These formerly popular names may soon be extinct
If you’re a Michael, you might soon find that you share your name with no one under the age of 20. Despite being the most popular boy’s name for 43 out of 44 years in the 20th century, it faces extinction, with less than 14,000 new Michaels born in the US last year – the lowest since 1940.
It’s believed the current trend of parents seeking unique names could be contributing to the decline. At its peak in the 1960s, 833,343 Michaels were born a year. By the 1990s, however, the name was kicked off the top spot by Jacob, and between 2010 and 2016, there were only 109,542 baby boys dubbed “Michael”.
Unfortunately, it’s not the only classic name heading towards extinction. Earlier this year, website BabyCentre pulled data from three million UK mothers to create a list of 36 formerly popular names that had not yet been registered in 2017, and there’s more than a few which will be familiar to over-60s.
- Angela
- Bertram
- Beverley
- Cecil
- Carol
- Clarence
- Clive
- Cyril
- Debra
- Diane
- Donna
- Dean
- Doris
- Dennis
- Derek
- Duncan
- Elaine
- Ernest
- Geoffrey
- Horace
- Joanne
- Leonard
- Maureen
- Malcolm
- Nigel
- Neville
- Paula
- Roy
- Sally
- Sandra
- Sharon
- Sheila
- Tracey
- Wendy
- Yvonne
- Wayne
Is your name on the list? Let us know in the comments below and tell us, will you be sad to see these names disappear? Or is it time for a new batch?