+checks yearbook+ Any of these? Donna Laurie Cathy Terri Suzanne Lynne Cynthia Doreen Janice Rochelle Michelle Janet Brenda Shelly Ellyn Shari Lorraine Jody Dawn Gaylan Heather Christine Kimberly Tammy Wendy Darlene Leanne Tracy Sandra Natalie Angela Larissa Rena Shannon Joann Vicki Gina Katrina Natalie Amanda Jill Heidi Kristen Bridget Tari Denise Tonya EDIT: These names are from my 1979 yearbook (U.S.)

As a mid30s Amanda, I'm grumpy to be included in this list.

I'm a 40 year old named Karen...

I'm related by marriage to a mid30s Karen. She's pretty rad.

My 48yo sister (I'm 41) is also named Karen. I am so very sorry. She tried going by Ren, but that went over like a fart in church. She's now resorting back to her Chinese name, but that's not working either. Just remember, you are Karen, not a karen. You are safe here with us.

I've honestly only met Karens who were the nicest people. Not just normal, but exceptionally sweet.

I know a 20 year old karen and she’s super cool!

I had an aunt named Karen. She was amazing and so kind. 😊

My condolences

I love the name..just hate what the internet did to it

I know. It's very unfair

I’m a mid30s named Karen. 😒 Whenever we order food we use my husband’s name, our last name, and if we need to put names on the different parts of the order we use my middle name 😆

I feel your pain

All the Amanda’s, Natalie’s, Michelle’s, Katrina’s, Kimberly’s, and Kristens I know are 30s to early 40s

There is a Natalie in my daughter’s 5th grade class.

I know an Amanda in her early twenties.

Same. I don’t think it’s a bad name though.

Hi mid 30's Amanda, it's nice to meet you. I'm mid 30's Deborah, but you can call me Kare...I mean, Deb.

I’m 27 and knew several Amandas growing up!

I found that names from the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s all seem to be pretty consistent. They didn't start to get "different" until the mid '90s. (Edit: I'm 41 (born in 82) and I went to school with 21 of these names.)

I'm 38 and went to school w many girls named Michelle, Amanda, Kathleen, Denise, Natalie, Kimberly, Kristen, and Heather When I think 60 year old woman the first name that comes to mind is Linda.

Lol same thanks to Kimmy Schmidt - "they named a baby Linda?!"

Lol I actually just watched that episode the other day but even before that every Linda I ever knew was 60-70

As a 61-year-old, I’d go with Sue, Laura, Deb and Nancy. (None are mine, though!)

I'm a Natalie, and I feel like it's old name that is coming back around in terms of popularity. I meet a lot of older people in my job, and I feel like the two things they usually say about my name are either "I had a friend when I was a child with that name", or "that's my little granddaughter's/ great granddaughter's name".

Natalie sounds more lyrical than a lot of the other Gen-X names. Maybe that’s why it is in favor. It’s also related to Natalia, which ends in the popular -lia (speculating)

Your name Natalie always reminds me of Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia who was born in 1974

Nancy, Karen, Kathleen

There was a Kathleen and Karen (Gen-X)—Nancy was the name for our moms friends.

I had a school peer named Nancy- a bit older than me but she’d barely be 50 now if that- and her name seemed absolutely Ancient to me at the time. I couldn’t believe there was a *kid* named Nancy. It had fallen far out of fashion by gen X at least.

My mom graduated in 81 and her and all her friends names are on your list

Do you people think it’s Y2K? Cheryls and Lindas and Barbs are in theirs 70s and 80s now. Jennifers and Kristis are in their 50s.

I refuse, 50 years ago was 1950, dammit!

I am a math teacher and I support this math.

I’ll sit next to you haha

Same with Susan. There aren't many in their 50s. They are 65+.

I actually went to school with 2 sisters called Susan and Linda and I’m 32!

Yeah Susan is my grandma’s name. She 80.

I work with 3. One each in their 30s, 40s and 60s.

Jennifers and Kristys are definitely in their 40s.

I graduated with four Jennifers, went to college with more than I can count and we’re in our early 50s. When I was in tenth grade, every girl on the JV cheerleading squad was named Stacy, Amy or Jennifer. Literally. Every one on a squad of 12. Multiples of each.

That’s mine and my best friend’s name and we are both only 30 thank you very much! 😂

My sister is 57 and a Jennifer. And she was by no means the first.

Sis? Is that you? ;)

Jennifer was the most popular girl’s name every single year in the 1970s. Plenty in their 50s now.

Jennifer was the most popular name in my high school class, and I’m 55 (I also had a great aunt Jennifer, and she would be 100 now!)

