Baby names that lost the most popularity the year you were born

Written by:
December 19, 2019
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Baby names that lost the most popularity the year you were born

The first thing we usually learn about someone is their name—it's one of the first things we ask about newborn babies, too. Those names hold meanings and send messages. Consistently popular decade after decade are names like William, Robert, John, and Michael for boys, and Mary, Elizabeth, and Emma for girls. Then are the names that burst onto the scene one year, and vanish the next.

Sometimes the names bestowed admiration and respect. Babies were named Delano, Fitzgerald, Kennedy, and Anwar as leaders with those names took the world stage. War played no small part. Boys were named after MacArthur when the U.S. Army general was leading Allied forces in the Pacific and after Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World War II. From the stage and screen, babies were named for Rudolph Valentino, Fanny Brice, Tyra Banks, and Miley Cyrus. In sports, babies were named for Babe Ruth, Shaquille O'Neal, Angel Cordero, Deion Sanders, and Anfernee Hardaway.

What can be even more interesting, however, is why names fell from favor. The name Harding plunged in popularity after the administration of President Warren Harding was engulfed in corruption. The number of little girls named after actress Ingrid Bergman fell amid her much-publicized affair with an Italian movie director.

Consulting the Social Security Administration's historical baby names database for each year from 1920 to 2018, Stacker calculated the baby names for girls and boys from the top 1,000 most popular names that had fallen the most from the previous year. The ranks and numbers of babies for each name in each year are also included.

Which names lost the most popularity the year you were born? Read on to find out.

1920: Wyatt (boys), Henry (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Wyatt (lost 289 places)
--- Rank in 1919: #677 (84 babies born)
--- Rank in 1920: #966 (51 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Henry (lost 181 places)
--- Rank in 1919: #712 (96 babies born)
--- Rank in 1920: #893 (66 babies born)

In the early 20th century, Wyatt Earp was a frontiersman of the American West whose exploits as a lawman (such as the gunfight at the O.K. Corral) captured American imaginations everywhere. Automaker Henry Ford, who invented the Model T and pioneered assembly line production, started using the Dearborn Independent newspaper he bought in 1918 to publish his anti-Semitic views. Henry never really caught on as a girls’ name.

1921: Brady (boys), Neta (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Brady (lost 248 places)
--- Rank in 1920: #653 (94 babies born)
--- Rank in 1921: #901 (60 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Neta (lost 189 places)
--- Rank in 1920: #797 (82 babies born)
--- Rank in 1921: #986 (57 babies born)

Irish names like Brady, which means “spirited,” have enjoyed bouts of popularity in America. Neta Snook was a pioneering female aviator who became known for giving flying lessons to Amelia Earhart.

1922: Harding (boys), Libby (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Harding (lost 278 places)
--- Rank in 1921: #396 (235 babies born)
--- Rank in 1922: #674 (92 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Libby (lost 189 places)
--- Rank in 1921: #717 (104 babies born)
--- Rank in 1922: #906 (65 babies born)

Ohio’s Warren Harding was elected president in 1920 and served until his death in 1923. His administration was rife with corruption, most notably the Teapot Dome scandal involving the secret leasing of federal oil reserves to industry tycoons. In England in 1921, future king George VI first proposed to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon who would become the Queen Mother. Libby is a nickname for Elizabeth as is Beth, Betsy, and Liz.

1923: Trinidad (boys), Trinidad (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Trinidad (lost 419 places)
--- Rank in 1922: #486 (161 babies born)
--- Rank in 1923: #905 (57 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Trinidad (lost 303 places)
--- Rank in 1922: #449 (231 babies born)
--- Rank in 1923: #752 (93 babies born)

Trinidad was popular as a name for both boys and girls in the early 1920s, a time of significant immigration to the United States from the British West Indies. Migrants were leaving economic hardship in hopes of finding better wages and job opportunities.

1924: Dexter (boys), Eris (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Dexter (lost 278 places)
--- Rank in 1923: #706 (84 babies born)
--- Rank in 1924: #984 (51 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Eris (lost 271 places)
--- Rank in 1923: #457 (226 babies born)
--- Rank in 1924: #728 (103 babies born)

Elliott Dexter was a movie star of the silent film era in the late 1910s and early 1920s, appearing in such hits as Cecil B. DeMille’s “Something to Think About” alongside Gloria Swanson. Briefly popular as a name for girls, Eris is the goddess of discord in Greek mythology.

1925: Virgle (boys), Amalia (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Virgle (lost 256 places)
--- Rank in 1924: #677 (92 babies born)
--- Rank in 1925: #933 (52 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Amalia (lost 204 places)
--- Rank in 1924: #666 (124 babies born)
--- Rank in 1925: #870 (73 babies born)

Virgle was a variation of the name Virgil, based on the poet of the Roman Empire who wrote the epic “Aeneid.” In the 19th century, the adventurous Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia had a secret marriage (later annulled) and bore a child out of wedlock.

1926: Dante (boys), Ruthe (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Dante (lost 273 places)
--- Rank in 1925: #682 (88 babies born)
--- Rank in 1926: #955 (51 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Ruthe (lost 223 places)
--- Rank in 1925: #698 (111 babies born)
--- Rank in 1926: #921 (66 babies born)

Dante was a popular name among Italian-Americans, millions of whom immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, home run king Babe Ruth was making baseball history with the New York Yankees.

1927: Orin (boys), Jeannie (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Orin (lost 251 places)
--- Rank in 1926: #699 (82 babies born)
--- Rank in 1927: #950 (53 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Jeannie (lost 199 places)
--- Rank in 1926: #777 (86 babies born)
--- Rank in 1927: #976 (61 babies born)

Orin Helvey was a popular college football star from the University of the South named to the All-Southern all-star team in 1926. Jeannie was a variation of Jeannette, and Jeannette Rankin, a suffragist, was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916.

1928: Valentino (boys), Lita (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Valentino (lost 304 places)
--- Rank in 1927: #677 (90 babies born)
--- Rank in 1928: #981 (49 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Lita (lost 239 places)
--- Rank in 1927: #696 (109 babies born)
--- Rank in 1928: #935 (63 babies born)

In 1927, fans were mourning of movie idol Rudolph Valentino, who died in August 1926 at age 31. Lita Grey was the second wife of Charlie Chaplin, and their two-year marriage ended in divorce in mid-1927. She was 16 and expecting a baby when they wed.

