Farewell Elmer And Wilma: The Once-Popular U.S. Baby Names That Went Extinct

“What’s in a name?” as the famous Shakespeare quote goes. But naming trends can actually provide a fascinating window into different cultures and time periods, revealing which influences were most impactful on new parents’ name choices at the time. 

Our analysis of Social Security Administration records reveals the popular names from a century ago which have now fallen so far down the rankings that they can be considered “extinct.” 

Our researchers identified the top 100 names for baby boys and the top 100 names for baby girls in 1923. The frequency of these specific names for newborns was then assessed decade-by-decade over the intervening century, revealing a resilience or decline in popularity. Using SSA data from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States, we were then able to shortlist 25 boys’ names and 36 girls’ names which have not featured in the top 1000 names for any year since 2020, thus making these once-popular names “extinct.” 

1923 vs. 2023: The Once Ubiquitous First Names Now Extinct

Boys’ Names

Girls’ Names

Note: Accessible SSA ‘popularity of a name’ data goes back to 1900.  

* Used as a full given name (rather than in use as a nickname)

What Makes A Name Popular?

Esteban Touma, Babbel Live Teacher explains, “Naming trends are reflective of broader linguistic and cultural trends, which is why looking at the popular names from a bygone era can offer you a snapshot into the culture of that place at that time. The popular trends in the United States today mirror the changing demographics of the country’s population, and how U.S. culture has evolved over the decades. Prominent celebrities’ name choices and names featured in popular culture can certainly impact people’s naming decisions. For example, it’s been reported that there’s been a surge of interest in the name ‘Barbie’ following the blockbuster movie this summer. Through looking at the top names from a century ago which can now be considered extinct, we can evaluate why that might be, and whether any of them are likely to have a revival any time soon – after all, like past popular fashion trends, these vintage names might come back around again.” 

Laura Wattenberg, creator of namerology.com and author of The Baby Name Wizard, comments,  “These names show how dramatically American name style has changed. 100 years ago, the fashion was for rich, heavy names dense with consonants. Letters like L, D, R and N would cluster together for a sound that felt elegant at the time.

“In the 21st Century, name style has turned smooth and light. Just try saying aloud today’s top three top names — Liam, Noah and Olivia — and compare that feeling to pronouncing Mildred, Herbert and Myrtle. The style transformation is so complete that parents today can hardly imagine most of the 1923 names as babies. But many of them were wildly popular. In fact, Mildred was far more popular in 1923 than any baby name is today. Names rise fast, but they fall even faster. Incredibly, the ‘80s favorite Krista is now less common than Edna, and boys are more likely to be named Elmer than Brad. Some of the departed 1920s names may even sound fresh enough for a comeback soon.”

Looking Forward

Babbel also asked naming expert Laura Wattenberg to share her predictions for 10 boys’ and 10 girls’ names that will be popular in the future. These names have not yet ranked in the top 100, but are rising fast in popularity. 

Laura Wattenberg explains, “No name exists in a vacuum, and each of these rising names is part of a hot style. For instance, Banks is following in the footsteps of the trendy favorite Brooks, and similar -s surnames like Wells, Briggs and Hayes are also rising fast. But each name also has its own unique attractions, like the way Juniper and Callahan contract to the familiar nicknames Junie and Cal.

“Celebrity can play a role as well, but even the biggest star will only inspire namesakes if it’s the kind of name parents were already looking for. Take two of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s kids, Saint and North. The name Saint fit with the current fashion for exalted names like Reign, King, Legend and Messiah, while North didn’t catch on at all.

“The one quality all of these names have in common is that they were not popular in recent generations in the United States. Parents aren’t drawn to the names they grew up surrounded by.”