Some names require little explanation as to why they’ve dropped in popularity.
The Greek alphabet will no longer name Atlantic hurricanes. WMO permanently retired the names of four hurricanes. How many hurricanes were there in 1990? The first named hurricane was George, which hit in 1947. What are the names of retired Hurricanes?
Nineties names are disappearing as more unusual names take over. According to statistics, parents no longer choose nineties names, completely dying out. They looked at data on baby names as far back as 1996, comparing to names in 2017.
The longest name is 747 characters – Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Sr. Among most-hated “trendy” names are Jayden, Brayden, Madison and Addison. The most cited teeth-on-edge name was Nevaeh, or “heaven” spelled backward.
Old Fashioned Names
What old fashioned names are no longer used? I analysed the United States’ top baby name lists from the early twentieth century to find once-popular names that are now only ever used on a handful of babies.
Yep, the name Karen is set to become extinct, as mums are no longer choosing the girl’s name for their little one. Is Gary extinct? In fact there were less than 450 boys in the US named Gary in 2013 compared to around 38,000 in the early 1950s.
Fancy names are those elegant, sophisticated choices that have a posh, upscale feel. Fancy baby names are those that go beyond the merely long and elaborate. These names are rare, precious, almost too dressed-up for everyday use.
Along with Emma and Henry, other old-fashioned baby names in the US Top 500 include Abraham, Arthur, Edith, Frederick, Josephine, Olive, Philip, Rosemary, and Walter.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced the birth of their new baby daughter, Lilibet Diana – and decades-old data has revealed that they aren’t alone in picking an old-fashioned name. Old man names are no longer for just old men.
According to their research, the names which have become extinct since 1994, are Graeme, Horace, Iain, Leigh, Melvyn, Nigel and Royston for boys.
What names are going extinct? BabyCenter says girl baby names at risk for extinction this year include Hayden and Ariyah.
Baby Names at Risk
For girls, traditional names like Angela, Debra, Diane, Elaine and Paula were ranked among those that could soon become extinct. And it looks like other classic names such as Joanne, Sally, Sharon and Wendy are fading fast too.
Former royalties have surnames that are going extinct. Fewer babies are being given titles such as Sally, Wendy, Wayne and Malcolm, all established classics from yesteryear.
Throughout Earth’s history, animal extinction has remained a natural part of evolution. Extinct animals are species that have completely died out. Currently, there are an alarming number of animals at risk of becoming extinct as a result of human activities.
So why do some last names go extinct? Well, unsurprisingly, names associated with less popular professions or with less populated areas are much more likely to die out since they had fewer bearers to begin with.
Many animal species have gone extinct in the last few decades. Also, the extinction rate keeps rising due to various threats. Climate change, habitat loss, and human activities are some of the factors that have led to the mass extinction of many animal species.