The popularity of names comes in cycles. The names that were popular for our parents and grandparents may not be popular for kids recently born. In fact, some names are in danger of dying out entirely. Here are just a few endangered names that have fallen out of favor with new parents.
Karen
Meaning “pure” in Greek, Karen is a name that used to be one of the most popular names for girls. In fact, according to BabyCenter, it was the fourth most popular girl’s name in 1964. It has been tumbling ever since.
In 2006, it was ranked 173 in popularity. Ten years later, in 2016, it had fallen all the way to 755. That’s a staggering drop that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
Terry
This boy’s name means “reaper” in Greek. Ironic because it has a date with the Grim Reaper if its popularity doesn’t begin to tick up.
This name is the 818th most popular boy’s name in the United States. In 1997, it was at number 269. If that trend continues, this will be a name we just read about in history books.
Helen
Helen of Troy was the “face that launched a thousand ships.” Despite its historical significance, it’s a name that is falling out of favor with new parents.
Meaning “bright one” in Greek, it was the 556th most popular girl’s name, according to BabyCenter. Twenty years ago, it was number 345. That is not a good trend for the future of this name.
Donald
Donal is a name that means “proud chief” in Celtic. It also happens to be the name of our president and a famous cartoon duck.
It experienced a huge drop in popularity in 2016, falling 119 spots to 818th, according to BabyCenter. Our president may be able to rescue this name from obscurity, or he may kill it entirely. Dons of the world watch with bated breath!
Kelly
The name “Kelly” has experienced a major drop in the past twenty years. It’s name from Teutonic meaning “farm by the spring.” If something doesn’t change quickly, it’s name that will buy the farm.
In 1997, it was number 83 for girls’ names, according to BabyCenter. In 2017, it is number 1,005. It’s the name that has experienced one of the largest overall drops in popularity for either girls or boys.
Ian
The name “Ian” is actually the Scottish Gaelic version of “John” and means “God is gracious.” It was the most popular name in England in the 19th century. Today, however, it is far less popular.
According to BabyCenter, it is 107th most popular name for boys, falling 23 spots from 2016. If that trend continues, it will soon become a name of the past.
Dawn
Meaning “daybreak” in English, this is a name that appears to be in the twilight of its popularity. It may soon fall of the list of girls’ names entirely.
In 1997, this was the 680th most popular name for girls in the United States. By 2016, it had plummeted all the way down to 2,606.
