Names going extinct: These are the baby names that are dying out...
If you're looking for an unusual baby name, we're here to give you a helping hand. Because a handful of the names that were up there as some of the most popular when you were at school in the 1990s have plummeted in the ratings, rendering them almost extinct – honestly, if you're a Kirsty, Lauren or Leanne, can you even believe it?
Although you might have been in a class with more than one Jodie, or even a Jordan, you'll be surprised to learn that baby Jodies and baby Jordans are nowadays, pretty few and far between. In fact, some of these baby names are nearly going extinct in England and Wales. Somebody call David Attenborough, we need to save these names, pronto.
To find out which names have found themselves falling lower and lower on the popularity list, Cosmopolitan UK compared some of the most common names in 1996 (as far back as detailed government data on baby names in England and Wales goes) with the number of times they were given to babies born in 2020 (the most recent data set we have). And, we're sorry to say it, but some '90s names have gone sorely out of fashion, it seems.
Baby names going extinct: Boys' names
Craig - 98% drop
705 baby boys born in 1996 were named Craig, but just 16 were given the name in 2020.
Scott - 97% drop
1,632 baby boys born in 1996 were named Scott, but just 41 were given the name in 2020.
Kieran - 97% drop
2,882 baby boys born in 1996 were named Kieran, but just 97 were given the name in 2020.
Jordan - 96% drop
5,750 baby boys born in 1996 were named Jordan, but just 223 were given the name in 2020.
Shaun - 96% drop
773 baby boys born in 1996 were named Shaun, but just 31 were given the name in 2020.
Ashley - 96% drop
1,874 baby boys born in 1996 were named Ashley, but just 66 were given the name in 2020.
Shane - 96% drop
846 baby boys born in 1996 were named Shane, but just 31 were given the name in 2020.
Sean - 95% drop
1,594 baby boys born in 1996 were named Sean, but just 74 were given the name in 2020.
Curtis - 94% drop
757 baby boys born in 1996 were named Curtis, but just 42 were given the name in 2020.
Connor - 93% drop
5,009 baby boys born in 1996 were named Connor, but just 335 were given the name in 2020.
Andrew - 93% drop
2,676 baby boys born in 1996 were named Andrew, but just 176 were given the name in 2020.
Dean - 93% drop
719 baby boys born in 1996 were named Dean, but just 52 were given the name in 2020.
Matthew - 93% drop
7,426 baby boys born in 1996 were named Matthew, but just 492 were given the name in 2020.
Bradley - 93% drop
2,557 baby boys born in 1996 were named Bradley, but just 167 were given the name in 2020.
Callum - 92% drop
4,281 baby boys born in 1996 were named Callum, but just 332 were given the name in 2020.
Baby names going extinct: Girls' names
Kirsty - 99% drop
1,202 baby girls born in 1996 were named Kirsty, but just 8 were given the name in 2020.
Shannon - 99% drop
4,649 baby girls born in 1996 were named Shannon, but just 15 were given the name in 2020.
Gemma - 99% drop
1,261 baby girls born in 1996 were named Gemma, but just 11 were given the name in 2020.
Jodie - 99% drop
1,354 baby girls born in 1996 were named Jodie, but just 14 were given the name in 2020.
Lauren - 99% drop
6,299 baby girls born in 1996 were named Lauren, but just 77 were given the name in 2020.
Danielle - 98% drop
2,641 baby girls born in 1996 were named Danielle, but just 42 were given the name in 2020.
Jade - 98% drop
2,750 baby girls born in 1996 were named Jade, but just 61 were given the name in 2020.
Leanne - 97% drop
616 baby girls born in 1996 were named Leanne, but just 17 were given the name in 2020.
Chelsea - 97% drop
1,735 baby girls born in 1996 were named Chelsea, but just 43 were given the name in 2020.
Ashleigh - 97% drop
1,081 baby girls born in 1996 were named Ashleigh, but just 30 were given the name in 2020.
Amy - 97% drop
5,206 baby girls born in 1996 were named Amy, but just 167 were given the name in 2020.
Rebecca - 97% drop
5,828 baby girls born in 1996 were named Rebecca, but just 198 were given the name in 2020.
Rhiannon - 96% drop
654 baby girls born in 1996 were named Rhiannon, but just 24 were given the name in 2020.
Samantha - 96% drop
1,854 baby girls born in 1996 were named Samantha, but just 64 were given the name in 2020.
Megan - 96% drop
4,948 baby girls born in 1996 were named Megan, but just 201 were given the name in 2020.
Now you know which names people are snubbing these days, find out which baby names have proven the most popular in 2021 so far.
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