Special Report

25 Names That Are Going Extinct

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Say goodbye to Maude, Ed, and Vicki, And bid adieu to Myrtle and Bert. We’re not acknowledging the demise of people with those names, but rather the names themselves. Based on data compiled by the Social Security Administration, those names are among the 25 baby names that are going extinct.

Parents-to-be adopt various tactics when choosing a name, hoping their child will like it and that it won’t go out of style when they grow up. There are ways to predict what names will stay or become trendy in the future. These are the most popular names in the next decade.

We probably know some Vickies, Caroles, Eds, and Bobs, however, all of those names are going the way of the dodo. The name Garfield, the surname of America’s 20th president, reached its peak in 1881, the year he was assassinated.

However, it is not a name preferred by parents today. Blanche, a character’s name made famous by playwright Tennessee Williams in his scorching play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” has fallen out of favor.

Some names became connected with tragedy or misfortune and have lost their appeal. One of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the United States was named Beulah, which slammed into Texas in 1967, and the average number of babies with that name tumbled to just over 14 each year from 2012 to 2018.

Nine of the 25 names had their peak years in the 19th century, and the decreasing popularity of these names has been accelerating since 2012. Of the 25 names on the list compiled by 24/7 Tempo, all but five are female monikers. These names have given way to the top baby names of 2018, which include Emma, Olivia, and Ava for girls. These and other names go through phases; they come and go, and some reappear years later. Maybe you were ahead of your time and your name became trendy sometime in the future– these were the most popular names the year you were born.

Click here to read about 25 names that are going extinct.
Click here to see our methodology.

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25. Delores (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 4,152 in 1932
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 73 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 6,890 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -6,817

Delores is a variation on the Spanish name Dolores, which means aches or sorrows. It’s short for La Virgen María de los Dolores, Virgin Mary of Sorrows. American actress Delores Taylor co-wrote and starred in the hit “Billy Jack” movies from the 1970s.

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24. Bob (male)
> Baby boys born with name in peak year: 2,477 in 1934
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 86 out of 701,765
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,028 out of 98,754
> Drop in average rank: -6,942

Bob is shorthand for Robert, and it may be surprising that this name appears on the list of names going extinct. There are no shortage of famous Bobs in our culture: singer Bob Dylan, comedian Bob Hope, and baseball pitcher Bob Gibson, to name a few.

Matthew Simmons / Getty Images

23. Bert (male)
> Baby boys born with name in peak year: 348 in 1880
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 74 out of 701,765
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,145 out of 98,754
> Drop in average rank: -7,071

Bert is a short form of various names such as Albert and Herbert. Fans of the children’s show “Sesame Street” will remember the Muppets Bert and Ernie, and though they may be saddened by the name’s demise, at least Ernie did not make the list of 25 names going extinct. Another spelling of the name is Burt, and the famous people with that name include actors Burt Reynolds and Burt Lancaster and songwriter Burt Bacharach.

rob_react / Flickr

22. Gail (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 9,884 in 1951
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 59 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,259 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -7,200

Gail, also spelled Gayle, is a short form of the name Abigail, the name of first lady Abigail Adams, the wife of the nation’s second president, and the mother of the sixth. Gail’s heyday was during the 1950s, and it has since been surpassed by variations of the name including Abigail and Abby.

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CBS Television / Wikimedia Commons

21. Maude (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 1,089 in 1882
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 50 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,314 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -7,265

Maude has German origins and it means “battle-mighty.” That aptly described the title character of the sit-com “Maude,” whose feisty female lead was played by Bea Arthur.

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

20. Patsy (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 4,195 in 1936
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 69 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,665 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -7,596

Patsy is sometimes used as a truncated version of the names Patricia and Patrick, and it remains popular in Ireland. One of the most famous Americans with the name was country singer Patsy Cline, who died in a plane crash in 1963. Patsy is also a derogatory name for someone who is easily fooled.

