10 Baby Names That Have Gone Out of Fashion

Like any other type of fashion, fashionable baby names move with the times too. Some baby names are here to stay, and others slip into obscurity.

Here is a List of Old Fashioned Baby Names

Some are baby names that should be revived and other names that are better off left behind. If you’re struggling to choose a name for your baby, or just looking for a good laugh, read on.

Fanny

Despite being a staple of any Enid Blyton book, this name’s gone right out of fashion. In the US it means one unflattering part of the body and an even more delicate part in Australia and the UK. This is a name to be avoided at all costs.

Tarquin

A good solid posh baby name that sounds great with a hyphenated surname, such as, Tarquin Bartholomew-Smithe or something like that. (Please send me a message if you are actually called Tarquin Bartholomew-Smithe that would be amazing!) Guaranteed to ooze class, speak beautifully and wear a cashmere jumper draped around his shoulders at all times.

Enid

I mentioned Enid Blyton above and then realised Enid is another girls baby name that has gone out of fashion. Conjuring instant images of child-like wonder, it’s sure to be a solid choice for the girl that’s going places. She will be certain to go on adventures with her three mates and a dog.

Horacio

This is my personal favourite and I might even change my name to it one day. A good strong manly name. Given to powerful characters like Lord Admiral Horacio Nelson, or Horacio Hornblower, one of which was real and one of which was not. Though through early years a child may hate this name, by adulthood, he will be a very proud man, a man who will surely go on to achieve greatness.

Ethel

Your grandma may well be called Ethel, but you child probably won’t be. But I wouldn’t rule it out as a name for your bonny baby girl. Anyone with this name is sure to be a kindly soul and probably be dam good at baking in later years.

Hannibal

It’s safe to say Antony Hopkins has a lot to answer for in the death of this species, after all, no one wants their child to be named after a flesh-eating serial killer, even if it is a fictional one.

Deirdre

This is yet another granny-ish name. No one young has ever been called Deirdre. I’m not sure if they quickly change their name when they reach their mid-sixties or not, but we can assume it’s likely. If you choose this as a name for your baby daughter she will be sure to wear hair rollers and love cups of tea.

Sherlock

I’m not too sure if anyone has actually ever been called Sherlock apart from the fictional character from the Arthur Conan Doyle novels, but I think it’s a great name for a boy. Choose wisely, if you give it to one who turns out not to be that smart, problems could occur. Happily though, for once, there will actually be someone who can confirm if it’s no s**t or not.

Morag

This is a great name that conjures images of an old battle axe. It’s certainly not a pretty girl’s name and is probably suited better to someone who comes from Mordor or the Grand High Witch herself.

Gary

We all know someone called Gary. He’s a good dependable guy after all, but believe it or not, in a generation or two no one will know a Gary. The Gary is an endangered species and much like the Bengal tiger, it’s one that needs saving.

In Summary:

There you have it, some baby names that rock and some that do not. You may or may not use one of these names to call your child but at least now you know the pros and cons of each.

Barry S. Brunswick is an author. You can buy his books on Amazon: 
Dreamland Part 1 – The Fabric of Dreams
Dreamland Part 2 – The Masters of Light
The War of The Turnips
Barry Brunswick’s Tall Tales – A Short Story Collection
Inner Outer – A Poetry Collection

Follow Barry on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.