Expert shares ‘endangered baby names’ and those ‘going extinct’

The experts at Nameberry have revealed a list of ‘endangered’ baby names, as well as those that are ‘almost extinct’ – and there are a few surprises

New baby name trends emerge every year, with some being more predictable than others. However, parents may be taken aback to discover which names are on the brink of disappearing.

The experts at Nameberry have revealed that some names you might think are going extinct aren’t as unpopular as people imagine. In a blog post about “the names really in danger of extinction,” the experts said: “Gary, Karen, and Nigel are the most commonly cited ‘extinct’ names.”

However, the names are still in use in the UK and US, according to the pros. “Names like Gary, Karen, and Nigel are falling in popularity, but it’s too early to tell if they’re headed all the way to extinction,” they added.

Of course, there are other names that have already hit the ‘extinct’ list. On its blog, Nameberry categorised names as ‘endangered’, ‘almost extinct’ or ‘truly extinct’. For people with names like ‘Bob’, ‘Carole’, ‘Mel’, or ‘Matt’, it could be bad news.

Thankfully, many people enjoy having a rare name. Parents picking a baby name might also be happy to see their chosen moniker on the list if they’re looking for a standout name. After all, the lists feature lots of beautiful names, they’re just not for everyone.

According to Nameberry, the list of endangered names includes former favourites that are now less popular. Names such as Cheryl and Hubert, for example. Other names on the list include Becky, Bill, Brad, Cathy, Debra, Greg, Jim, Justine, Kim, Matt, Robby, Shelly, Stuart, Ted, Tom, Tracy, Vicky, and Woody.

Similarly, you can expect to find lots of names favoured by the Baby Boomer generation on the almost extinct list. The names include Bob, Dusty, Ed, Gayle, Howie, Jeanine, Jill, Kris, Mel, Nicky, Sandy, Terry, and Val.

As for the extinct baby names, the list includes Barney, Carol, Fran, Meg, Stu, Trish, and Wilkie. However, there’s always time for a comeback.