Baby names at risk of going extinct in 2025

These baby names took the biggest tumble in popularity charts in 2024 – and might just be on their way out completely by 2025. Traditional names like Gary, Linda, and Carol have seen dramatic declines in recent years, with fewer than 100 babies receiving these once-popular monikers. For boys, names like Clive, Norman, and Keith have fallen sharply out of favor with modern parents. Similarly, vintage girls' names such as Deborah, Susan, and Maureen continue their downward trend. Meanwhile, pandemic-era favorites like Cora and Corona have understandably lost their appeal. Naming experts suggest these declining names could disappear from birth certificates entirely within the next year if current trends continue.

Each year, Momcozy tracks and analyzes naming trends across the country to identify which names are rising in popularity and which are falling out of favor. While our annual report typically celebrates the most popular baby names, we've noticed some concerning trends for certain names that have dropped significantly in the rankings. Based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who registered their babies' names with us, we've identified several categories of names that could potentially disappear from popularity charts by 2025.

The decline of the once-trendy "-aden" names continues steadily in 2024. Jaden, which peaked at number 62 in 2002, has plummeted 162 positions in our rankings this year. Similar names like Braden, Kaden, and Aiden are showing comparable downward trajectories. This pattern suggests that the entire "-aden" family of names may soon be considered distinctly dated, marking the end of a naming era that dominated the early 2000s.

Traditional royal names, once considered timeless classics, are rapidly falling from favor. Catherine has experienced the most dramatic decline, dropping a staggering 221 positions in our rankings. Other royal family staples including Anne, Phillip, Albert, and Edward have each tumbled more than 100 spots. This shift suggests parents are moving away from these traditional monarchical names in favor of more contemporary options.

Names that peaked during the 1980s and 1990s continue their steep decline, confirming our theory that parents avoid names popular during their own generation. Jamie leads this exodus, plummeting 320 positions to become our fastest-falling girl name of 2024. Other millennial-era names showing significant drops include Erin, Kelsey, Chelsea, Kendra, and Alexis for girls. For boys, Taylor, which maintained top-100 status from 1988 through 1997, has fallen 199 positions, signaling its potential retirement from contemporary use.

While certain nickname-style names like Ellie and Liam continue to dominate the top 10, other diminutive forms are rapidly disappearing. Liv, traditionally short for Olivia (our number one girl name for four consecutive years), has dropped an astonishing 257 positions. Similarly, Billy, the classic nickname for William, has fallen 167 spots. Other diminutives showing significant decline include Katie for girls and Danny and Andy for boys, suggesting parents increasingly prefer either formal names or entirely different nickname options.

Below, we present our complete analysis of names experiencing the steepest declines in 2024, arranged by category and percentage drop. While these names may not disappear entirely by 2025, their continued downward trajectory suggests they may soon become rare choices for the next generation of babies, creating unique opportunities for parents seeking distinctive yet familiar options.

Girl names at risk of going extinct

Female names facing significant popularity decline in 2025

1. Jamie- This once-popular name dropped 320 positions in the rankings, reflecting a dramatic shift in parents' preferences. Originally a diminutive of James, this gender-neutral name is rapidly falling out of favor.
2. Katie- Down 290 places, this diminutive of Katherine that dominated the 1990s and early 2000s is seeing a significant decline as parents opt for more unique alternatives.
3. Remy- This French-origin name decreased by 277 spots, suggesting its brief surge in popularity may be waning as quickly as it appeared.
4. Liv- Dropping 257 positions, this Scandinavian name meaning "life" is losing ground despite its minimalist appeal and celebrity associations.
5. Analia- With a 245-position decline, this melodic Latin name is rapidly disappearing from birth certificates across the country.
6. Karina- Down 243 spots, this variant of Katherine with Scandinavian and Russian roots is struggling to maintain relevance in today's naming landscape.
7. Belle- This French-derived name meaning "beautiful" fell 242 positions, perhaps suffering from Disney princess fatigue.
8. Erin- Once a staple Irish name in American households, it dropped 231 places as parents seek fresher alternatives.
9. Bristol- Down 230 positions, this place name that briefly gained popularity has failed to establish lasting appeal.
10. Lilia- This flowery name decreased by 230 spots as parents gravitate toward other botanical options.
11. Catherine- The traditional spelling of this classic name dropped 221 positions as alternative versions gain preference.
12. Faye- This vintage name with fairy associations fell 213 places despite the general revival of short, classic names.
13. Remington- Down 205 positions, this surname-turned-first-name is losing ground in the feminine form.
14. Kelsey- This English surname that peaked in the 1990s dropped 187 spots as its nostalgic appeal fades.
15. Anne- Despite its royal and literary connections, this classic name fell 180 positions as parents seek more distinctive options.
16. Monroe- Down 180 spots, this presidential surname-turned-girls-name is declining after its celebrity-driven popularity surge.
17. Chelsea- This English place name dropped 174 positions, continuing its steady decline since its peak in the 1990s.
18. Kendra- Down 161 spots, this once-trendy name is rapidly falling out of favor with new parents.
19. Regina- This regal Latin name meaning "queen" decreased by 157 positions despite its powerful meaning.
20. Alexis- Falling 155 places, this unisex Greek name that dominated the early 2000s is seeing a significant decline in usage for girls.

