Like clothes and slang, names also go in and out of style. Traditional names that were once popular can now seem old-fashioned. For every name like Olivia and Emma that new parents love, there are others like Mildred and Bertha that have been forgotten. In this list, we’ll look at girl names that are at risk of fading away and discuss why modern parents are moving away from these once-popular choices.
Chastity
Peaking in popularity in the 1970s, the name Chastity (meaning purity) has seen a steady decline, approaching extinction. In 2023, just six baby girls in a million were given the name, as many view its old-fashioned morality as a reason for its lack of appeal in today’s world.
Deirdre
Deirdre is an Irish name that has largely disappeared from common use, with only seven babies in a million receiving the name. This may be because Deirdre means “sorrow” or “broken-hearted,” which isn’t the most cheerful association for a new baby!
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Glenys
This Welsh name, meaning “clean” or “holy,” has never gained much popularity in the United States, and its usage is now even lower. According to MomJunction.com, in 2021, no babies in the U.S. were registered with the name Glenys, possibly because it rhymes with the boy’s name Dennis.
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Beryl
While gemstone names like Ruby and Amber are still popular for baby girls, Beryl (after the green stone) has nearly vanished from use. The name began to decline in popularity as early as 1957, and today, it’s rare to find anyone named Beryl who isn’t over 50.
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Muriel
While some “old lady names” like Ivy and Ada have made a comeback, Muriel remains firmly stuck in the past. In 2021, only 19 babies were named Muriel, and although the number has slightly increased since then, it is still far from becoming common again.
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Wilhelmina
With a few exceptions, female versions of male names, such as William, have largely fallen out of favor in favor of more unique, feminine options. Although Wilhelmina remains somewhat popular in Europe, it has been nearly unused in the United States since the 1950s.
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Hortense
While some names on this list still have their appeal, Hortense is generally considered quite unattractive. Modern parents are understandably deterred by the sound of the first three letters, and the name hasn’t been popular since 1941.
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Bertha
As we examine this list, you’ll see that names traditionally linked to female cows have significantly declined in popularity, and for good reason! Although the Old German name means “glorious,” its association with farm animals has caused it to nearly vanish from name rankings.
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Cheryl
Cheryl is at risk of fading away entirely, possibly due to its rhyme with other unpopular names like Beryl and Meryl. While it experienced a slight increase in popularity in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s, it remains largely unused in the United States.
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Jeanie
Peaking in popularity in the 1960s thanks to the sitcom *I Dream of Jeannie*, this charming name has drastically declined, nearing extinction. Since the 1980s, Jeannie has not appeared in the Top 1000 names list and continues to drop lower each year.
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Bess
Similar to Bertha, Bess (or Bessie) has become so associated with cows that it’s rare to encounter anyone under 70 with this name. Once a shortened form of Elizabeth, Bess has fallen out of favor, replaced by more appealing nicknames like Beth or Lizzie.
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Tamar
Tamar is an ancient Hebrew name that means “date palm tree,” but it has always been quite rare in modern times. This may be partly due to the unfortunate fate of the Biblical character with the same name, as Tamar accounts for just 0.00031% of names in the United States.
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Lucy
Lucy (meaning “light”) is certainly not as rare as some names on this list, and you likely know a few people with the name. However, its popularity has seen an unprecedented decline since the 1980s, raising the possibility that it could disappear entirely in the future.
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Gladys
Gladys is a noble name that refers to an ancient Welsh queen, but even its royal roots haven’t been enough to attract new parents. The last time Gladys enjoyed any significant popularity in the United States was in 1921, and since then, its usage has declined to nearly nothing.
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Brooke
Brooke is still a fairly common name for girls and isn’t likely to go out of fashion right away. However, from 2022 to 2023, it experienced the steepest decline in popularity, falling 198 spots on the Babycenter.com list.
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Doris
The name Doris evokes memories of the glamour and beauty associated with Doris Day, yet it is now considered quite old-fashioned. Interestingly, Doris remained popular until the late 1990s but has not ranked in the name charts since 1997.
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Ethel
While the very old-fashioned name Ethel has recently started to gain some attention, it is still far from being commonly used for newborn girls. In 2021, only 1 out of every 65,907 babies was given the name Ethel.
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Edna
Edna is a Biblical name that appears a few times in the Old Testament, but like many Biblical names, it has significantly fallen out of favor. The name was last commonly used in the 1950s and has since almost completely disappeared from rankings.
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Iris
While some flower names like Daisy and Lily have remained timeless, Iris has seen much less popularity since the turn of the 21st century. Although it appears to be making a slight comeback, Iris needs to gain significantly in popularity to avoid extinction.
