Find Out Which Popular Names Are Extinct Now In 2023

As trends come and go, so will popular names for babies. But just like the previous years, new names become “hot” and old names fall into obscurity. See which names are back in style and which are overdue for retirement.

“Carole was one of the defining names of the 1930s and 40s, and it completely vanished in 2021,” Laura Wattenberg, creator of Namerology, told TODAY Parents.

From a statistical standpoint, a name is considered “gone” when given to fewer than five boys or girls in a year. Pat and Bob fall into that category.

“One-syllable nicknames like Jim and Dave used to be really popular given names,” Wattenberg said. “But that whole style is falling rapidly out of fashion.”

Name Predictions

She predicts that Bill, such as Bob, is disappearing soon. Interestingly, we still have a William (with the long form) 1 in the top 10 names in 06.

“It’s very much about that style of the sort of blunt, cheery nickname,” Wattenberg explained.

“We’re turning away from names that are sort of like a trimming of a longer name.”

Politicians used to get elected by running under “friendly and approachable” nicknames.

“You had an election between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, not William and Robert,” she said. “Ted Cruz was born Rafael, Michael Dukakis was always Michael until he started running for president and then he became Mike.”

Similarly, girls’ nicknames such as Sue and Debby have long disappeared from today’s society.

While names for girls born between 1964 and 1984 aren’t going anywhere, the old-fashioned, “old-fashioned girl” names (Marcia, Doris, Shirley) have fallen out of favor.

“Names of the 1960s are sort of on this accelerated decline,” Wattenberg said. “So we’re about to see nobody named Shelley or Jill or even Brad.”

“Brad isn’t even in the top 3000 names for boys,” she added.

Extinct Popular Names

Extinct girls’ names:

Carole

Sue

Debby

Vickie

Terry

Staci

Geri/Gerri

Cyndi/Cindi

Nicki

Sandi

Endangered girls’ names:

Kerri

Sheri/Cheri

Kristi

Wendi

Judi

Loni

Kimberli

Tobi

Tricia

Kris

Rhonda

Shawn

Tonya

Shelley

Extinct boys’ popular names:

Bill

Jim

Pat

Endangered boys’ popular names:

Ed

Stan

Mitch

Bert

Rod

Curt

Lorne

Dirk

Brad