Boy names at risk of going extinct

Male names showing dramatic usage decreases heading into 2025

1. Jamal(down 433) - This once-popular name with Arabic origins meaning 'beauty' has seen the most dramatic decline among all boy names.
2. Esteban(down 283) - The Spanish form of Stephen has fallen significantly in popularity despite its strong cultural heritage.
3. Cannon(down 268) - This powerful surname-turned-first-name has experienced a sharp decrease after a brief surge in previous years.
4. Emery(down 241) - Though increasingly popular for girls, the traditionally male version of this name continues its steep decline.
5. Taylor(down 199) - This once-popular unisex name has fallen significantly for boys, possibly due to its increasing association with female celebrities.
6. Kareem(down 193) - The Arabic name meaning 'generous' or 'noble' has seen decreasing usage despite its rich cultural significance.
7. Idris(down 187) - Despite the popularity of actor Idris Elba, this Welsh/Arabic name has experienced a surprising downturn.
8. Camilo(down 185) - This Spanish and Portuguese variation of Camillus has fallen significantly in the past year.
9. Matthias(down 179) - The traditional biblical name offering a distinctive alternative to Matthew has lost considerable ground.
10. Danny(down 176) - Once a beloved nickname-as-first-name, Danny continues to decline as parents opt for the full Daniel or more contemporary choices.
11. Aziz(down 170) - This name with Arabic roots meaning 'powerful' or 'beloved' has seen a notable decrease in popularity.
12. Louie(down 170) - The casual variant of Louis has fallen out of favor despite the recent royal associations in Britain.
13. Andy(down 167) - This diminutive of Andrew has declined as parents increasingly prefer either the full name or more modern alternatives.
14. Billy(down 167) - Once a staple nickname-as-first-name, Billy continues its steady decline in the formal registry.
15. Phillip(down 167) - This traditional spelling of the classic name has seen decreasing usage compared to the single-L variant Philip.
16. Albert(down 166) - Despite royal connections and vintage appeal, this classic Germanic name continues to fade in popularity.
17. Jaden(down 162) - After reaching peak popularity in the early 2000s, this modern invented name is now rapidly declining.
18. Bridger(down 152) - This occupational surname name has lost significant ground after briefly trending in certain regions.
19. Cesar(down 147) - The Spanish variation of Caesar has seen a substantial decrease despite its strong historical significance.
20. Edward(down 145) - Surprisingly, this classic royal name with centuries of use has experienced a noteworthy decline heading into 2025.

Want to discover which baby names are trending upward instead? Explore our comprehensive guide to the most popular baby names of 2024 for inspiration. If you're searching for something unique that stands the test of time, our Baby Names Finder tool can help you discover the perfect name that balances uniqueness with staying power.

Methodology

Momcozy has been tracking and analyzing popular baby name trends, since 2017. Our endangered names report is based on comprehensive data from the top 1,000 baby names for each gender, collected from information submitted by Momcozy parents about babies born in 2024 (data extracted October 15, 2024). To identify names at risk of extinction, we examined which names experienced the most significant year-over-year percentage declines compared to 2023 data. When multiple names showed identical usage numbers in a given year, we broke ties by ranking them in alphabetical order.