If you’re a new or expectant-mum looking to give your little one an individual name, you’re much better off looking into the past rather than the future.
While parents are undoubtedly leaning towards new-age names like Apple, North and River Rocket (here’s looking at you Gwyneth, Kimmy K and Jamie Oliver!), naming your kiddo one of these common names from the ‘50s and ‘60s may actually prove more unique.
That’s right, BabyCentre have uncovered a list of 36 names that are yet to have been registered in the UK this year – as in, not a single parent in the three million mums whose data was collected has given their sons and daughters one of the below names.
Angela
Bertram
Beverley
Cecil
Carol
Clarence
Clive
Cyril
Debra
Diane
Donna
Dean
Doris
Dennis
Derek
Duncan
Elaine
Ernest
Geoffrey
Horace
Joanne
Leonard
Maureen
Malcolm
Nigel
Neville
Paula
Roy
Sally
Sandra
Sharon
Sheila
Tracey
Wendy
Yvonne
Wayne
WATCH: Celebrity baby names
Of course, we’re only a quarter of the way into the year, so a revival of one or more of these names is not exactly off the table… but still.
Hypothesising the reason why parents appear to be avoiding these titles common among our grandparents, Sarah Redshaw, managing editor of BabyNames says: “It may not seem the obvious option, but if new parents want to make sure their baby has a name that stands out from the crowd this year, they should look to names like Paula, Debra and Elaine that were popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s for girls.
“For boys, names that peaked in popular as early as the turn of the last century – like Cyril, Horace and Bertram could be unique choices.”
