edith, Beatrice as grandparents names (and should have kept so).
Having worked with elderly I have most often encountered Mary, Joan, Doris, Annie, Jos (female, nickname), Hannah & John, Nicholas, Theodore, Albert, Leo (so many Leo’s!)
This message was edited 2/1/2024, 2:35 AM
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Thank you. I still see most have comeback old names as grandparents names too.
This message was edited 2/1/2024, 3:46 AM
2
Thank you.
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Barbara or Barbra
Deborah or Debra
Evelyn
Brenda
Belinda
Millicent
Gertrude
Gerty
Susan
Susanna
Susie
Rose
Rosanna
Josie
Josephine
Josephina
Karen
Sharon
Helen
Trudy
Ingrid
Sigrid
Olga
Helga
Belma
Jacqueline
Martha
Bertha
Betty
Rhoda
Wanda
Randa
Shonda
Pearl
Dorothy
Hersey
Hershel
Hugh
Humphrey
George
Frederick
Heathcliff
Jebediah
Gilbert
Gibson
Tilman
Gamaliel
Beau
Murphy
Murray
Phillip
Conrad
Vernon
Bertram
Bertrand
Neville
Montgomery
Morris
Harris
Deborah or Debra
Evelyn
Brenda
Belinda
Millicent
Gertrude
Gerty
Susan
Susanna
Susie
Rose
Rosanna
Josie
Josephine
Josephina
Karen
Sharon
Helen
Trudy
Ingrid
Sigrid
Olga
Helga
Belma
Jacqueline
Martha
Bertha
Betty
Rhoda
Wanda
Randa
Shonda
Pearl
Dorothy
Hersey
Hershel
Hugh
Humphrey
George
Frederick
Heathcliff
Jebediah
Gilbert
Gibson
Tilman
Gamaliel
Beau
Murphy
Murray
Phillip
Conrad
Vernon
Bertram
Bertrand
Neville
Montgomery
Morris
Harris
This message was edited 1/31/2024, 9:40 PM
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Thank you. Actually, when I first became a Namenerd, I mistakenly thought Beverly was a Generation Z name.
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Thank you.
1
Jeff, Kathy, Michelle (or other variations), Stephanie, Mark, Randall, Jim, Robert, Richard, Tim, Patricia, Debbie, Donna, Linda, Sandy, Lori, Sharon, Tracy, Craig, Todd, Glen, Ray, Duane, Carol, Bradley, Elaine, Jerry, Gail, Joan, JoAnn, Jodi, Gary, Colleen, Joyce, Keith, Terry/ Terri, Sue, Roger, Darcy, Phil, Paul.
I notice that people who were teens in the 80s or early 90s mostly have names that feel dated and grandparent-ish to me.
I notice that people who were teens in the 80s or early 90s mostly have names that feel dated and grandparent-ish to me.
This message was edited 1/31/2024, 4:52 PM
2
The idea of grandparents names has shifted. Time marches on, cruelly!
In my day, Grandparent Names were things from the 30s and early 40s, because that's when *my* grandparents were born. Stuff like:
Shirley
Helen
Martha
Dorothy
Ruth
Barbara
Sandra
Cecile
Rose
Marilyn
Joan
Betty (rarely Elizabeth; usually Betty in full)
Frank
Walter
Gerald
Eugene
Arthur
Carl
Norman
Harold
Albert
Alfred
But now, grandparent names are probably more of what I thought of as "mom and dad" names - things from the 50s, 60s, maybe even the 70s. Stuff like:
Lori (so many of my friends had moms named Lori, Laurie, or Lorraine)
Elaine
Shelley
Anita
Sharon
Kimberly (Kim)
Donna
Diane
Cynthia (Cindy)
Linda
Susan
Deborah (Debbie, Deb)
Janet and Janice
Barry
Gary
In my day, Grandparent Names were things from the 30s and early 40s, because that's when *my* grandparents were born. Stuff like:
Shirley
Helen
Martha
Dorothy
Ruth
Barbara
Sandra
Cecile
Rose
Marilyn
Joan
Betty (rarely Elizabeth; usually Betty in full)
Frank
Walter
Gerald
Eugene
Arthur
Carl
Norman
Harold
Albert
Alfred
But now, grandparent names are probably more of what I thought of as "mom and dad" names - things from the 50s, 60s, maybe even the 70s. Stuff like:
Lori (so many of my friends had moms named Lori, Laurie, or Lorraine)
Elaine
Shelley
Anita
Sharon
Kimberly (Kim)
Donna
Diane
Cynthia (Cindy)
Linda
Susan
Deborah (Debbie, Deb)
Janet and Janice
Barry
Gary
4
Then, over time, names from the 80s and 90s will become grandparents’ names.
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Jennifer is actually my English name. But It's okay though. Now I've learned the lesson that most names become your grandparents' names at some point and that doesn't inherently make them bad. Through this post. (So I still love Patricia, And this also applies to other names from the 60s to 90s that I love.)
This message was edited 2/1/2024, 8:02 AM
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Thank you. Before, I didn't know that Patricia was grandmother's name, but now I definitely realize it. (So now I can imagine Patricia as someone's grandmother. Although it is not the first association that comes to mind..)
This message was edited 1/31/2024, 8:46 AM
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Right now, I think "grandpa names" or "grandma names" refer to the common names of people who have grandkids who are thirteen and under, so to speak. This points to a demographic of Late Boomers / Early Gen-X in terms of ages. I'm going with roughly 1955-1975 for the years of birth here. A lot of these names are names I previously thought of as "Dad / Mom names."
Anyway, these are my picks for the biggest "grandparents names":
Gary (I absolutely cannot picture a child with this name)
Larry
Jerry
Terry (notice a pattern?)
Paul (and "Paulie")
Frank
Dale
Rodney (and "Roddy")
&
Linda
Donna
Martha
Susan
Debra / Deborah (and "Debbie")
Brenda
Janice
Shirley
Nancy
Lori
Barbara
Sharon
I'd add Karen as well, but she's sort of... in her own category, sadly.
Anyway, these are my picks for the biggest "grandparents names":
Gary (I absolutely cannot picture a child with this name)
Larry
Jerry
Terry (notice a pattern?)
Paul (and "Paulie")
Frank
Dale
Rodney (and "Roddy")
&
Linda
Donna
Martha
Susan
Debra / Deborah (and "Debbie")
Brenda
Janice
Shirley
Nancy
Lori
Barbara
Sharon
I'd add Karen as well, but she's sort of... in her own category, sadly.
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I don't knew Paul, Lori are grandparents' name. Thank you for letting me know.
This message was edited 1/31/2024, 8:28 AM
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My eldest grandparent was born in 1918 and my youngest in 1940 so grandparent stretches nearly a generation for me. My grandparents were/are William, Norman, Janet and Yvonne. Norman and Janet are definitely grandparent names to me but William is far too common to be a grandparent name and Yvonne I have known a few of different ages so again I don’t immediately see grandparent.
Other Grandparent names
Winifred
Olive
Joan
Ethel
Pearl
Gertrude
Conrad
Alfred
Kenneth
Raymond
Gordon
Other Grandparent names
Winifred
Olive
Joan
Ethel
Pearl
Gertrude
Conrad
Alfred
Kenneth
Raymond
Gordon
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I had no idea that Olive was considered a grandparent's name in English-speaking countries, so thank you for letting me know.
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