Poor Gary. And Karen. It appears no one loves these names anymore. And Gary and Karen aren’t the only two names entering extinction and fading into our past.
We’ve collected 60 names no one loves anymore. But, first, let’s delve into WHY these names have hit rock bottom.
Why aren’t we loving these names anymore?
Well, for starters, a lot of them were overused in the 80s and now we’re sick of them. Names like Tammy, Kylie and Angela, for example, seem to have that classic 80s vibe that’s hard to ignore.
Some of the names are even older than the 80s, and while vintage baby names are considered cool and classic, some are just OLD. We’re talking like “super” old school here. Like, “Oh, congrats, you just gave birth to a 97-year-old” name.
We can also blame cultural and historical events and ahem, COVID for the drop in numbers.
Below are just a few names no one seems to care about anymore, in no particular order. Tell us, have you or someone you know named your child any of these names? We’d love to know!
Baby girl names no one is using anymoreÂ
- Amanda
- Angela
- Ainsley
- CarolÂ
- Cindy
- DebbieÂ
- Donna
- Doris
- Elaine
- Edna
- Gail
- JanetÂ
- Karen – You gotta feel sorry for all the Karens out there. But after the 2020 the Karens of the Internet had, it makes sense no one is opting for this once-popular moniker.
- Linda
- Norma
- Marlene
- Tammy
- Tanya
Baby boy names no one is using anymoreÂ
- Brian
- Barry
- Cecil
- Clive
- Colin
- Gareth
- GaryÂ
- Geoff
- Greg
- Gordan
- Karl
- Norman
- MelvynÂ
- Roy
The true blue Aussie names no one is usingÂ
- Beryl
- Brett
- Craig
- Darren
- Darryl
- Kylie
- MurielÂ
- Nigel
- Sally
- Sharon
- Sheila
- Shane
- Tracey
- Wayne
It’s sad to see that Daz, Shaz and Waz all made the list. Okay, not really. It’s probably a good thing.
Culture shockÂ
Of course, some names become popular due to certain TV programs, movies or historical events. And then they drop. Drastically. Below are a few names that were either built up or ruined by certain historical events or pop culture.
- Khalessi – Never really a name, this “name” burned out pretty quickly after the GoT namesake turned into a dragon-riding nutbag who torched an entire city.
- Isis – Yep…there is no coming back from this name.
- Ross – He was a Friends favourite. Now, not so much.
- Chandler – Could this name BE any more outdated?
- Monica – I’m thinking it wasn’t just Friends that ruined this name but also that whole “I did not have sexual relations” scenario.
- Kirk – One word. Spock.
- Ken – And we reckon Barbie too.
- Ronald – I blame the Macca’s clown for this one. Creepy and crazy.
- Donald – Not making this name great again.
The COVID effect
And let’s not forget the most recent names that have fallen from grace thanks to the whole pandemic. These include:
- Cora or Corah
- Cove
- Ronan
- Lochlan
- Lockie
- Viola
What names are taking their places?Â
The latest baby name trends of 2021 are nature names, animal names and magical names. Here are the top ten most popular names of 2020 for boys and girls
Most popular names (girls)
- Charlotte
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Isla
- Mia
- Ava
- Grace
- Willow
- Harper
- Chloe
Most popular names (boys)
- Oliver
- Noah
- Jack
- William
- Leo
- Lucas
- Thomas
- Henry
- Charlie
- James
What to read next
.Check out our baby name section for even more names making waves this year.