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Larry Busacca / Getty Images

19. Traci (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 3,854 in 1970
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 100 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 7,985 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -7,885

Traci is one of several variations on the name Tracey or Tracy, which is a surname as well as a unisex first name. Both versions of the name peaked in popularity in 1970. It is the first name of the spoiled heiress played by Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Story.”

Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images

18. Margie (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 2,408 in 1933
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 99 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,016 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -7,918

Margie is often used as a short form of the names Margaret and Marjorie. An even shorter form is Marge, the name of the wife of cartoon character Homer Simpson. The name reached its peak in the early 1930s. “My Little Margie” was a sit-com that ran for four seasons in the 1950s.

Ana Elisa Fuentes / Getty Images

17. Sue (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 5,144 in 1946
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 76 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,127 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -8,050

Sue is a short form of a number of names, including Susan and Suzanne. The name is the Anglicized form of the French name Susanne. It is less common as a given name. One prominent Sue was Sue Grafton, the best-selling author of detective novels.

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kretyen / Flickr

16. Beulah (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 859 in 1901
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 82 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,159 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -8,077

Beulah is an ancient Hebrew name meaning “married.” The name began to be used in England during the Reformation and was later used by the Puritans. In popular culture, “The Beulah Show” was a radio program in the 1940s and a TV sit-com noteworthy for the fact that it was the first to feature an African-American as the title character.

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

15. Vicki (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 8,221 in 1954
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 67 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,288 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -8,221

Vicki, Vickie, and Vicky are often used as short forms of the name Victoria. Vicki peaked in popularity in 1954. Famous Vicki’s in pop culture include comedian/singer Vicki Lawrence and pop singer Vicki Sue Robinson

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Harold Clements / Getty Images

14. Kim (male)
> Baby boys born with name in peak year: 3,491 in 1955
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 98 out of 701,765
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,427 out of 98,754
> Drop in average rank: -8,329

Perhaps the most famous male Kim of all was the character created by Rudyard Kipling and later made into a movie starring Errol Flynn. The most infamous Kim was the British spy Harold “Kim” Philby, who defected to the Soviet Union in 1963.

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

13. Sherri (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 5,456 in 1963
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 88 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 8,950 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -8,862

The Four Seasons had a No. 1 hit with “Sherry” in 1962, and the peak year for the number of babies born with that name (though the spelling is different) was the next year. With apologies to the singing group, it is unlikely girls with that name will be coming out tonight or at any time soon.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

 

12. Nettie (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 419 in 1881
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 75 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 9,448 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -9,373

Nettie, English in origin, is one of the names whose peak years were in the 19th century. The name is related to the names Annette and Henrietta. The 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Carousel” included a character called Nettie Fowler.

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Stephen Chernin / Getty Images

11. Garfield (male)
> Baby boys born with name in peak year: 147 in 1881
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 88 out of 701,765
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 9,588 out of 98,754
> Drop in average rank: -9,500

Garfield is of English origin meaning “triangular field.” It peaked in popularity in 1881, the same year President James A. Garfield was assassinated. Garfield is also the name of the cynical cartoon cat created by Jim Davis.

Carl Van Vechten Wikimedia Commons

10. Bessie (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 2,343 in 1889
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 36 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 9,727 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -9,692

Bessie, Hebrew for “pledged to God,” peaked in popularity in the 19th century. It is short for Elizabeth or Beatrice. The name can be found in characters in the books “Jane Eyre” and “The Plough and the Stars.” More recently, it was the name of notable African-American women Bessie Coleman, an aviator and the first civilian licensed African-American pilot, and blues singer Bessie Smith. The name reached its peak in the 1880s, climbing to No. 13 in popularity.