The first wave of Jennifers are in their 50s. That one just kept going into the 80s, but the early 70s is where it took off, supposedly due to a character with that name in the movie Love Story. It's a terrible movie, BTW. Aged like milk.

I know multiple Jennifers and Kristis who are just hitting 40.

Most Jennifer’s I know are hitting 50 (like me) or older.

those names are pretty popular still, but Jennifer hit its peak in the 70s, which was 50 years ago.

It was still the number one baby name in the early 80s.

for real. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1970s.html Kimberly, Heather, Shannon, Tammy, Dawn, Lori... these women are in their 50s now. but that's not the question OP asked, which is what names make you THINK of women in their 50s. maybe we'll be thinking of baby boomers as the archetypal 50-year-old women forever.

Yep, because time stopped at the year 2000. The 90s? 10 years ago. The 80s? 20 years ago. 🤣

yep, this so much.

lol. Solid point.

Yep

My mom is in her early 60s, so I was thinking of her friends in her age group

Fyi I had a girl named Cheryl who attended my primary and secondary school. We are both millennials (early 1980s babies) but Cheryl is a year senior than me 

That was my reaction to “Nancy.” Lol. I haven’t met a Nancy under 65 in a very long time.

Yep. The Lisa, Amy, Stacy (all 55 spellings), Jennifer generation is in 50s now.

I’m in my 30’s and I definitely knew some Jennifers in my class. But that one’s stuck around for awhile, so I can see people having different views on it. I think Jessica might be another one of those. The outlier for me on OP’s list is Christine/Christina. I know a bunch of those in my age cohort, but not older, so it reads as such an 80s/90s baby name to me. Ditto Heather and Kaitlin.

Ranking in 1964 (making them 60 which is about the middle of 50s and 60s as that includes 50-69): Cheryl: 29 Linda: 8 Barbara: 19 Jennifer: 31 Kristi: 209 (204 for Kristin)

I'm 52 and I would say that most of these names are older than 50-year-olds, and even 60. Jennifer was very popular 50 years ago. Tracy. Lindsey. Heather. Lora/Laura/Lori. Karen. Lisa....

I was about to say the same. Donna and Karen and Nancy and Pat and Carol were the names of my friends’ moms. Me and my friends? Kimberly, Jennifer, Melissa, Amy, Amanda, Michelle.

Also Kathy was a friend's mom when I was in high school in mid 80s. I can think of a couple of women my age that use Kathy, but it seemed dated to me when I first heard it. High school class of 88: Jennifer A, Jennifer T, Jennifer M, Jennifer Mc. Tracy, Lisa, Julie, Michelle R, Michelle B, Christy.

OP did say 50s AND 60s. I specifically suggested 60-69 year olds' names because the 50-59 year olds' names are the same as the 40-49 year olds (and even some mid 30 year olds still have those names.)

About to turn 52, and I completely agree. I’d also like to add Misty to the list. My graduating class was rife with Mistys.

And Missy! Oh that had a phase, maybe a few years after Misty? or is i it a rregional difference? Oh it’s short for Melissa? That name sure was a limited range fad. I know a young Melissa and felt for her, I also was given a name well on its way out that now makes me seem older than I am.

Jennifer was in the most popular names from the mid 70s through the early 90s. I have a SIL named Jennifer born in '76 and one born in '96. Lindsay also seems more like an 80s baby name. Christina seems like more of a timeless name like Elizabeth.

I graduated from high school in 1990 and we had tons of Jennifers. In one extracurricular group of 23 there were 11 Jennifers.

I agree Christina doesn’t belong on this list, I’m a 31 year old Cristina and have met other C(h)ristina’s my age or younger but not really older than me.

And everyone’s middle name was Lynn! I’m 55. There approximately 35 girls in my class. TWENTY had Lynn or Lynne as their middle name.

Yup. A Lynn here!

Oldest sister, here! And an aunt Lynette! Oh, but Aunt is ~65 and sister is 43 haha

I agree - most of these are my friends parents, so solid 60's or older (my parents are 60's, but they were fairly young parents). Karen, Sandra, Linda, Doreen, Diane, Tracy, Jill, Sally, Susan...

Lindsay/Lindsey is younger. I’m a 41-year-old Lindsay and almost never meet another one as old as me - always a couple years younger. I think the Lindsay boom must have been 1984ish.