1929: Glynn (boys), Charmaine (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Glynn (lost 231 places)
--- Rank in 1928: #752 (73 babies born)
--- Rank in 1929: #983 (47 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Charmaine (lost 233 places)
--- Rank in 1928: #420 (264 babies born)
--- Rank in 1929: #653 (114 babies born)

The name Glynn has its roots in Wales, where it means “valley.” The hugely popular song “Charmaine” was released by bandleader Guy Lombardo in 1927. It has been recorded many times since by artists like Mantovani and Frank Sinatra.

1930: Parker (boys), Elizebeth (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Parker (lost 293 places)
--- Rank in 1929: #665 (85 babies born)
--- Rank in 1930: #958 (50 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Elizebeth (lost 206 places)
--- Rank in 1929: #730 (91 babies born)
--- Rank in 1930: #936 (61 babies born)

In the late 1920s, Dorothy Parker became well-known for her writing and wit as a member of New York’s literary Algonquin Round Table. In 1929, she won the prestigious O. Henry Award for her short story writing. Curly-haired toddler Princess Elizabeth of England was widely photographed as she became an international figure.

1931: Hoover (boys), Ardeth (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Hoover (lost 283 places)
--- Rank in 1930: #639 (92 babies born)
--- Rank in 1931: #922 (49 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Ardeth (lost 283 places)
--- Rank in 1930: #629 (121 babies born)
--- Rank in 1931: #912 (58 babies born)

Herbet Hoover served as U.S. president from 1929 to 1933, during which time the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. For girls, the name Ardeth was briefly popular, coming from Hebrew and meaning “blooming fields.”

1932: Willian (boys), Joretta (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Willian (lost 253 places)
--- Rank in 1931: #684 (77 babies born)
--- Rank in 1932: #937 (48 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Joretta (lost 282 places)
--- Rank in 1931: #463 (194 babies born)
--- Rank in 1932: #745 (82 babies born)

Willian was a variation of William which means “will” or “desire.” The novel “Joretta” by Edna Robb Webster was serialized in newspapers in 1930 and 1931, featuring a young woman growing up in a changing modern world.

 

1933: Dino (boys), Antonette (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Dino (lost 262 places)
--- Rank in 1932: #664 (85 babies born)
--- Rank in 1933: #926 (46 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Antonette (lost 230 places)
--- Rank in 1932: #769 (77 babies born)
--- Rank in 1933: #999 (48 babies born)

Dino was a popular brontosaurus character used in advertising by the Sinclair Oil Co. A life-sized papier-mâché version of Dino was a hit at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. Among girls’ names, Antonette was a feminine version of Anthony or Antony, rooted in ancient Rome’s Marc Antony who was famous for his love affair with Cleopatra. The vaudeville comedy team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey made the comedy short film “Oh! Oh! Cleopatra” in 1931, which played in American theaters.

1934: Helen (boys), Magnolia (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Helen (lost 260 places)
--- Rank in 1933: #637 (82 babies born)
--- Rank in 1934: #897 (49 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Magnolia (lost 262 places)
--- Rank in 1933: #703 (85 babies born)
--- Rank in 1934: #965 (51 babies born)

Helen was an uncommon name for boys. In the 1930s, Helen Keller, who learned to communicate despite being blind and deaf, had become outspoken in socialist politics, earning her both fans and critics. The movie “Show Boat,” which depicted life on the Mississippi River with a lead character named Magnolia, was released in 1929. Its song “Ol’ Man River” became an American classic.

1935: Lucien (boys), Rheta (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Lucien (lost 255 places)
--- Rank in 1934: #595 (98 babies born)
--- Rank in 1935: #850 (54 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Rheta (lost 358 places)
--- Rank in 1934: #526 (151 babies born)
--- Rank in 1935: #884 (61 babies born)

Lucien is a French version of Luke. In the mid-1930s, France was the scene of riots by the extreme right as fascist movements grew in Europe. The name Rheta, rooted in German and Greek, means “eloquent speaker.”

1936: Adolfo (boys), Fanny (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Adolfo (lost 232 places)
--- Rank in 1935: #692 (76 babies born)
--- Rank in 1936: #924 (44 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Fanny (lost 264 places)
--- Rank in 1935: #715 (88 babies born)
--- Rank in 1936: #979 (49 babies born)

Adolfo was the Italian version of Adolf. At the time, Adolf Hitler was rising to power in Germany, but the war involving the United States was several years away. Also in the 1930s, singer and actress Fanny Brice starred in the enormously popular Ziegfeld Follies musical theater productions. Her hit songs were “My Man” and “Second Hand Rose.”

1937: Landon (boys), Lulu (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Landon (lost 368 places)
--- Rank in 1936: #425 (173 babies born)
--- Rank in 1937: #793 (60 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Lulu (lost 282 places)
--- Rank in 1936: #699 (91 babies born)
--- Rank in 1937: #981 (51 babies born)

Republican Alf Landon, a governor of Kansas, challenged the New Deal policies and lost to President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1936 election. Also in 1936, country singer Roy Acuff recorded the song “When Lulu’s Gone.”

1938: Delano (boys), Cordelia (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Delano (lost 222 places)
--- Rank in 1937: #493 (135 babies born)
--- Rank in 1938: #715 (73 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Cordelia (lost 200 places)
--- Rank in 1937: #652 (109 babies born)
--- Rank in 1938: #852 (69 babies born)

The name Delano enjoyed popularity as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt helped guide the nation out of the Great Depression. Cordelia has been a name in literature for centuries, from Shakepeare’s “King Lear” to the novel “Anne of Green Gables.”

1939: Ottis (boys), Janyce (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Ottis (lost 236 places)
--- Rank in 1938: #680 (79 babies born)
--- Rank in 1939: #916 (46 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Janyce (lost 212 places)
--- Rank in 1938: #775 (81 babies born)
--- Rank in 1939: #987 (51 babies born)

Ottis was an unusual variation of Otis, which means “one who hears” in Greek. The girl’s name Janyce is more popularly spelled Janice.

1940: Dayton (boys), Bobbye (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Dayton (lost 265 places)
--- Rank in 1939: #700 (72 babies born)
--- Rank in 1940: #965 (44 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Bobbye (lost 225 places)
--- Rank in 1939: #687 (98 babies born)
--- Rank in 1940: #912 (62 babies born)

The name Dayton has roots in England, where Deighton is a village in West Yorkshire. The briefly popular Bobbye was a derivation of Roberta, which also has English origins. The male version, Robert, has consistently been one of the most widely given names in America.