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Valerie Macon / Getty Images

9. Terry (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 5,354 in 1955
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 90 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 9,826 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -9,736

Terry, also spelled Terri or Teri, is both a male and female name. Most of the famous Terrys are male, but some of the notable female Terrys include Terri Nunn, vocalist for the 1980s synth-pop group Berlin, and Terry Moore, an Oscar-nominated actress who appeared in movies during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

gageskidmore / Flickr

8. Ed (male)
> Baby boys born with name in peak year: 328 in 1885
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 71 out of 701,765
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 9,966 out of 98,754
> Drop in average rank: -9,896

The name Ed, short for Edward, hit its peak year in 1885, but there have been many famous Eds since then, among them actors Ed Asner and Ed Harris. Another Ed of note is British singer Ed Sheeran, who appears as himself in the movie “Yesterday.”

Express / Getty Images

7. Vickie (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 6,961 in 1956
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 78 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 10,031 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -9,953

Vickie, along with Vicki, is a short form of the name Victoria, which peaked in popularity in 1954. Vickie had more staying power, topping out in 1956.

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Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

6. Carole (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 8,409 in 1942
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 57 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 11,109 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -11,052

The name Carole peaked in popularity in 1942, the acclaimed actress Carole Lombard died in a plane crash on a tour to raise war bonds. Also that same year, Carole King was born. King is one of the most successful singer-songwriters of all time and inspired the Broadway hit, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”

Courtesy of Hanna-Barbera Productions

5. Velma (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 854 in 1907
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 93 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 11,967 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -11,874

Velma is a variation on Wilma or Wilhelmina, though its origin is in dispute. The most famous Velmas are fictional — the brainy Velma Dinkley in the animated television series “Scooby-Doo,” the deadly Velma Kelly in the musical “Chicago,” and the meddling stage mom Velma Von Tussle in the movie “Hairspray.”

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Evan Agostini / Getty Images

4. Blanche (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 711 in 1884
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 64 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 13,048 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -12,984

Blanche, from the French word for white, originally referred to a pale blonde and became connected with the ideal of purity. Another name associated with famous fictional characters is Blanche. Among the best known of these is Southern belle Blanche DuBois, who appears in the Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Another famous fictional Blanche is Blanche Ingram, a character in the novel “Jane Eyre.” There is also a character named Blanche Devereaux in the long-running TV series “The Golden Girls.”

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

3. Myrtle (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 1,938 in 1895
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 45 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 14,669 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -14,624

The name Myrtle is of Greek origin and the plant of the same name is associated with peace and fertility. The name peaked in popularity in 1895. Literary characters named Myrtle appear in “The Hand of Ethelberta” by Thomas Hardy, Theodore Dreiser’s “The Genius,” and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

2. Maud (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 432 in 1882
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 78 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 15,734 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -15,656

Maud, which peaked as a name in 1882, isn’t a very common name so it is not surprising to see it near the top of our list. There have been some famous Mauds, however. Maud was the youngest daughter of King Edward VII and the granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and she eventually became Queen of Norway. Irish revolutionary Maud Gonne inspired poet William Butler Yeats, while Swedish actress Maud Adams appeared in three James Bond movies.

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U.S. National Library of Medicine / Wikimedia Commons

1. Willie (female)
> Baby girls born with name in peak year: 1,796 in 1910
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 1880-2011: 75 out of 1,024,255
> Avg. popularity rank of name between 2012-2018: 16,820 out of 132,373
> Drop in average rank: -16,745

The name most likely headed for extinction is the female version of Willie. The female version of the name is derived from German meaning “determined protector” and is a variation on the German name Wilhelmina. The average number of female babies with the name Willie averaged just 5 names between 2012 and 2018.


Methodology

To determine the baby names going extinct, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the 100 most popular boy and girl names each year between 1880 and 2018 from the Social Security Administration. We took the 1880-2011 average ranking of each name appearing on any of the SSA’s top 100 lists between those years. These names were highly popular for some significant period of time. We compared this earlier average level of popularity with the 2012-2018 average ranking of those same names.We selected the 25 names with the largest declines in average ranking between those two periods. The names are ranked by the drop amount.The SSA only collects data on names with at least five birth certificates. Alternate spellings of similar names were treated as discrete names.

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