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Brooklynn
Brooklynn’s popularity peaked briefly in the mid-2010s but has since nearly vanished from popularity rankings. Between 2023 and 2024, it dropped almost 200 places on the BabyCenter list of commonly used names.
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Peggy
Peggy, a charmingly vintage nickname for Margaret, has fallen out of fashion due to its antiquated feel. Since the 1950s, Peggy’s popularity has plummeted, dropping from 5,000 babies per million in 1958 to just six in 2023.
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Lorraine
Lorraine, a charming French name referring to the region, is far less popular in the United States. Since its peak in 1928, Lorraine has steadily declined in popularity, dropping nearly 600 places from 2023 to 2024 alone.
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Flossie
Flossie, a cute nickname for Florence, has nearly vanished from baby name popularity lists. It hasn’t ranked since the 1930s, and so few babies are named Flossie today that there aren’t enough to generate meaningful statistics.
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Tammy
The issue with Tammy is that it feels more like a nickname than a full name, commonly short for names like Tamara or Thomasina. Although it saw a brief rise in the 1990s, Tammy’s popularity has since fallen to just 20 babies per million annually.
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Collette
Collette may not be facing extinction like some names on this list, but it’s certainly not as popular as it once was. This classic French name peaked in 1966 and has not reappeared in the Top 1,000 names since.
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Shelley
No, Shelley isn’t related to shells—it actually comes from Old English, meaning “meadow’s edge.” Traditionally a male name, Shelley is now rarely chosen for baby girls, with only five Shelleys per million in 2024.
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Meryl
Much like Beryl and Cheryl, Meryl has almost completely vanished from popularity rankings—unless you’re Meryl Streep, of course. Since 1956, the name has plummeted in popularity, with BabyCenter reporting only eight Meryls per million girls in 2024.
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Julianne
Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with the name Julianne, it faces the risk of extinction if more people don’t start using it. With Julia and Anne both being seen as old-fashioned, many modern parents may hesitate to combine the two.
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Cecile
While Cecile experienced a slight increase in usage in 2024, this French name is still quite low on the popularity list. This may be attributed to its distinctly feminine nature, as many modern parents prefer more gender-neutral names.
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Georgette
Names ending in the suffix -ette tend to be very feminine and somewhat old-fashioned, which is why they’re less popular today as many parents choose edgier, gender-neutral options. Georgette is one of the names affected by this trend, having steadily declined in popularity since 1949.
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Hester
Hester is an unusual and quirky name that is far less common than its origin, Esther. However, due to the infamous character Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s *The Scarlet Letter*, the name has steadily declined in popularity since the 1920s and no longer appears in any statistical rankings.
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Varsha
Varsha is a lovely name of Hindi origin that means “rain.” According to a study in the UK, it has experienced the most significant drop in popularity since 2011. This decline may be attributed to the overall decrease in popularity of seasonal or weather-related names.
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Averly
Averly is an unusual name that has never gained significant popularity among parents, and its usage is declining even further. Between 2023 and 2024, the name dropped nearly 300 places on the list of top US names and is likely to continue its descent.
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Helga
Apologies to any Helgas reading this, but Helga is considered an unattractive name, which likely contributes to its current unpopularity. According to BabyCenter, this traditional Slavic name plummeted a staggering 4,594 places on the list between 2023 and 2024, and it’s expected to continue its decline.
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Carolyn
Carolyn was once a cherished name in American households, but it has been losing its appeal among new parents in recent years. Since peaking in 1943, Carolyn has seen a significant decline in popularity and is now rarely used.
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Norma
Sorry, Normas, but Norma is often considered an unattractive name, to the extent that even the iconic Marilyn Monroe changed her name to escape it. Its similarity to the male name Norman may also contribute to its lack of popularity, as Norma hasn’t ranked in the Top 1000 for years.
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Amanda
This might surprise you—after all, you probably know many people named Amanda. However, according to BabyCenter, Amanda has experienced a significant decline in popularity since the 1990s. If this trend continues, the name could potentially disappear entirely.
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Mildred
It’s undeniable that Mildred is both an unattractive and extremely old-fashioned name. While it means “gentle strength,” it often brings to mind images of stern, elderly women. It’s no surprise that very few new parents are choosing it these days.
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Brenda
There’s no gentle way to say it—Brenda is a name often associated with middle-aged women, which is likely why very few new babies are given this name. In fact, Brenda hasn’t ranked in the Top 100 baby names since 1971.
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Angela
The name Angela once represented a sense of heavenly grace and kindness, reaching its peak popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. While it hasn’t completely vanished (you likely know several women named Angela!), it has seen a significant decline in popularity since the 1990s.
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