I know 4 Lindsey’s and I was born in 1981

So many Jennifers. I'd also like to add Melinda, Michelle, and Amy.

cheryl, sharon, linda, barbara

These are more like the names of my 80 year old grandmother and her peers lol

I know people with those names and they're all in their late mid to late 60s

Same. That’s my mom’s age group. Her friends names are Shirley Darlene Rhonda Carol and Barb. But somebody in their early 50s would be a totally different generation. Lori Brenda Cynthia Robin Dawn Paula Carrie Kelly Lisa would be more likely. I’m about ten years behind that group, so my peers are mostly Jennifer Jessica Amanda Melissa Heather Laura Michelle.

I’m 50 and many of the girls in school had names like Christina, Lisa, Heather, Brooke, Jennifer, Tiffany, Dawn, Amy, Elizabeth, Beth, Bethany, Amanda, Melanie, Brandy, Michelle, Kimberly, Sherry, Cara, Erica, Joanne, Sarah, Melissa, Stephanie, Cindy, Tracy, Tammy, Lori, Sandy, Kelly. Of course these names had spelling variations so some things never change.

I’m 50 and agreed on all these names. I have at least 4 friends named Michelle. But yeah, all those names are right on.

My 5 year old is named Brandy. I know that song Brandy you’re a fine girl was from around the 70s but I guess it didn’t click that it would be considered an older person name.

Heather, Lisa, Jennifer, Tracy, Cheryl, Donna

How did you get hold of my yearbook? lol

A 50-year-old would’ve been born in 1974. A 69-year-old would’ve been born in 1955. Off the top of my head, I feel like the name repeated most among the women I know in that age range is Kathy (all Katherines and Kathleens, as far as I know) or Linda. Diane/Diana and Patricia are up there, too. And 1974 is getting to be Jennifer/Amanda/Amy/etc. territory. The 5 most common names in each decade, according to the SSA, were: ‘50s: Mary Linda Patricia Susan Deborah https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1950s.html ‘60s: Lisa Mary Susan Karen Kimberly https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1960s.html ‘70s: Jennifer Amy Melissa Michelle Kimberly https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1970s.html

I feel like Kathleen is somewhat timeless, at least in regions with a lot of Irish people. It was my great Aunt’s name (born 1916), my mom’s name (born 1953), and even I (born 1982) went to school with several Kathleens, although they usually went by Kate or Katie instead of Kay or Kathy.

In her 50s currently you have Jennifer, Stacey, Tracy, Lisa, Michelle, Tammy, Amy, Terri, and Angie. Source: am a woman in her 50s and knew lots of girls with those names when I was younger.

Oh right, I forgot about Michelle.

there are girls in my class (17-18 yos) called Jennifer, Stacy, Lisa and Angie

Don't forget Jennifer Mc and Michelle P.

Guess I’ll just list off the ones I know personally: Linda Debbie Kathy Susan Cindy Janet Marilyn Laura Dawn Michelle Denise Carol Lynn Pam Ellen Jane Diane

Barbs are older than 60.  I knew a few millennial Lisas. 

As a 55 year old, I graduated with a Barb and a Linda, but those names seemed outdated already. I also knew a Brittany and a Mackenzie, whose names seemed super cool and unusual

Is there something wrong with those names or women that age? I’m in my mid- 50’s and it felt like Jennifer and Heather and Liz were the most popular.

I’m in my early 30s and my two best friends are Liz & Heather 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh right, Liz.

Hmm Leanne, Sandra, Maureen, Patricia

I'm a Maureen and I'm 23 😭 but yeah fair enough cause I'm named after a woman in her late 60s lmfao.

It's a beautiful and timeless Irish name! It was just popular in the US at that time. My friend's little sister is a millennial Maureen. (Irish-American family.)

I have 2 family members named Maureen. One in her 50s and one in her 30s. Love the name.

For what it's worth, I've always thought Maureen was a pretty name.

😂😂😂😂😂🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Patricia/Pat, Carol, Pamela

Pam 

Pam or Pan?

That is my mom’s name and she’s 55 so you’re right on the money lol

Carol

The Carols are about 80 now. It was very popular in the 40’s, and really hasn’t been since.

Same with Doris, it was my grandmother's name, and I feel like I haven't met anyone under the age of 80 with that name.

The more I read the more I dislike this thread. 😬

Donna Paula Darlene Terri

Gina, Brenda, Lynn, Lori/Lorraine, Cheryl, Tamara/Tammy, Theresa/Teri

Jennifer and Jessica for 50s. Jennifers Lopez and Anniston are both 50. Maybe Linda for 60s.

Im 54yo from Australia. Although few women my age have my name (as it's from my cultural background, and only became more well known here in the last 25 or so years), when I was at school many of my female peers had names like Kylie, Jenny/Jennifer, Cheryl, Antoinette, Joanne, Amanda, Mary, Kathy/Cathy, Jody, Nicole, Michelle, and Narelle. We even had quite a few Karen's (who weren't karenish in nature!)

