59 Baby Names That Were Wildly Popular A Hundred Years Ago But Are All But Extinct Today
You probably know a lot of new babies named after the current crop of trendy names like Ezra, Amara, and Jayden (just to name a few).
But what about popular names of the past? As it turns out, some names stick around while others...go extinct! Babbel — the language learning platform — analyzed Social Security Administration records to see which popular names from a century ago have fallen out of fashion so much that they can now be considered extinct, and it's super interesting.
Babbel considers a name "extinct" if it hasn't been in the top 1,000 names for any year since 2020.
So, here are the once "everywhere" names that today are basically unheard of for a baby. Let's start with the "extinct" boys' names:
1.Arnold — ranked 93rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2004.
2.Bernard — ranked 46th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2008.
3.Bill* — ranked 98th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 1993.
*used as a full given name and not a nickname.
4.Billy* — ranked 78th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2019.
*used as a full given name and not a nickname.
5.Cecil — ranked 87th in 1923 — dropped out of the top 1,000 for good in 1997.
6.Chester — ranked 63rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 1995.
7.Clarence — ranked 29th in 1923 — disappeared from the top 1,000 after 2010.
8.Clifford — ranked 65th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2005.
9.Dale — ranked 90th in 1923 — was last a top 1,000 name in 2009.
10.Earl — ranked 31st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2006.
11.Elmer — ranked 57th in 1923 — failed to appear on any top 1,000 list after 2009.
12.Ernest — ranked 38th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 in 2018.
13.Floyd — ranked 64th in 1923 — dropped out of the top 10,00 list in 1998.
14.Fred* — ranked 33rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
*used as a full given name and not a nickname.
15.Glenn — ranked 84th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2008.
16.Herman — ranked 66th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1999.
17.Herbert — ranked 40th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
18.Lester — ranked 71st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1999.
19.Lloyd — ranked 59th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
20.Milton — ranked 81st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2008.
21.Norman — ranked 44th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2005.
22.Ralph — ranked 23rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2018.
23.Vernon — ranked 67th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2003.
24.Virgil — ranked 100th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1991.
25.Willard — ranked 92nd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1989.
The girls' names are next, but first — if you're wondering why all these names fell out of favor — baby name expert Laura Wattenberg of Namerology has an interesting explanation:
"A hundred years ago, the fashion was for rich, heavy names dense with consonants. Letters like L, D, R, and N would cluster together for a sound that felt elegant at the time. In the 21st century, name style has turned smooth and light. Just try saying aloud today’s top three top names — Liam, Noah, and Olivia — and compare that feeling to pronouncing Mildred, Herbert, and Myrtle."
OK! Now for the "extinct" girls' names:
26.Agnes — ranked 63rd in 1923 – last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1972.
27.Ann — ranked 52nd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2019.
28.Bernice — ranked 43rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1984.
29.Bertha — ranked 64th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1985.
30.Bessie — ranked 81st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1975.
31.Betty* — ranked 5th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1996.
*used as a full given name and not a nickname.
32.Dolores — ranked 83rd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1989.
33.Doris — ranked 11th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1992.
34.Edna — ranked 32nd in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1991.
35.Ethel — ranked 38th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1975.
36.Geraldine — ranked 58th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2012.
37.Gertrude — ranked 59th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in1965.
38.Gladys — ranked 29th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1999.
39.Ida — ranked 68th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1986.
40.Jean — ranked 19th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1994.
41.Jeanne — ranked 90th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1990.
42.Juanita — ranked 51st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
43.Lois — ranked 27th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1983.
44.Lorraine — ranked 57th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in1995.
45.Marian — ranked 65th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2000.
46.Marjorie — ranked 16th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2017.
47.Mildred — ranked 8th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1984.
48.Myrtle — ranked 84th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1965.
49.Norma — ranked 41st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
50.Patricia — ranked 56th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2019.
51.Pauline — ranked 37th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1997.
52.Phyllis — ranked 45th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1984.
53.Rita — ranked 50th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2002.
54.Shirley — ranked 26th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 2008.
55.Thelma — ranked 31st in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1982.
56.Viola — ranked 79th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1972.
57.Wanda — ranked 80th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1990.
58.Willie* — ranked 67th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1972.
*used as a full given name and not a nickname.
59.And Wilma — ranked 74th in 1923 — last appeared in the top 1,000 names in 1973.
Wilma, too? Looks like "Fred" and "Wilma" are as extinct as their pet dinosaur!
