Choosing a baby name is one of the first big decisions parents make for their child. Some soon-to-be parents start from scratch, looking through name lists online, while others start jotting names down in their Notes app before they are even expecting. (I’m including myself in the latter category!) But regardless of how you approach the decision, there is a lot to consider. How does the name sound with the baby’s surname? Will a middle name be used? Should the name be easy to spell? Do you want to honor a relative with the choice?
The list can truly go on and on, and something else that parents have to consider is the associations the name has. From feeling like it belongs to another generation to it being connected with a negative news story, some monikers fall by the wayside and down the popular name charts.
To learn about some names that used to be very popular, but that new parents are no longer using, Parade spoke to Sherri Suzanne, the founder of My Name for Life. She is a baby name consultant who helps parents choose a moniker for their child by taking into account their preferences in a variety of areas and presenting them with options that they may not have come up with on their own. Given her work, Suzanne has to stay well aware of naming trends and the rise and fall in popularity of certain names.
Below, read more of Suzanne’s insights into six names that have fallen out of favor and how parents can try to spot names that might sound dated quickly.
Related: These 11 Baby Names From the 1950s Are Suddenly Becoming Popular Again, Experts Say
6 Formerly Peak-Popular Baby Names New Parents Are Avoiding
1. Heather
If Heather sounds like the typical ‘80s name, there are clear facts that back that up. (And not just the movie Heathers). Heather reached the height of its popularity in 1975 when it was the number 3 name for girls, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). It was ranked number 12 or higher from 1971 to 1987. It fell out of the top 1,000 names for girls after 2016, which means it doesn’t even appear on the SSA list anymore.
“Once a paradigm of modern naming, Heather has lovely nature imagery, but is one of the names borne by today’s parents and their friends and classmates,” Suzanne tells Parade. “‘I know so many Heathers,’ say my clients about names like this, though ironically, they would be uncommon among today’s babies.”
There are other names that have met similar fates for the same reason. “Courtney, Megan and Amber fall into this category for girls; Kyle does for boys,” she shares.
2. Brenda
“A classic name that was very popular in the ’50s and ’60s and thus represents the parents of today’s parents, giving it a less-stylish sound for some,” Suzanne says of the name Brenda, which had its peak ranking of number 11 in 1961. “Carol and Joyce are other examples, as is Larry for boys.”
Brenda fell out of the top 1,000 names for girls in 2018.
3. Horace
Vintage names have become very popular. Eleanor, Violet and Evelyn for girls, and Theodore, Benjamin and Henry for boys are top 20 names. But not all vintage names are making the same comeback in modern times.
Horace “qualifies as vintage, a highly popular style today,” Suzanne states. “But like many formerly popular antique names, it simply hasn’t made the transition to the 21st century. Clarence, Wilbur, Gladys, Edna and Bertha are others.”
Horace fell out of the top 1,000 in 1990. Its peak—well, at least as far back as the SSA records show—was number 96 in 1901.
4. Gary
Another vintage moniker that hasn’t made a comeback is Gary. It held on to a spot in the top 1,000 until 2023, but peaked at number 9 all the way back in 1954.
“Before actor Gary Cooper reached fame, this name was used very infrequently,” Suzanne explains. “With Cooper’s help, the name Gary became part of the fabric of American male naming throughout the middle of the 20th century, peaking in the 1950s, but seen heavily for several decades. Its 20th-century style was less appealing in the 21st century.”
The effect of Cooper can be seen in the SSA chart for Gary. The actor became very famous in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1920, the name Gary was number 770 on the chart; by 1935, it had made its way up to number 44.
5. Crystal
Like Heather, another name that is a blast from the ’80s past is Crystal.
According to Suzanne, “The gem-like name peaked in the top 10 in the early 1980s. It offered a sound-alike alternative to popular ‘Chris’ names”—such as Christina and Christine—”and was pushed along by pop culture figures like singer Crystal Gayle and character Krystle Carrington from the popular Dynasty TV series. A generation later, it has slid out of the Top 1,000 entirely.”
Crystal peaked at number 9 in 1982. The last time it was in the top 1,000 was 2021, when it ranked 959.
