Since I am not a teen with a running Snapstreak in the 100s, it seems like every minute I spend online, I discover something new about what the "kids these days" think.
And today I learned that our fabulous, popular, and treasured names of the '90s — you know, when you had Jessica C., Jessie H., and Jess F., all in one classroom — are not only no longer in vogue, but also, by Gen Alpha's judgement, are now considered "old people" names.
Amber Cimiotti, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mom from Las Vegas, took to TikTok to report the recent discovery, thanks to the observations from her 5-year-old daughter. She said, "The other day my daughter told me the name Ashley or Amanda, or my name is Amber, are 'old people' names, and I never thought about it this way."
Amber continued, "She's like, 'Yeah, my teachers' names are Miss Erika, Miss Samantha. There's Amandas and Ashleys.' And she's like, 'Those are just old people names.'"
"Whereas like young people names — like my daughter's Scarlett, there are Charlottes, there are Olivias, there are Penelopes, there are Isabellas, there are Bellas, there are Ellas — those are young people names."
Amber admitted, "I mean, for me, Ashley is always going to be like, my friend from elementary, so it just seems like a kid name to me, but it's not."
Amber finished with a bit of a revelation for millennials: "Ashley, Amanda, Amber — all of these names are basically the new Margaret or Barbara."
The comments were an absolute hoot with reactions — one person said, "If you got a shoutout in Mambo Number 5, congrats you now have a granny name."
One person said, "They have no clue that they have the old people names," which is SO fair. According to the Social Security Administration, the top 10 most popular baby girl names for 2023 were Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Evelyn, and Luna.
Love that Josh is now considered a "dad name." Josh is pretty much every other boy I went to school with.
And I am absolutely shook hearing "Grandma Brittany."
Personally, I think now is the time to name your child a millennial name because it's a pretty surefire way that others in their class won't have their name. (Though I understand they may get picked on for having what they think is an 'old person' name.) BUT in 20 years — I predict the return of the Ashleys, Amandas, Jennifers, and Ambers. And maybe it'll happen sooner than we think...
Anyhoo, I think this is all in good fun, and I look forward to the day when there's Grandma Ashleys and Amandas running around.