1941: Talmadge (boys), Merlene (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Talmadge (lost 249 places)
--- Rank in 1940: #568 (109 babies born)
--- Rank in 1941: #817 (60 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Merlene (lost 248 places)
--- Rank in 1940: #721 (93 babies born)
--- Rank in 1941: #969 (57 babies born)

Segregationist Eugene Talmadge won his third term as Georgia governor in 1940. He was a noted opponent of the New Deal policies of President Franklin Roosevelt, who stripped the governor of the power to administer federal relief programs. Merlene was a name with Germanic roots that lost popularity in 1941, the year Germany launched its surprise attack on the Soviet Union.

1942: Scotty (boys), Vivien (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Scotty (lost 274 places)
--- Rank in 1941: #684 (80 babies born)
--- Rank in 1942: #958 (48 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Vivien (lost 262 places)
--- Rank in 1941: #735 (93 babies born)
--- Rank in 1942: #997 (61 babies born)

Scotland was a major target in World War II, withstanding more than 500 air raids by German forces. One of the worst was the bombing of the industrial town of Clydebank, where the Nazis dropped more than 1,000 bombs over two nights, killing nearly 550 people in 1941. Vivien Leigh was an enormous star following the success of the 1939 film “Gone with the Wind,” and she and actor Laurence Olivier wed in 1940.

1943: Macarthur (boys), Kaaren (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Macarthur (lost 344 places)
--- Rank in 1942: #512 (142 babies born)
--- Rank in 1943: #856 (60 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kaaren (lost 308 places)
--- Rank in 1942: #536 (191 babies born)
--- Rank in 1943: #844 (85 babies born)

A U.S. hero during World War II, General George MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, in 1942. It was that year he was forced to leave the Philippines, during the war’s Pacific Campaign, vowing “I shall return.” Kaaren Verne was a German actress who left her homeland in 1938 and became known for her strong anti-Nazi stance, while American actress, model and dancer Suzanne Kaaren, who appeared with the Three Stooges and Bela Lugosi, had her famously long legs insured for $1 million.

1944: Harmon (boys), Merrily (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Harmon (lost 249 places)
--- Rank in 1943: #628 (102 babies born)
--- Rank in 1944: #877 (52 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Merrily (lost 212 places)
--- Rank in 1943: #697 (120 babies born)
--- Rank in 1944: #909 (71 babies born)

In 1943, Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon was the only member of his U.S. Army Air Corps crew to survive a crash over Suriname. He was rescued four days later. The same year, U.S. Army General Ernest Harmon was honored for his heroism fighting enemy forces as commander in North Africa in 1943. The cheerful name Merrily had its roots in English and Welsh.

1945: Murphy (boys), Dorinda (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Murphy (lost 248 places)
--- Rank in 1944: #745 (69 babies born)
--- Rank in 1945: #993 (41 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Dorinda (lost 234 places)
--- Rank in 1944: #606 (147 babies born)
--- Rank in 1945: #840 (81 babies born)

Audie Murphy, who enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, won 33 military honors to become the most decorated soldier in World War II. He later starred in the 1955 film “To Hell and Back” that was made about his life. The popularity of the name Dorinda, Greek for “bountiful gift,” peaked in 1944.

1946: Delano (boys), Carolee (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Delano (lost 393 places)
--- Rank in 1945: #559 (115 babies born)
--- Rank in 1946: #952 (49 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Carolee (lost 228 places)
--- Rank in 1945: #680 (119 babies born)
--- Rank in 1946: #908 (85 babies born)

The name Delano had renewed popularity in 1945, the year of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s death. Carolee was a derivation of Carol, originally a man’s name with Old German origins.

1947: Sharon (boys), Zelda (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Sharon (lost 208 places)
--- Rank in 1946: #715 (83 babies born)
--- Rank in 1947: #923 (57 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Zelda (lost 166 places)
--- Rank in 1946: #732 (122 babies born)
--- Rank in 1947: #898 (97 babies born)

Sharon is a name from Hebrew meaning “flat plain,” and Sharon was a coastal plain in Palestine known for its roses. The spirited Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, struggled with breakdowns and mental illness, but captured the public’s imagination.

1948: Shirley (boys), Leanna (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Shirley (lost 191 places)
--- Rank in 1947: #611 (124 babies born)
--- Rank in 1948: #802 (71 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Leanna (lost 218 places)
--- Rank in 1947: #746 (131 babies born)
--- Rank in 1948: #964 (82 babies born)

Shirley was traditionally a boy’s name before the publication of Charlotte Bronte’s 1849 novel “Shirley,” in which the character was a girl. Lianna was derived from a Gaelic version of Helen.

1949: Newton (boys), Starr (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Newton (lost 194 places)
--- Rank in 1948: #729 (85 babies born)
--- Rank in 1949: #923 (56 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Starr (lost 252 places)
--- Rank in 1948: #651 (164 babies born)
--- Rank in 1949: #903 (96 babies born)

The most famous person to bear the name Newton was 17th century British physicist and mathematician Sir Issac Newton, who discovered the laws of motion that are the essentials of physics. The best known Starr of the times was Brenda Starr, the dazzling red-headed comic strip heroine who debuted in 1940 and ran for decades.

1950: Hardy (boys), Ingrid (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Hardy (lost 194 places)
--- Rank in 1949: #742 (86 babies born)
--- Rank in 1950: #936 (54 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Ingrid (lost 214 places)
--- Rank in 1949: #518 (249 babies born)
--- Rank in 1950: #732 (137 babies born)

In the 1940s, Jim Hardy was an accomplished professional football player. Screen actress Ingrid Bergman met Italian director Roberto Rossellini in 1949, when both were married to other people. Bergman’s public image was hit hard after she gave birth to their son before they married in 1950.

1951: Williams (boys), Roseanna (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Williams (lost 193 places)
--- Rank in 1950: #741 (86 babies born)
--- Rank in 1951: #934 (56 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Roseanna (lost 251 places)
--- Rank in 1950: #486 (275 babies born)
--- Rank in 1951: #737 (141 babies born)

Williams is a variant of William. Among the best-known at the time was media magnate William Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. Roseanna was the combined version of two popular names, Rose and Anna.

1952: Ezzard (boys), Angeline (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Ezzard (lost 209 places)
--- Rank in 1951: #759 (85 babies born)
--- Rank in 1952: #968 (54 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Angeline (lost 193 places)
--- Rank in 1951: #665 (173 babies born)
--- Rank in 1952: #858 (115 babies born)

In 1950, heavyweight Ezzard Charles defeated boxing legend Joe Louis in a decisive victory. Angeline was a French version of the name Angela at a time when French designers such as Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain were hugely influential in the American fashion industry.

