Is there really such a thing as a “good” or “bad” name? Naming preferences are subjective, and the popularity of different names is constantly shifting over time. However, there are a few select names that seem to have stood the test of time. Here are 12 baby names that have gone out of style, as well as five that we think never will.
Beverley
Beverley became a very popular name in the U.S. from the 1930s to the 1940s. However, nowadays, it is extremely rare for parents to give their children this name. According to Engaging Data, it was ranked number 2,138 in 2020.
Virgil
Virgil is a classic male name that invokes a sense of innocence and youth. However, while this name was popular in the 1800s and early 1900s, it’s seldom used by parents these days.
Jennifer
Jennifer is a lovely name that peaked in popularity in the 1970s and ‘80s. However, it has sadly fallen out of fashion since then. Just 206 baby girls per million received this name in 2024, according to BabyCenter.
Richard
Richard is an elegant name that used to be popular among royals and civilians alike. While this name has stood the test of time for many decades, it has now seen a notable dip in popularity.
Megan
You may know a lot of Megans in their 20s or 30s, but when was the last time you heard of a newly born Megan? This name became trendy in the ‘90s but fell off rather steeply in the 2000s, with just 352 girls per million being named Megan in 2024.
Jeremy
Like Megan, Jeremy is a name that became a common choice a few decades ago before steeply falling off. It reached a sharp peak in popularity in the 1970s, but now only makes up 620 of every million boys’ names.
Samantha
Samantha was a very popular name just a couple of decades ago. In 1990, a whopping 13,630 baby girls per million were called Samantha. However, you’ll rarely see it given to babies these days.
Robert
Robert remained a common name from the 1800s all the way into the 1970s. But it has since seen a notable decline in usage, with 1,051 baby boys per million receiving this name in 2024.
Ashley
Ashley became a very trendy name throughout the 1980s and 1990s. But despite there being numerous famous Ashleys within pop culture and entertainment, the name has now taken a sharp nosedive in popularity.
Brittany
As Britney Spears rose to fame in the 1990s, so did the name Brittany. However, since then, the name has become exceedingly rare. In 2023, only 18 baby girls per one million received this name.
Gregory
This classic name shot into the limelight in the 1940s and remained a popular choice in the U.S. until the 1980s. But nowadays, you’ll see a lot fewer newborn Gregorys.
Amanda
Amanda is a simple yet appealing girl’s name that became one of America’s favorites in the ‘80s and ‘90s. While you’ll still see a few newborn girls being given this name, it has since become far less common.
Emma
Now let’s move on to some timeless names that have remained popular for many decades. Emma is currently America’s third most popular baby girl name, according to BabyCenter. But did you know that even more little Emmas were running around in the late 1800s?
Michael
Michael is a classic name that has remained a common choice among American parents since the late 1800s. The name peaked in popularity from the 1950s to the 1990s but continues to rank relatively highly today.
Anthony
According to Engaging Data, Anthony remained in the top 40 boys’ names from the 1960s all the way into the 2010s. It was also a fairly common name back in the early 1900s, making it a truly timeless classic.
David
David is another classic name that has remained in the top 70 American boy names for a staggering 150 years. As such, it goes without saying that the Davids among us deserve a firm spot on this list.
Alexander
According to Gloucestershire Live, Alexander has remained one of the most loved baby names from 1921 all the way into 2021 and beyond. Alexander is also a historically significant name, with many royal Alexanders adding fame to the name.