THE name you are given can say a lot about you, and can really mean a lot – so choosing a baby name is not a decision to be taken lightly.
There are always names trending so sometimes it can be hard to find the right balance between choosing a name that you like that is unique and personal, but still popular.
Some parents are increasingly opting for unusual names, particularly if they're inspired by their favourite TV show or singer.
Language learning platform Babbel expert Ted Mentele says: “There are many factors that can influence which names surge and fall in popularity, one of which is popular culture.
"After the success of Game of Thrones, for example, there was a rise in the number of children given names like Arya and Khaleesi in the UK.
"It’s possible that new TV shows might have a similar impact, such as names like Rhaenyra from House of the Dragon, or perhaps names inspired by the long-awaited The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.
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"The influence of celebrities’ widely-reported name choices for their children can also have an impact, as well as celebrities’ own names.
"For example, singer Billie Eilish might inspire parents to choose the name Billie.”
Declining popularity
Sadly, this means some other more traditional names are chosen so infrequently, they're practically extinct.
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Endangered girl names
- Annette
- Brenda
- Cheryl
- Debbie
- Denise
- Donna
- Edna
- Geraldine
- Gwendoline
- Janet
- Jean
- Kirsty
- Lindsey
- Lynda
- Marian
- Marjorie
- Maud
- Norma
- Pauline
- Shirley
- Suzanne
- Tracey/ Tracy
- Yvonne
Ted says: "Naming trends also tend to go in generational cycles, meaning that names associated with the baby boomer generation are likely to be under threat.
"Therefore, names like Linda, Jeffrey and Deborah, previously popular amongst baby boomers, are at risk of a decline in popularity.”
Bye, bye baby
Sadly, Graeme, Horace, Iain, Leigh, Melvyn, Nigel and Royston are the once popular boys' names that according to the latest research are now extinct.
Meanwhile Bertha, Beverley, Carol, Carole, Doreen, Gail, Gertrude, Gillian, Glenys, Glynis, Hilary, Jeanette, Jill, Kay, Kerry, Lesley, Lindsay, Lyndsey, Lynne, Lynsey, Mandy, Maureen, Muriel and Phyllis have all died out for girls.
If your name is on the list, don't worry though – they still all have special meanings.
Meaningful monikers
For example, for the boys names – if your name is Horace this is how the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is known in the English-speaking world.
The name derives from the Roman family name Horatius.
Iain has roots in Scottish Gaelic and is derived from the
Hebrew name Yohanan or Yochanan, which in English is ‘John’.
Leigh meanwhile comes from the Anglo-Saxon for ‘meadow’ or
‘clearing’.
While Nigel is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name Niall, possibly meaning ‘champion’ – although this is debated.
Endangered boy names
- Barry
- Cecil
- Clarence
- Claude
- Clifford
- Cyril
- Dale
- Donald
- Gary/ Garry
- Glen/ Glenn
- Gordon
- Graham
- Howard
- Keith
- Leslie
- Neville
- Norman
- Rodney
- Stewart
- Stuart
- Trevor
A dying breed
Meanwhile, in terms of the dying-out girls' names, the name Bertha comes from German, and means ‘bright one’ or ‘shining one’.
Gail is a variant of the name Abigail, and comes from a Hebrew name
meaning ‘my father’s joy’, while Gertrude is a name of Germanic origin.
The first part of the name is derived from a Germanic word
for ‘spear’ and the second part of the name is derived from a Germanic word meaning ‘strength’.
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If you're expecting, you might want to consider bringing one of these classic names back.
Or, if you prefer to play it straight and pick a beautiful name that's reasonably common right now, you may want to check out the most popular girls' and boys' names of the last year.
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