Some of these names are from an earlier time; some had a sharp peak in popularity and then fell dramatically, tieing them firmly to a particular era; some may sound “old-fashioned”, but never went out of common use, or in fact are soaring up the popularity charts like you wouldn’t believe. And some, for an undefinable reason, simply sound like old school names.
Originally, I was going to tell you which names were which – but then I decided it would be more fun for you to work that out for yourselves.
Do these blasts from the past make you inwardly cringe, or are you delighted to see them on new babies? Cosy, sturdy, elegant, classics, still cool, going stale, or utterly daggy – you decide!
GIRLS
Adelaide
Agatha
Annette
Brenda
Candice
Cheryl
Christine
Coralie
Courtney
Daphne
Esme
Ethel
Francine
Gillian
Gwendoline
Heather
Jeanette
Joanna
Jocelyn
Julie
Lynda
Mabel
Marnie
Melissa
Millicent
Mona
Monica
Monique
Nicole
Norah
Rachel
Rebecca
Stacey
Susan
Valerie
Vera
BOYS
Arthur
Barry
Bertrand
Bruce
Chester
Craig
Darren
Dean
Donald
Elroy
Eugene
Floyd
Garry
Gavin
Glenn
Harvey
Keith
Perry
Ralph
Roy
Sylvester
Theodore
Travis
(Photo shows Ginninderra Public School in the ACT, 1905)
Waltzing More Than Matilda 
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But Samantha is very popular still? Or has it completely gone out of style in Australia?
My mistake – I’ll delete that one now!!! 🙂
Sylvester, Elroy and Perry have never charted – I think that makes them fair game for any era.
Cheryl peaked in the 1950s and hasn’t charted for over a decade – I think you are correct and it’s not coming back.
In an online discussion on Glenn, several people said they would be happy to see it in use more often.
I love Sylvester. I wish he would get more love – but no too much. I sort of like the idea of being one of the few who appreciates the name.
Perry is sort of cute – a more down-home alternative to Percy.
I have a friend from high school who named her son Glenn, and to me, it was a pleasant surprise.
I would love to see Elroy on a little kid. I wish someone had the guts. Did you see the Jetson’s as a kid? Elroy reminds me of the theme song, “Meet George Jetson… Jane his wife… daughter Judy…. his boy Elroy…”
The only girl name I can’t see coming back anytime soon is Cheryl. I don’t like many “Che-” name for girls. Cherry is one that seems terribly dated.
You could be right on Cheryl – we have a hugely popular celebrity here in the UK called Cheryl Cole, but she’s had little effect on the popularity of her name.
I really dislike the name Kylie. When I was in school there were so many Kylie/Kylee, Kaylie/Kaylee, Kayla girls. It was annoying.
My favorites for the girls: Agatha, Edith, Esme, Millicent, Norah and Susan.
My favorites boys: Albert, Arthur, Bertrand, Stanley and Walter.
Gavin feels very modern to me, they are popping up everywhere now.
Good news! Kylie is off the charts now.
Edith, Millicent and Arthur are all currently rising in popularity.
Gavin peaked in the 1970s and is now in very rare use – the US seems to have just caught up.
I love all of these old school names!