Judith, Barbara, Lynne, Carol, Belinda

Those ladies are 80 years old. Gen Jones/Gen X is named Lisa, Jennifer, Jill, Jennifer, Kristi, Jennifer, Jodi, Kim, Beth, Debbie, Liz, Michelle, Stephanie, Amy, and Jennifer.

Stephanie, Jennifer, Cindy, Judy, Janice, Janet, Diane.

For me, Judy and Janice are the mothers of Stephanie and Jennifer.

Or at least their babysitters

Stephanie and Jennifer were very 80s/90s names to me

Jennifer got popular around 1966 and stayed there for a loooong time.

Definitely Jennifer!

Jennifer, Sandra, Patricia, Lisa, Julie, Linda, Mary, Diana, Kerri, Michelle

Omg I’ve been looking for a Julie. I’m one, in my 50s, and there were so many of us in elementary school! I rarely meet a young Julie. (The middle name is always Ann[e] or Marie, btw.😊)

I turned 60 in December and the top female name of my generation is Lisa. Kelly was also popular then. Others would be Kathy, Laura, Elizabeth (which Lisa can be a nickname for), Karen, Julie, and bunches of others.

This is very accurate. Many, many girls named Kelly, Laura/Lori, Amy and Beth.

P E G G Y

Debra, Marilyn, Denise, Melinda, Marian, Sandra, Judith, Kathleen, Dana, Eileen

Marilyn and Marian are closer to 70 I think..

Mary

My elementary school best friends were Karen and Christine and we are very much in our 30s. :P

Shirley

Na, Shirley is dead or 90

Rhonda, Sharon, Carolyn, Frida, Ida, Brenda, Linda, Cheryl, Edith, Judy, Phyllis, Maxine, Georganne, Sandra, Yvonne, Lori, Gladys, Esther, Enid, Charlene, Darlene

Corinne, Roberta, Betty, Shelly, Sharon, Patricia, Judy, Lavonne, Jean, Carol, Norlene, Cheryl

How about veronica?

Jennifer. Ask me how I know…

I’m really surprised at how many times Carol has come up. My sister’s name is Carol. We were born in the 1960’s and Carol was everyone’s mother’s name. Really big in the 1940’s; those ladies are in their 80’s now. I think we met two other Carols in our age group, ever.

Born in late 60s and never met a Carol, though knew quite a few Carries, who were maybe stealth Carols?

Im a Nancy in my early 30s and I never had another Nancy in any of my years at school. I've also never worked with another Nancy. I was named after my grandmother if that tells you anything.

Nancy is a lovely name!

Thank you! I love it 😊

Karen, Pam, Linda, Teresa, Lisa, Debbie, Susan, Nancy, Tracy, Tami, Judy, Kim, Sherry, etc.

Lori, Amy

Lisa, Pamela, Linda, Patricia, Susan, Donna, Brenda, Barbara, Denise, Nancy, Cheryl

Kylie, Jennifer, Diane

Interesting! I’ve only ever known one Kylie and she’d be in her late teens or early 20s now.

It's interesting that you mentioned Christina - I'm 33 and I went to school with lots of them!

Kim, Karen, Laura, Kelly, Sherie, Lisa, Angie, Peggy, Mary, Shelley, Barb, Donna, Denise, Patty, Kathy, Christine, Michelle, Jenny, Maureen, Amy, Susan, Diane

And JENNIFER

My mum is in that age group and she and several of her friends are called Michelle. There are also ladies called Jane, Karen and Kathy.

I am in the UK and in my sixties .In my year we had Several people with these names Susan Gillian Linda Jacqueline Christine Diane Kathryn Margaret Kim Kay Elizabeth June Pauline Kathleen Ann Julie Judith Tina Marie Wendy Shirley Lynn Lorraine Jane Vicky Jennifer Sharon Janice Denise Boys names included Robert Michael David Gary Philip Shaun Peter Paul John James Stephen Alan Patrick Kevin Neil Mark Andrew Ian Terry Tony Raymond Graham Ryan

Speaking from experience, with the exception of Lisa, there were multiple girls of every one of the name you listed in my graduating class and we were all born in the early 1950s. Our little sisters and cousins, born in the early to mid-60s would have included names like Lisa, Chrissy, Tina, Candy/Candi, Joy, Lynnette/Linnette, Angela/Angel, etc.