1953: Hilton (boys), Lindsay (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Hilton (lost 193 places)
--- Rank in 1952: #653 (113 babies born)
--- Rank in 1953: #846 (72 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Lindsay (lost 170 places)
--- Rank in 1952: #811 (125 babies born)
--- Rank in 1953: #981 (95 babies born)

Playboy Nicky Hilton of the wealthy family hotel chain married actress Elizabeth Taylor in 1952. He was her first husband, and she was just 17 at the time. The marriage did not survive a year.

The name Lindsay, also spelled Lindsey or Lyndsay, has been a common name for both boys and girls.

1954: Lorin (boys), Cathey (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Lorin (lost 214 places)
--- Rank in 1953: #781 (83 babies born)
--- Rank in 1954: #995 (56 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Cathey (lost 244 places)
--- Rank in 1953: #725 (157 babies born)
--- Rank in 1954: #969 (100 babies born)

The name Lorin has deep roots in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including leader Lorin Farr, hymn writer Lorin F. Wheelwright and fundamentalist and polygamist Lorin C. Woolley. Cathey was a briefly popular derivation of Catherine, one of the most popular names in America.

1955: Michale (boys), Louella (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Michale (lost 201 places)
--- Rank in 1954: #796 (82 babies born)
--- Rank in 1955: #997 (57 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Louella (lost 199 places)
--- Rank in 1954: #794 (139 babies born)
--- Rank in 1955: #993 (101 babies born)

While the name Michale was dropping in use, the more common spelling Michael was the most popular boy’s name in the country from 1954 to 1959. Louella, a mix of Louisa and Ella, had roots in the name Louis. In the 1950s, jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong was playing to worldwide acclaim.

1956: Davy (boys), Jacalyn (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Davy (lost 244 places)
--- Rank in 1955: #524 (195 babies born)
--- Rank in 1956: #768 (92 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Jacalyn (lost 344 places)
--- Rank in 1955: #495 (341 babies born)
--- Rank in 1956: #839 (140 babies born)

The television show “Davy Crockett: Indian Fighter” first aired on national television in December 1954, starring Fess Parker as the frontiersman and folk hero. Jacalyn was a feminine version of the French male name Jacques.

1957: Hayward (boys), Leesa (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Hayward (lost 220 places)
--- Rank in 1956: #752 (95 babies born)
--- Rank in 1957: #972 (61 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Leesa (lost 209 places)
--- Rank in 1956: #525 (318 babies born)
--- Rank in 1957: #734 (186 babies born)

Hayward was an ancient English name. In the mid-1950s, actress Susan Hayward was popular, starring in “I’ll Cry Tomorrow.” Leesa was a variation of Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, today the world’s longest-reigning monarch, was crowned in 1953.

1958: Royal (boys), Dani (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Royal (lost 194 places)
--- Rank in 1957: #750 (100 babies born)
--- Rank in 1958: #944 (65 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Dani (lost 191 places)
--- Rank in 1957: #770 (168 babies born)
--- Rank in 1958: #961 (115 babies born)

In the mid-1950s, Americans were driving Dodge’s eye-catching two-tone Royal line of coupes, sedans, and convertibles. Actress Dani Crayne appeared in the 1957 movies “The Story of Mankind” and “Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend.”

1959: Maverick (boys), Gisele (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Maverick (lost 195 places)
--- Rank in 1958: #789 (89 babies born)
--- Rank in 1959: #984 (61 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Gisele (lost 196 places)
--- Rank in 1958: #766 (170 babies born)
--- Rank in 1959: #962 (120 babies born)

The show “Maverick” about charming gamblers made its television debut in 1957, starring Jack Kelly, James Garner, and, later, Roger Moore. Canadian singer Gisele MacKenzie hosted a television variety show after a successful stint on “Your Hit Parade.”

1960: Yancy (boys), Sheree (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Yancy (lost 236 places)
--- Rank in 1959: #686 (124 babies born)
--- Rank in 1960: #922 (67 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Sheree (lost 202 places)
--- Rank in 1959: #454 (454 babies born)
--- Rank in 1960: #656 (240 babies born)

The television series “Yancy Derringer,” starring actor Jock Mahoney, debuted in 1958.

Hollywood actress Sheree North, a platinum blonde, was being groomed in Hollywood to succeed Marilyn Monroe.

1961: Donell (boys), Deb (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Donell (lost 175 places)
--- Rank in 1960: #813 (88 babies born)
--- Rank in 1961: #988 (61 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Deb (lost 181 places)
--- Rank in 1960: #718 (201 babies born)
--- Rank in 1961: #899 (144 babies born)

Donell was an uncommon name, taken from Scotland and Ireland where it meant ”mighty” and “fighter.” Deb was short for Deborah, a prophet in the Old Testament. Deborah was one of the most popular names in the country through the 1950s, waning in the early 1960s.

1962: Kennedy (boys), Kyle (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Kennedy (lost 232 places)
--- Rank in 1961: #593 (177 babies born)
--- Rank in 1962: #825 (85 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kyle (lost 200 places)
--- Rank in 1961: #699 (225 babies born)
--- Rank in 1962: #899 (138 babies born)

The name Kennedy rose in popularity in 1960, the year John F. Kennedy was elected U.S. president. More common for boys, the name Kyle has Scottish roots.

1963: Jed (boys), Velvet (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Jed (lost 182 places)
--- Rank in 1962: #599 (168 babies born)
--- Rank in 1963: #781 (95 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Velvet (lost 255 places)
--- Rank in 1962: #623 (261 babies born)
--- Rank in 1963: #878 (143 babies born)

Jed is the shortened version of Jedidiah, an ancient Hebrew name. In 1962, in popular culture, Jed Clampett was the patriarch of an endearing Ozark family who struck it rich and moved to California in television’s “Beverly Hillbillies.” “National Velvet,” about a girl and her champion horse, aired on television from 1960 to 1962.

1964: Stoney (boys), Sybil (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Stoney (lost 240 places)
--- Rank in 1963: #499 (259 babies born)
--- Rank in 1964: #739 (109 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Sybil (lost 172 places)
--- Rank in 1963: #696 (211 babies born)
--- Rank in 1964: #868 (142 babies born)

In 1963, “Stoney Burke” was a television show about a rodeo rider starring Jack Lord. Sybil was a sorceress in the 1962 movie “The Magic Sword.”

1965: Fitzgerald (boys), Deneen (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Fitzgerald (lost 279 places)
--- Rank in 1964: #688 (125 babies born)
--- Rank in 1965: #967 (58 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Deneen (lost 249 places)
--- Rank in 1964: #216 (1,604 babies born)
--- Rank in 1965: #465 (421 babies born)

Fitzgerald was popular in 1964, the year following the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Deneen, an unusual name, had English origins and was a combination of Deanna and Dina.

