Choosing the perfect baby name can be fun, but it can also be stressful. Parents may draw on many influences — from pop culture to family history. But in some cases, the desire to name your child with a unique name overrides all other considerations.
You know you have a special name when only a handful of people share that name in any given year. You know you have a really special name, and quite uncommon, when no one else shares the name for decades.
To identify the most uncommon baby names of the last 100 years, 24/7 Tempo reviewed names with the fewest occurrences each year between 1919 and 2019 using data from the Social Security Agency.
Some of the 30 names on the list are uncommon because they were given to boys or girls when they are normally associated with the opposite sex. Several of the most uncommon names are rare spelling variations of better-known names such as Catherine and Sylvester.
Some names are rare and then become popular. The names on this list, however, never even made it to the 1,000 most popular names in the U.S.
And then there are names that were once extremely popular — Ally and Braden, for example — but have lost their luster and are now a rarity. Here are 25 boys and 25 girls names that are disappearing the fastest.
Click here to see 30 uncommon baby names of the last 100 years
To identify the most uncommon baby names of the last 100 years, 24/7 Tempo reviewed, for every year between 1919 and 2019, names with the fewest occurrences — five are needed for registration in the Social Security Agency’s database. The most uncommon names on our list are those that have been given to newborn babies between five and 25 times in every decade between 1919 and 2019.
Corita
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1990
> Years since the last time name was used: 30
> Babies given the name Corita between 1919-2019: 65
Corita, a version of the Greek name Cora, is of Greek origin and it means “maiden.”
[in-text-ad]
Norena
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1991
> Years since the last time name was used: 29
> Babies given the name Norena between 1919-2019: 40
Norena is a variation of the English name Noreen, which has Irish origin.
24/7 Wall St.
Julius
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1993
> Years since the last time name was used: 27
> Babies given the name Julius between 1919-2019: 75
Julius is usually a boy’s name of Latin origin, meaning “youthful,” but 75 girls were given the name in the past century.
Latrelle
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1993
> Years since the last time name was used: 27
> Babies given the name Latrelle between 1919-2019: 65
Latrelle, normally spelled as Latrell, is of American origin and it means “noble or eager.” The name was most popular in the decade between 1980 and 1989, when 20 baby girls were named Latrelle.
[in-text-ad-2]
Claudina
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1994
> Years since the last time name was used: 26
> Babies given the name Claudina between 1919-2019: 60
Claudina is a variation of the name Claudia, which is of Latin origin and it means “enclosure.”
Marice
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1995
> Years since the last time name was used: 25
> Babies given the name Marice between 1919-2019: 80
Marice is of Latin origin and means “star of the sea.” This alternate to the name Mary was most popular between 1960 and 1969 when a total of 25 baby girls were named Marice.
[in-text-ad]
Gara
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1995
> Years since the last time name was used: 25
> Babies given the name Gara between 1919-2019: 75
The name Gara, a variation of Gaira, is of Scottish origin and it means “short.” Gara is pronounced “GAERAH.” Gara was most popular between 1940 and 1949 when 20 babies were given the name.
Brookie
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1995
> Years since the last time name was used: 25
> Babies given the name Brookie between 1919-2019: 75
Brookie is a variation of the name Brooke, which is of English origin and it means “small stream.”
Kathreen
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1997
> Years since the last time name was used: 23
> Babies given the name Kathreen between 1919-2019: 85
Kathreen is a variation of the name Katherine, Catherine, Kathryn, Katharine, and other similarly spelled names that have the same pronunciation. Katherine is a girl’s name of Greek origin meaning “pure”.
[in-text-ad-2]
Meriel
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Meriel between 1919-2019: 75
Meriel has French and Irish origin and it means “sea nymph or shining sea (in Gaelic).” The word “mer” means “sea” in French.
Jeanet
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Jeanet between 1919-2019: 70
Jeanet is a variation of the name Jeanette, which is of French origin, a version of Jeanne, meaning “God is gracious.”
[in-text-ad]
Mela
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Mela between 1919-2019: 65
Mela has Greek and Polish origins. The name, which is a variation of Melanie, means “black, dark.”
24/7 Wall St.