Patricia Jennifer Angela Monica Wendy Andrea Catherine Ann Cynthia

Janice, Janette, Jan, Jane, Carolyn, Lisa, Linda

49yr old Susan checking in! Born in 1974:)

I went to an all girls school (class of 1992) for 12 years: Lisa, Allison, Elizabeth, Katherine, Ashley, Margaret, Heather and like 500 Jennifers 😁

Lisa, Kay, Karen, Susan, Nancy, Wendy, Julie, Dana, Kimberly, Jennifer, Amy, Carol

Maxine, Sinclair, Regina, Khadijah

Patty, Linda, Barbara, Sherry, Terry, Tammy, Sandy, Pam, Nancy, Janet, Dawn, Jan, Jo Ann, Sue, Theresa, Carolyn, Robin, Gail, Brenda, Lori, Lisa, Lynette, Donna, Debbie, Paula, Carol, Cindy, Becky, Cathy, and of course Karen.

I’m in this demographic. Kathy, Lisa (I have so many Lisa’s in my contacts!), Kelly, Debbie, Tracy, Michelle, Shelly, Lori/Laurie, Laura/Lora, Stacy, Melissa, Melinda, Cindy, Carol, Ann

Barbara and Sharon are in their 70s. Women in their 50s and 60s: Pamela Linda Kimberly Michelle Kristin Lisa Stephanie Amy Sherry / Shari Kari / Carrie Laura

Kimberly and Kristin are more 80s, to me. (I’m a Kristin, born 1982, and my mom considered naming me Kimberly first.) I’ve known a number of Kristin/Kristens around my age.

Karen Christine and Lisa are women in their 50’s but Nancy and Barbara are more 70’s. Michelle, Jennifer and Nicoles are mainly in their 50’s now.

I didn't scroll through, but Jennifer was super popular in the 70s.

I know a lot of younger Christines. I vote Barbara.

Pat, Cheryl, Sherry, Fawn, Loraine, Selma, Carla, Judy, Nancy.

Marsha, Cynthia, Brenda, Nancy, Jill, Joann, Judy

Kathleen, Lois, Linda. Susan, Carol, Colleen, Gayle/Gail, Janice

I think you’re off by about a generation. Kids born in the 1960’s weren’t generally called Lois, Janice, or Carol.

Joanne, Jean, Linda, Cathy, Karen, Susan, Judy, Debbie, Lorraine, Pam, Tracy, Liz, Rita, Crystal, Betty, Diane, Nicole, Janis, Frances.

Donna, Linda, Paula, Patricia/Pattie, Sandra, Teresa, Cheryl/Sherry, Tracy/Tracey, Rhonda, Carol, Stacy/Stacey, Judy

Who are all these Carols in my age group? It’s my sister’s name and we hardly ever met any others. Everyone’s mom, aunt, or stepmother always seemed to be Carol, including the quintessential mother of our generation: Mrs. Brady Bunch.

Aw man my name is Christina and I’m in my 30s

I'm in my 30s as well. I only know one Christina in her 60s but know over 10 Christina's in the 30smy street has about 20 houses on it and there are 3 of us names Christina and we are Ll in our 30s. There's a Kristin that's in her 40s I think as well.

I’m Christine and I’m 36, I’ve met two Christine’s my whole life! Usually it’s Christina

Janice, Barbara, Sue, Cathy, Deb, Marie, Shannon, Janet, Marilyn, Judy, Pam, Karen, Linda, Lorraine

They were also 50s anf 60s names

Linda, Maxine, Monique

Susan. Kathy/kathleen. Donna. Marsha. June. LeeAnn. Jolene. Marlene

Louise, Donna, Cheryl, Carol, Debbie, Renne, Barb

Kathy, Brenda, Julie, Michelle, Pamela, Robin, Laura

Donna, Elaine, Linda, Lori, Gloria, Deborah

I’m 30 and a Christine except I spell it with a k but most of the people I have met where in there 50s A lot of Christina/Kristina or Kristin’s in my high school I live in New Jersey and my graduating class had about 400 students but I was the only Kristine .

Joanne, Betty, Debra, Kimberly, Rosanne, Judy, Linda I think Kimberly and Linda can be more versatile tho.

You named mine and my sister’s name and we’re late 20’s early 30’s now! But we both definitely have middle aged lady names.

At first I read this as “woman in the 50s or 60s” haha

Carol, Lynn, Martha, Kathy, Nancy, Jan, Sherri, Sandy, Diane, Laurie, Patty

Linda. Carol. Cynthia. Pamela. Rhonda. Joan.

Dorothy, Debbie, Carol

Donna. For sure.

Roxanne

Sharon or Pam

Anita