1966: Daryn (boys), Kecia (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Daryn (lost 252 places)
--- Rank in 1965: #716 (107 babies born)
--- Rank in 1966: #968 (56 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kecia (lost 280 places)
--- Rank in 1965: #392 (560 babies born)
--- Rank in 1966: #672 (208 babies born)

From Gaelic, Daryn means “great.” Kecia, rooted in English, means “great joy.”

1967: Lorin (boys), Diann (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Lorin (lost 179 places)
--- Rank in 1966: #762 (92 babies born)
--- Rank in 1967: #941 (59 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Diann (lost 220 places)
--- Rank in 1966: #574 (270 babies born)
--- Rank in 1967: #794 (157 babies born)

Popular in the Mormon community, the name Lorin was popular in the mid-1960s. Diann was derived from Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting. Far more common derivations are Dianne and Diane.

1968: Chance (boys), Cami (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Chance (lost 190 places)
--- Rank in 1967: #720 (106 babies born)
--- Rank in 1968: #910 (63 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Cami (lost 278 places)
--- Rank in 1967: #506 (351 babies born)
--- Rank in 1968: #784 (163 babies born)

Pitcher Dean Chance, Cy Young Award winner in 1964, was an All-Star with the California Angels. Cami was short for Camilla, a servant to Diana in Roman mythology.

1969: Gonzalo (boys), Coretta (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Gonzalo (lost 156 places)
--- Rank in 1968: #832 (77 babies born)
--- Rank in 1969: #988 (60 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Coretta (lost 199 places)
--- Rank in 1968: #523 (336 babies born)
--- Rank in 1969: #722 (194 babies born)

Gonzalo comes from Spanish and signified battle. Historically, one of the best-known bearers of the name was Gonzalo Pizarro, a 16th century Spanish explorer who conquered Peru. The name Coretta was popular in 1968, the name of the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, the year he was assassinated.

1970: Emery (boys), Melodie (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Emery (lost 169 places)
--- Rank in 1969: #808 (91 babies born)
--- Rank in 1970: #977 (68 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Melodie (lost 243 places)
--- Rank in 1969: #724 (193 babies born)
--- Rank in 1970: #967 (131 babies born)

Emery was a boy’s name meaning “brave.” Melodie Johnson was an actress on television’s “Coogan’s Bluff” in 1968 and “Love, American Style” which debuted in 1969.

1971: Len (boys), Marguerite (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Len (lost 188 places)
--- Rank in 1970: #776 (113 babies born)
--- Rank in 1971: #964 (71 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Marguerite (lost 220 places)
--- Rank in 1970: #769 (187 babies born)
--- Rank in 1971: #989 (127 babies born)

In 1970, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson was named MVP for leading his team to a surprise upset victory in Superbowl IV over the Minnesota Vikings. Marguerite is the French version of Margaret, and means “pearl.”

1972: Daryle (boys), Charisse (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Daryle (lost 208 places)
--- Rank in 1971: #750 (119 babies born)
--- Rank in 1972: #958 (71 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Charisse (lost 252 places)
--- Rank in 1971: #727 (209 babies born)
--- Rank in 1972: #979 (123 babies born)

Daryle Lamonica, nicknamed the “Mad Bomber” for his throwing arm, was a star football quarterback in the 1960s and early 1970s. Cyd Charisse had been a dazzling dancer and actress in the 1950s.

1973: Vidal (boys), Contina (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Vidal (lost 219 places)
--- Rank in 1972: #619 (161 babies born)
--- Rank in 1973: #838 (90 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Contina (lost 267 places)
--- Rank in 1972: #695 (209 babies born)
--- Rank in 1973: #962 (124 babies born)

In 1972, leftist writer Gore Vidal was co-chairman of the U.S. People’s Party, while Vidal Sassoon was taking the fashion world by storm with his hair styles. The name Contina enjoyed a brief spate of popularity before slipping the following year, and now is rarely heard.

1974: Garrick (boys), Tracee (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Garrick (lost 191 places)
--- Rank in 1973: #509 (233 babies born)
--- Rank in 1974: #700 (137 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Tracee (lost 377 places)
--- Rank in 1973: #535 (313 babies born)
--- Rank in 1974: #912 (138 babies born)

Garrick was an old English name meaning “spear” and “ruler.” In 1973, Tracee was the infant daughter of Supremes star Diana Ross. Today, Tracee Ellis Ross is a successful actress.

1975: Wilfred (boys), Catina (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Wilfred (lost 190 places)
--- Rank in 1974: #735 (122 babies born)
--- Rank in 1975: #925 (78 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Catina (lost 281 places)
--- Rank in 1974: #515 (329 babies born)
--- Rank in 1975: #796 (174 babies born)

Wilfred has been historically far more popular in England, where St. Wilfrid of York was a 7th century bishop. Wilfred Owen wrote hauntingly beautiful poems about war before he was killed in action at age 25 in 1918. Catina, a form of Catherine, is a name rooted in Greek meaning "pure."

1976: Nakia (boys), Kira (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Nakia (lost 452 places)
--- Rank in 1975: #337 (514 babies born)
--- Rank in 1976: #789 (110 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kira (lost 290 places)
--- Rank in 1975: #612 (258 babies born)
--- Rank in 1976: #902 (146 babies born)

“Nakia” was a 1974 television series about a Native American crimefighter. The name Kira was a derivation of the Irish name Ciara.

1977: Trever (boys), Tamiko (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Trever (lost 187 places)
--- Rank in 1976: #802 (108 babies born)
--- Rank in 1977: #989 (75 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Tamiko (lost 274 places)
--- Rank in 1976: #624 (250 babies born)
--- Rank in 1977: #898 (158 babies born)

Trever is Welsh, and the more common spelling is Trevor. Tamiko, a Japanese name, was briefly popular in the mid-1970s.

1978: Lincoln (boys), Tennille (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Lincoln (lost 185 places)
--- Rank in 1977: #695 (149 babies born)
--- Rank in 1978: #880 (95 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Tennille (lost 518 places)
--- Rank in 1977: #461 (425 babies born)
--- Rank in 1978: #979 (141 babies born)

Lincoln, stemming from the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, was briefly popular in the late 1970s. Pop music’s Captain & Tennille had an enormous hit in 1975 with “Love Will Keep Us Together.”

1979: Kristoffer (boys), Kenisha (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Kristoffer (lost 276 places)
--- Rank in 1978: #457 (305 babies born)
--- Rank in 1979: #733 (139 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kenisha (lost 311 places)
--- Rank in 1978: #557 (313 babies born)
--- Rank in 1979: #868 (178 babies born)

Kristoffer, the Scandanavian version of Christopher, was briefly popular but did not last.

