It’s impossible to give someone a timeless name unless you choose one with a religious connotation that people will also return to, no matter how popular, such as Mohammed or John. So, unless your parents think of something out of the box, your name will probably be identified with your generation.
It’s hard to escape the fact that once rare names become popular for about 15 years, until they are so ubiquitous that people tire of them, and then they drop in popularity pretty rapidly. If you look at this baby name visualizer, it’s easy to see this simple, repeatable trend.
If you look at the name Jennifer, you’ll see it began to become popular in the late ’60s, peaking in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and then steeply declining. Hence, when people hear the name Jennifer, they assume you’re a Gen Xer (1965 to 1980).
The historic popularity of the name Jennifer. via Baby Name Visualizer
Brian, another Gen X name, has a similar trajectory as Jennifer. One wonders how many Brians and Jennifers got married in the early 2000s?
The historic popularity of the name Brian. via Baby Name Visualizer
Kelley Cole, a registered remote nurse, had a harsh realization recently when talking to some younger people at work. Her name and the girls she grew up with are now seen as old people’s names by teens. “I was told my name was an old lady’s name by the teenagers on the adolescent unit I was working on,” she begins her video. “I was surprised, so the subject came up of what names are old lady names versus young names.”
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Here’s a list of names the Gen Z kids think are for “old ladies.”
Ashley
Amanda
Jessica
Stephanie
Jennifer
Christy
Tracey
Stacey
Amy
Crystal
Kelly
Lisa
Jordan
Michelle
Shelley
Laura
Lori
Cathy
Tammy
Heather
Angela/Angie
Gen X woman looks at her laptop.via Canva/Photos
Here’s a list of names that the Gen Z kids think are “young people’s” names:
Bella
Isabelle
Olivia
Olive
Ava
Eden
Emma
Abigail/Abby
Ella
Gracie
Zoë
Rose
A woman with black hair smiling. via Canva/Photos
The funny thing is that the so-called “young people’s” names are all part of a trend where people began giving their children older names. “I feel like all the ‘young girl’ names were on the Titanic,” Jennifer (probably a Gen Xer) wrote in the comments. “They’re not wrong because we ain’t young anymore, but the young ones have great-grandma names,” Tikitinax added.
But some people couldn’t deny that the Gen Z kids were pretty spot on in their list. It reads like a roll call for children in the second grade in 1985. “I’m 42, and you just listed every girl I went to high school with. Kids nailed it,” Dave wrote. “Hey! All those ‘old lady names’ are my friends! What the heck,” Schmack wrote.
If your name got filed onto the “old lady” list, it may sting a bit, but it’s just part of the natural baby name cycle. Today’s cute baby name is tomorrow’s PTA president, and future Medicare recipient. The good news is that even though Ava and Zoë may be laughing now, in just a few years, they’ll find themselves on the “old lady” list, too.