6. Alexa
Can you guess why parents aren’t too excited about Alexa these days?
“Lovely, user-friendly and attractive, Alexa is a great contemporary name,” Suzanne explains. “But today’s parents have another Alexa to contend with: Amazon’s virtual assistant.”
Alexa fell out of the top 1,000 names in 2025. It peaked at number 32 in 2015. Amazon Alexa was released to the general public that same year, and the name’s decline began.
Related: Baby Naming Expert Says This ‘Gorgeous’ Double Name Is About To Be Everywhere
The Main Reasons Once-Loved Baby Names Fall Out of Favor
Suzanne says that parents wanting names that aren’t associated with their own age group is one of the main reasons baby names wane in popularity.
“I’ve noticed that today’s new parents often have little enthusiasm for names from their own generation,” she states. “Parents who grew up among Ashleys and Justins often look for something different for their own children.”
But, going back one generation is not enough when it comes to finding an acceptable name for many new parents.
“At the same time, the names of their parents and grandparents—mid-20th-century choices—can still sound dated,” the expert goes on. “Go back another generation or two, however, and old-fashioned names begin to acquire the charm of fine antiques. It explains why Hazel and Theodore feel stylish again while mid-century names like Kathleen, Sharon, Gary and Douglas have waned.”
Usually, Suzanne says, names don’t become unpopular because “parents suddenly reject them.” Instead, “yesterday’s favorites are simply crowded out by newer choices or by older names coming back into fashion.”
There are cases, though, where names face an abrupt decline because “a trend becomes saturated or when whatever fuels a name’s popularity disappears—a TV series gets canceled, for example.” There are also cases of negative associations suddenly sullying a name.
“Katrina, for instance, became harder to separate from Hurricane Katrina after the storm devastated the Gulf Coast,” the baby name expert notes.
Related: 125 Weird Baby Names for Parents Who Think Outside the Box
How To Spot a ‘Trendy’ Name Before It Dates Too Quickly
It’s easier to spot a trend once it has passed. Just look at fashion. The early 2000s certainly had a particular look—low-rise jeans, pleated mini skirts, frosted makeup—but while living it, that look wasn’t quite as obvious as it is today. So, for any parents who want to be aware of trends and avoid the name they choose starting to sound “dated,” Suzanne has some insight.
“For most of history, name ‘cycling’ was a very slow process,” she explains. “Family traditions and religious choices dominated baby naming, helping to keep the same names in circulation for generations. In the 21st century, popular culture has become an increasingly important source of new names, and fashions cycle in and out much faster.”
She says that “some of the quickest names to fall away are unconventional spellings of conventional names.” For instance, “Madisyn, Averi, Aubrie, Jianna and others have left the U.S. top 1,000 even as their more conventional spellings remain in use.”
Parents might also want to watch out for “invented names or names with little history” because they are “more vulnerable to decline.” Then there are names—like Gary, above—“that appear suddenly with a steep growth curve after being introduced by a celebrity, fictional character or person in the news.”
Lastly, “when a whole crop of names proliferates around a recognizable pattern, they don’t always have staying power. I’d keep an eye on King, Prince and Royal, for example.”
Related: 75 Unique ‘Rich People Names’ for Your Baby Boy or Girl
What Are Parents Choosing Instead?
Parents are choosing a little bit of everything! While certain types of names can be more on-trend than others—like vintage-y names—Suzanne explains that there is more of a mixture than ever. As she noted above, naming conventions have changed, bringing on more variety.
“From vintage to modern, there is room for every style in 2026, fueled in part by social media and instant global communication,” she says. “Old-fashioned names like Silas and Eloise coexist with ultra-modern names like Clarity and Legend. Ancient biblical names once considered lost, like Micah, mingle with gender-neutral choices like Blake.”
That said, she notices a pattern when consulting parents through her company: They’re looking to strike a balance between unique and recognizable.
“Nevertheless, the most requested style in my practice remains familiar names that have never reached the heights of popularity—think Dorian and Claudia.”
Up Next:
Related: 75 Gorgeous Swiss Names for Baby Girls and Boys
Source:
- Sherri Suzanne is a baby name consultant and the founder of My Name for Life.