The American name Kenisha also spiked in popularity in 1978 but leveled off dramatically in the years that followed.

1980: Levar (boys), Viviana (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Levar (lost 268 places)
--- Rank in 1979: #644 (175 babies born)
--- Rank in 1980: #912 (95 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Viviana (lost 305 places)
--- Rank in 1979: #487 (419 babies born)
--- Rank in 1980: #792 (207 babies born)

In 1978, actor LeVar Burton starred in television’s “One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story” about the baseball star. “Viviana” was a Spanish language telenovela that aired in 1978 and 1979.

1981: Jeremey (boys), Renata (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Jeremey (lost 183 places)
--- Rank in 1980: #650 (177 babies born)
--- Rank in 1981: #833 (111 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Renata (lost 399 places)
--- Rank in 1980: #336 (720 babies born)
--- Rank in 1981: #735 (224 babies born)

Jeremey is a derivation of Jeremiah, and is more commonly spelled without the third “e.” Renata enjoyed a brief burst but has been more consistently popular in Czech, Italian, Spanish, and Polish.

1982: Denis (boys), Griselda (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Denis (lost 196 places)
--- Rank in 1981: #774 (126 babies born)
--- Rank in 1982: #970 (86 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Griselda (lost 182 places)
--- Rank in 1981: #652 (271 babies born)
--- Rank in 1982: #834 (187 babies born)

Denis was the name of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s husband. Thatcher held office from 1979 to 1990. Griselda was a name from German folklore.

1983: Anwar (boys), Toccara (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Anwar (lost 215 places)
--- Rank in 1982: #740 (140 babies born)
--- Rank in 1983: #955 (85 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Toccara (lost 396 places)
--- Rank in 1982: #541 (358 babies born)
--- Rank in 1983: #937 (158 babies born)

Anwar was popular as a boy’s name the year following the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, known for his efforts to build peace in the Middle East. Toccara was a popular name for girls after Avon introduced a perfume named Toccara in 1981.

1984: Eliot (boys), Ciji (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Eliot (lost 187 places)
--- Rank in 1983: #798 (120 babies born)
--- Rank in 1984: #985 (82 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Ciji (lost 266 places)
--- Rank in 1983: #697 (244 babies born)
--- Rank in 1984: #963 (150 babies born)

The hit musical “Cats,” based on the poems of T.S. Eliot, opened on Broadway in 1982. Ciji was an unusual girl’s name that did not last in popularity.

1985: Tremaine (boys), Kirby (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Tremaine (lost 233 places)
--- Rank in 1984: #683 (161 babies born)
--- Rank in 1985: #916 (98 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kirby (lost 232 places)
--- Rank in 1984: #526 (367 babies born)
--- Rank in 1985: #758 (225 babies born)

Tremaine is Celtic in origin, meaning “a big town circled in stone.” Kirby was rooted in English and Irish where it meant “church” and “settlement.” In the U.S., Kirby has been much more popular as a boy’s name than a girl’s name.

1986: Durell (boys), Micaela (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Durell (lost 211 places)
--- Rank in 1985: #605 (208 babies born)
--- Rank in 1986: #816 (123 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Micaela (lost 361 places)
--- Rank in 1985: #545 (365 babies born)
--- Rank in 1986: #906 (178 babies born)

Durell Coleman was a singer who won television’s “Star Search” in 1985. The name Micaela has Hebrew and Latin roots.

1987: Kiel (boys), Eliana (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Kiel (lost 183 places)
--- Rank in 1986: #663 (183 babies born)
--- Rank in 1987: #846 (122 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Eliana (lost 376 places)
--- Rank in 1986: #450 (481 babies born)
--- Rank in 1987: #826 (211 babies born)

Kiel, like Kyle, has Scottish roots meaning a straight, narrow channel. Eliana was the name of a little girl in Florida who made headlines in 1986 when it was discovered that her local school would not let her attend due to her HIV status. Her mother fought back and won, but sadly, Eliana died in 1989.

1988: Tyrel (boys), Krystina (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Tyrel (lost 199 places)
--- Rank in 1987: #739 (152 babies born)
--- Rank in 1988: #938 (105 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Krystina (lost 237 places)
--- Rank in 1987: #459 (480 babies born)
--- Rank in 1988: #696 (275 babies born)

Fighter Tyrell Biggs lost to Mike Tyson in 1987. Krystina Carrington was a fictional child character in the late 1980s on television’s hit show “Dynasty.”

1989: Cordero (boys), Rosanna (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Cordero (lost 221 places)
--- Rank in 1988: #617 (236 babies born)
--- Rank in 1989: #838 (142 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Rosanna (lost 291 places)
--- Rank in 1988: #659 (293 babies born)
--- Rank in 1989: #950 (186 babies born)

Top-earning jockey Angel Cordero Jr., who had multiple wins at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Breeder's Cup, as well as one at Belmont, was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 1988.

Rosanna Arquette became well-known after her role in “Desperately Seeking Susan” alongside Madonna in 1985.

1990: Brittany (boys), Christin (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Brittany (lost 317 places)
--- Rank in 1989: #678 (216 babies born)
--- Rank in 1990: #995 (112 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Christin (lost 330 places)
--- Rank in 1989: #286 (926 babies born)
--- Rank in 1990: #616 (365 babies born)

More common as a girl’s name, Brittany has origins in France. Cristin was an unusual spelling of Christine.

1991: Khiry (boys), Cecily (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Khiry (lost 266 places)
--- Rank in 1990: #648 (244 babies born)
--- Rank in 1991: #914 (132 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Cecily (lost 418 places)
--- Rank in 1990: #573 (404 babies born)
--- Rank in 1991: #991 (189 babies born)

The boy’s name Khiry, popular briefly in 1990, was derived from an Arabic word for “charitable.” In history, St. Cecilia was a third-century martyr and patron saint of music. More recently, television’s “Northern Exposure” first aired in 1990 about the oddball residents of a fictional town called Cicely.

1992: Laquan (boys), Iesha (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Laquan (lost 238 places)
--- Rank in 1991: #712 (202 babies born)
--- Rank in 1992: #950 (128 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Iesha (lost 275 places)
--- Rank in 1991: #157 (1,896 babies born)
--- Rank in 1992: #432 (581 babies born)

Laquan, a name related to the name Daquan, had a moment of popularity in 1991.

The girl’s name Iesha is a version of Aisha, who was the Prophet Muhammed’s third wife.