Cathryne
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Cathryne between 1919-2019: 65
Cathryne is a variation of the name Catherine, which is of Greek origin and it means “pure.” Cathryne was most popular among parents in the last decade of the 20th century when a total of 20 baby girls were given the name.
Truly
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Truly between 1919-2019: 60
Truly is a variation of the word name True. Truly has also been used as an alternative to the name Julie.
[in-text-ad-2]
Evy
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Evy between 1919-2019: 55
Evy, a variation of the name Eve, is of Hebrew and Latin origin and it means “life.”
Irma
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1990
> Years since the last time name was used: 30
> Babies given the name Irma between 1919-2019: 95
Irma is usually a girl’s name of German origin and it means “universal, complete.” Irma as a boy’s name was most popular in the decade between 1930 and 1939 when 20 baby boys were given the name.
[in-text-ad]
Alvester
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1990
> Years since the last time name was used: 30
> Babies given the name Alvester between 1919-2019: 50
The origin of the name Alvester is unknown but it is speculated that the name is a variation of the name Sylvester, which is of English and Latin origin and it means “wood, forest.”
Levander
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1993
> Years since the last time name was used: 27
> Babies given the name Levander between 1919-2019: 75
Levander is a common surname name in Sweden and Finland. In the U.S., it was last registered as a given name to at least five babies in 1993. The name was most popular between 1980 and 1989 when 25 boys were named Levander.
Panfilo
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1994
> Years since the last time name was used: 26
> Babies given the name Panfilo between 1919-2019: 75
Panfilo, a version of the name Pamphilos, is of Greek origin and it means “friend of all.” The name was most popular in the decade between 1919 and 1929 when 20 baby boys were named Panfilo.
[in-text-ad-2]
Marsh
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1994
> Years since the last time name was used: 26
> Babies given the name Marsh between 1919-2019: 65
Marsh is of English origin and it means “one who looks after horses.” It was last registered by the Social Security Administration in 1994. A total of five babies were named Marsh between 1990 and 1999.
Slyvester
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1995
> Years since the last time name was used: 25
> Babies given the name Slyvester between 1919-2019: 50
Slyvester is a variation of the name Sylvester, which is of English and Latin origin and it means “wood, forest.”
[in-text-ad]
Barkley
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1997
> Years since the last time name was used: 23
> Babies given the name Barkley between 1919-2019: 60
Barkley is a variation of the name Barclay, which is of Scottish and English origins and it means “birch tree meadow.”
24/7 Wall St.
Texas
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1997
> Years since the last time name was used: 23
> Babies given the name Texas between 1919-2019: 50
The name Texas is of Native American origin and it means “friend or friendly.”
Nasario
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1998
> Years since the last time name was used: 22
> Babies given the name Nasario between 1919-2019: 80
Nasario is a variation of the Italian name Nazario, which means “from Nazareth.” Nasario was most popular in the U.S. between 1960 and 1969 when 20 baby boys were given the name.
[in-text-ad-2]
Phineas
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Phineas between 1919-2019: 85
Phineas is of Hebrew origin and it means “the Nubian.” The name is a variation of Phinehas, which itself may be a form of the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi, meaning “the Nubian” or “the bronze-colored one.”
Lorren
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Lorren between 1919-2019: 70
Lorren, which is sometimes used as a girl’s name, is of Latin and English origin and it means “laurel or sweet bay tree” or “symbol of victory.”
[in-text-ad]
Omega
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Omega between 1919-2019: 70
Omega is of Greek origin and it means “last.” Almost every decade between 1919 and 2019 just 10 baby boys were named Omega.
Tennyson
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Tennyson between 1919-2019: 70
Tennyson, originally a surname, is of English origin and it means “son of Dennis.” Tennyson was most popular between 1930 and 1939 when 15 newborn boys were given the name.
Penn
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Penn between 1919-2019: 60
Penn, which is more familiar as a last name, is of English origin and it means “enclosure.”
[in-text-ad-2]
Joaquim
> Last time name was registered in the SSA database: 1999
> Years since the last time name was used: 21
> Babies given the name Joaquim between 1919-2019: 50
Joaquim, a variant of either Joaquin or Joachim, is of Portuguese origin and it means “established by God.”
The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)
Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.
A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