1993: Garth (boys), Hilary (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Garth (lost 307 places)
--- Rank in 1992: #658 (249 babies born)
--- Rank in 1993: #965 (124 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Hilary (lost 416 places)
--- Rank in 1992: #234 (1,170 babies born)
--- Rank in 1993: #650 (343 babies born)

Garth Brooks was a hit in the country music world, having released his song “Thunder Rolls” on the run-away best-selling album “No Fences.” Hillary Clinton became the nation’s First Lady in 1992. Her popularity took a dive the following year, after her ill-fated effort to reform healthcare.

1994: Trae (boys), Yaritza (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Trae (lost 177 places)
--- Rank in 1993: #735 (201 babies born)
--- Rank in 1994: #912 (143 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Yaritza (lost 396 places)
--- Rank in 1993: #492 (509 babies born)
--- Rank in 1994: #888 (216 babies born)

Trae was a version of Trey, meaning three. Yaritza was a Portuguese and Spanish name. Actress and beauty queen Yaritza Reyes was born in 1993.

1995: Shaquille (boys), Khadijah (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Shaquille (lost 222 places)
--- Rank in 1994: #234 (1,271 babies born)
--- Rank in 1995: #456 (494 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Khadijah (lost 357 places)
--- Rank in 1994: #184 (1,615 babies born)
--- Rank in 1995: #541 (438 babies born)

Hoopster Shaquille O’Neal won Rookie of the Year for the Orlando Magic in 1993. Khadijah was the name of the first wife of the Prophet Muhammed.

1996: Adonis (boys), Khadijah (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Adonis (lost 254 places)
--- Rank in 1995: #577 (315 babies born)
--- Rank in 1996: #831 (172 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Khadijah (lost 251 places)
--- Rank in 1995: #541 (438 babies born)
--- Rank in 1996: #792 (261 babies born)

Adonis came from Greek mythology, meaning “handsome.” Khadijah slipped for a second year.

1997: Anfernee (boys), Moesha (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Anfernee (lost 241 places)
--- Rank in 1996: #597 (300 babies born)
--- Rank in 1997: #838 (171 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Moesha (lost 396 places)
--- Rank in 1996: #547 (426 babies born)
--- Rank in 1997: #943 (211 babies born)

Anfernee Hardaway was a top scorer for the Orlando Magic in 1995 and 1996. “Moesha” was a television sitcom that debuted in 1996 starring Brandy Norwood as a Los Angeles teenager.

1998: Deion (boys), Jocelyne (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Deion (lost 221 places)
--- Rank in 1997: #590 (303 babies born)
--- Rank in 1998: #811 (186 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Jocelyne (lost 291 places)
--- Rank in 1997: #593 (386 babies born)
--- Rank in 1998: #884 (239 babies born)

Deion Sanders was a star football player in 1997 for the Dallas Cowboys. Pop star Jocelyn Enriquez had a big hit in 1996 with “Do You Miss Me?”

1999: Jaret (boys), Brittani (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Jaret (lost 380 places)
--- Rank in 1998: #555 (354 babies born)
--- Rank in 1999: #935 (156 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Brittani (lost 229 places)
--- Rank in 1998: #728 (303 babies born)
--- Rank in 1999: #957 (216 babies born)

Jaret enjoyed a brief burst in popularity in 1998 before dropping off. It’s a version of the more common Jarrett, which has Irish and Germanic roots. Brittani was an unusual spelling of Brittany or Britney, based on the picturesque region of northwestern France.

2000: Heriberto (boys), Dejah (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Heriberto (lost 221 places)
--- Rank in 1999: #691 (243 babies born)
--- Rank in 2000: #912 (169 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Dejah (lost 256 places)
--- Rank in 1999: #671 (341 babies born)
--- Rank in 2000: #927 (232 babies born)

Jockey Heriberto Rivera Jr. who rode in the 1980s and 1990s retired with more than 3,200 victories to his name. American singer Dejah released her solo album in 1998.

2001: Elian (boys), Chandler (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Elian (lost 244 places)
--- Rank in 2000: #426 (578 babies born)
--- Rank in 2001: #670 (271 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Chandler (lost 215 places)
--- Rank in 2000: #710 (326 babies born)
--- Rank in 2001: #925 (240 babies born)

In 2000, five-year-old Elian Gonzalez was the subject of a high-profile dispute after he was discovered on a life raft from Cuba with family members who had died on the journey. His relatives in Florida wanted to keep him, but his family in Cuba wanted him back. After a dramatic raid by U.S. agents of the relatives’ Miami home, he was returned to his father in Cuba. On television, “Friends” was in full swing as one of the most popular shows ever, with actor Matthew Perry playing the cocky and sarcastic Chandler.

2002: Shemar (boys), Johana (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Shemar (lost 375 places)
--- Rank in 2001: #594 (335 babies born)
--- Rank in 2002: #969 (163 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Johana (lost 246 places)
--- Rank in 2001: #749 (320 babies born)
--- Rank in 2002: #995 (221 babies born)

Actor Shemar Moore starred in the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.” The name Johana has Hebrew roots.

2003: Savion (boys), Litzy (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Savion (lost 334 places)
--- Rank in 2002: #568 (386 babies born)
--- Rank in 2003: #902 (185 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Litzy (lost 334 places)
--- Rank in 2002: #501 (551 babies born)
--- Rank in 2003: #835 (292 babies born)

In the early 2000s, tap dancer and choreographer Savion Glover was popular, following his hit Broadway show “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk” that won four Tony Awards. Mexican actress and singer Litzy starred in the leading role of the telenovela “Daniela.”

2004: Jaheim (boys), Hailie (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Jaheim (lost 283 places)
--- Rank in 2003: #456 (552 babies born)
--- Rank in 2004: #739 (253 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Hailie (lost 229 places)
--- Rank in 2003: #489 (594 babies born)
--- Rank in 2004: #718 (370 babies born)

In 2002, R&B singer Jaheim released his hit “Put That Woman First.” The same year, Halle Berry became the first African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress for "Monster's Ball."

2005: Kanye (boys), Charlize (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Kanye (lost 406 places)
--- Rank in 2004: #486 (508 babies born)
--- Rank in 2005: #892 (202 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Charlize (lost 275 places)
--- Rank in 2004: #624 (436 babies born)
--- Rank in 2005: #899 (279 babies born)

The name Kanye shot to popularity in 2004 when hip-hop’s Kanye West debuted his wildly successful solo album “College Dropout.” Actress Charlize Theron was in the spotlight after earning an Oscar for her portrayal of a serial killer in the film “Monster.”

2006: Omarion (boys), Litzy (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Omarion (lost 310 places)
--- Rank in 2005: #420 (639 babies born)
--- Rank in 2006: #730 (295 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Litzy (lost 445 places)
--- Rank in 2005: #388 (810 babies born)
--- Rank in 2006: #833 (322 babies born)

R&B’s Omarion released his hit “Let Me Hold You” with Bow Wow in 2005. The same year, Telemundo debuted the telenovela “Amarte” with actress Litzy.

2007: Talan (boys), Tyra (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Talan (lost 258 places)
--- Rank in 2006: #309 (1,059 babies born)
--- Rank in 2007: #567 (454 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Tyra (lost 289 places)
--- Rank in 2006: #658 (439 babies born)
--- Rank in 2007: #947 (286 babies born)

Talan Torriero appeared in “Laguna Beach,” MTV’s series about teenage surfers. Model Tyra Banks was hosting “America’s Next Top Model.”

2008: Tyrese (boys), Angelique (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Tyrese (lost 227 places)
--- Rank in 2007: #648 (375 babies born)
--- Rank in 2008: #875 (242 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Angelique (lost 261 places)
--- Rank in 2007: #425 (769 babies born)
--- Rank in 2008: #686 (442 babies born)

R&B singer Tyrese Gibson was well-known for his roles in the “Fast and Furious” movies. The name Angelique comes from French, meaning “like an angel.”

2009: Trevin (boys), Marely (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Trevin (lost 199 places)
--- Rank in 2008: #798 (274 babies born)
--- Rank in 2009: #997 (197 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Marely (lost 515 places)
--- Rank in 2008: #334 (1,004 babies born)
--- Rank in 2009: #849 (327 babies born)

The name Trevin, which enjoyed brief popularity, can also be spelled Trevon. Historically in Welsh, it meant “from a large village.Marely was the lead character in the telenovela “Yo Amo a Juan Querendon,” which ended in 2008.

2010: Aaden (boys), Analia (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Aaden (lost 289 places)
--- Rank in 2009: #271 (1,267 babies born)
--- Rank in 2010: #560 (450 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Analia (lost 476 places)
--- Rank in 2009: #331 (996 babies born)
--- Rank in 2010: #807 (338 babies born)

Aaden is more commonly spelled Aiden or Aidan, coming from Celtic meaning “fiery.”

“The Face of Analia” was a Spanish-language telenovela produced by Telemundo starring Elizabeth Gutierrez.

2011: Aaden (boys), Shaniya (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Aaden (lost 239 places)
--- Rank in 2010: #560 (450 babies born)
--- Rank in 2011: #799 (275 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Shaniya (lost 349 places)
--- Rank in 2010: #566 (515 babies born)
--- Rank in 2011: #915 (283 babies born)

The name Aaden dropped in popularity for a second consecutive year. Shaniya has African origins, meaning “gift of God.” It also is a version of Shania, like country singer Shania Twain.

2012: Jorden (boys), Zion (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Jorden (lost 225 places)
--- Rank in 2011: #679 (346 babies born)
--- Rank in 2012: #904 (228 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Zion (lost 164 places)
--- Rank in 2011: #611 (472 babies born)
--- Rank in 2012: #775 (354 babies born)

Jorden is a version of Jordan, and Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls is widely considered one of the best basketball players of all time. Zion, an unusual girl’s name, means “high point” in Hebrew.

2013: Bently (boys), Perla (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Bently (lost 265 places)
--- Rank in 2012: #637 (376 babies born)
--- Rank in 2013: #902 (230 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Perla (lost 221 places)
--- Rank in 2012: #452 (690 babies born)
--- Rank in 2013: #673 (423 babies born)

In 2009, MTV gave viewers “16 and Pregnant,” which followed (among others) the story of a young mother and her infant son, Bentley. The name evokes a sense of elegance from the luxury cars built by Britain’s Bentley Motors. La Perla was a perfume released by the Italian lingerie company in 2012.

2014: Amare (boys), Miley (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Amare (lost 248 places)
--- Rank in 2013: #598 (423 babies born)
--- Rank in 2014: #846 (263 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Miley (lost 404 places)
--- Rank in 2013: #387 (800 babies born)
--- Rank in 2014: #791 (354 babies born)

Amar'e Stoudemire is an NBA basketball star who moved into film and television acting. Pop music’s Miley Cyrus gave a memorable performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

2015: Neymar (boys), Anabella (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Neymar (lost 241 places)
--- Rank in 2014: #549 (499 babies born)
--- Rank in 2015: #790 (294 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Anabella (lost 332 places)
--- Rank in 2014: #529 (584 babies born)
--- Rank in 2015: #861 (322 babies born)

In 2015, a last-minute goal by Brazilian soccer player Neymar da Silva Santos, better known as just Neymar, scored the third goal for UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona over Italy’s Juventus. Later in the year he was suspended from playing in the Copa America games, and he missed the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Supercopa due to illness. Anabella, also spelled Annabella or Annabelle, is a combination of words meaning “gracious” and “beautiful.”

2016: Braeden (boys), Kaelyn (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Braeden (lost 208 places)
--- Rank in 2015: #792 (293 babies born)
--- Rank in 2016: #1000 (203 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Kaelyn (lost 205 places)
--- Rank in 2015: #520 (602 babies born)
--- Rank in 2016: #725 (390 babies born)

Braeden is a name with roots in Celtic mythology. Kaelyn Wilkins appeared on YouTube’s popular channel SevenSuperGirls, which was later shut down.

2017: Kamdyn (boys), Jayden (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Kamdyn (lost 190 places)
--- Rank in 2016: #809 (284 babies born)
--- Rank in 2017: #999 (201 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Jayden (lost 205 places)
--- Rank in 2016: #727 (389 babies born)
--- Rank in 2017: #932 (281 babies born)

Kamdyn is a version of Camden, a Scottish name meaning “winding valley.” Jayden spiked briefly as a girl’s name, although the best known of the time may be actor and rapper Jaden Smith, son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

2018: Harper (boys), Marissa (girls)

- Boys name that lost the most popularity: Harper (lost 171 places)
--- Rank in 2017: #800 (284 babies born)
--- Rank in 2018: #971 (212 babies born)
- Girls name that lost the most popularity: Marissa (lost 203 places)
--- Rank in 2017: #679 (427 babies born)
--- Rank in 2018: #882 (304 babies born)

Bryce Harper was a popular right fielder for the Washington Nationals in 2017, after he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 2015. He went on to sign a 13-year, $330 million contact with the Phillies, one of the largest-ever contracts in sports. Also in sports, Marissa Coleman was a star with the WNBA's Indiana Fever  before she signed with the New York Liberty in 2018.

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