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30 Names That Have Completely Lost Their Attractiveness, According To Folks In This Online Group
Everything in this world is transient, and fashion especially. Moreover, the fashion for names. What was incredibly popular with our grandparents looks really vintage and dust-covered today. Where did the wonderful Ebenezers and Jebedais, Wilhelminas and Lucilles go? Unfortunately, their number is decreasing every year.
On the other hand, there is also a reverse process. For example, back in the nineties, only the most stubborn fans of ancient mythology knew the name "Hermione", and in the 21st century the number of girls with this name in the USA and the UK is approaching several thousand. What is there to say? Just look at the NFL rosters in, say, 1992 and 2022 - and compare how much the naming trends have changed.
There is a popular thread in the AskReddit community whose topic starter once asked the question: "What first name is not used anymore?" To date, the thread boasts over 30.7K upvotes and roughly 31.3K comments with several thousand incredibly diverse first names.
Bored Panda has compiled for you a list of the most popular comments of this thread: from the ancient and even fictional Gilgamesh and Nyarlathotep to Kermit and Dorcas, undeservedly forgotten in recent years. In general, feel free to scroll to the very end (there are real gems at the end, just trust us!), like your favorite ones and if we missed something, be sure to write these names in the comments!
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My grandfather's name was Kermit. He went by KW. His best friends growing up were Ernie and Elmo (Elmo went by Bogue).
Gay.
Have 2 great aunts named Gay.
The old definition of gay is happy. So Gay, the name, used to be akin to naming a child Joy.
Isis. Poor Egyptian woman..
I was at a rural graveyard recently and a woman's name was Experience, she was buried next to her sister Patience.
Nobody has the name Agamemnon anymore.
I plan to fix that some day.
Gaylord
I read a headline the other day where a teenager was suing his parents for naming him Gaylord
Ursula, sea-witch straight up ruined that name
Ursula was fabulous though. I see nothing wrong with having that name simply because of her.
"Never underestimate the importance of BODY LANGUAGE.'
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The president of the European Commission (the equivalent of the EU president or prime minister) is Ursula von der Leyen.
Absolutely! She was a great inspiration to all these dads back then naming their daughters Ursula!
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If you're going to have that name, you need to have one hell of a singing voice.
i have heard this before and my friends name is ursula it isn't that unusual
The name (meaning little bear) is still ranked number 50 out of 100 most common names in Germany.
I had a boss named Ursula. The sea-witch one was less conniving and less two-faced.
My mother is called Ursula. She's a bit of a witch too. Probably why I have low contact with her.
I had a primarily schoolteacher named Ursula and was the meanest teacher I’ve ever had.
I live with it every day. I always hear the Bond lady Ursula Andress, rarely the sea witch.
I am and American Midwesterner and I would definitely name a child Ursula. Some people strongly prefer it to Ariel
"Ursula" is a name of deep historic mystery. I refer, of course, to the "Ursula" who is mentioned in the theme song for "George of the Jungle" but never appears in the series. To me, she ranks right up there with Amelia Earhart and Judge Crater as famous vanishers. And even those two don't get to be associated with the phrase "Watch out for that tree!" (Ok, yeah, Earhart might have heard it.)
ursula = little bear, if I remember right. Latin origin. Popular with germans. I had a cousin called this.
I've known several people with that name. (And not even only in Germany)
Had a Great Grandfather named Granite Commodore. I look forward to my son assuming this bad a*s name.
Edit: His name was Garnet Commodore. I typed this comment via mobile, didn't proofread. I come back 6 days later and this f****r blew up. My highest rated comment ever was a complete mistake. s**t.
Flavius. Though my sister insists she's going to name one of her children that when she has them. My mother says there's no way she's allowing that
Edit: firstly, holy s**t I did not expect this many upvotes
Secondly, my comment about my sister naming one of her children Flavius isn't serious, she says it to get a rise from my mother. It's just a family inside joke.
Lastly, yeah I get that it's still a popular name in Romania, 100 people have already told me that.
I very much wanted to name my first born son "Robin", was told no in very stern terms by my ex. So he was named Something Benjamin. Then my FIL told me to change his middle name, because it sounded "too Jewish". I am not making this up. Second son. My inlaws came to the hospital, and again told me to change HIS name, because it would be confused with his great-uncle, who was 80something at the time. Nevermind that her children were named after her brother, her other brother, her husband, and her cousin. SO glad they're both dead now.
Hortense
I went to school with 2 different boys named Storm while I was growing up. Different schools, but they both had mullets and wore NASCAR shirts. Never again will we live in such a magical time.
I used to know a girl named stormi. I currently work with two different girls named autumn and winter. Winters best friend from childhood is named spring.
I dunno about you, but I haven't seen many people named Gilgamesh lately.
Llewellyn. I believe there was no registry of this name being used for newborns last year.
Jeeves. But I think it has a strong correlation to butlers and no parent wants to condemn their child to a life of butler-hood. Hell, even Jerry Seinfeld had a bit on that name.
Edit: TIL there was a series of short stories about a man named Reginald Jeeves. I always thought Jeeves was a first name. In fact, I've only ever heard of it used as the main identifier and never as a surname. The more you know. I still stand by my answer though.
I can tell you that there certainly are children in the UK school system right now with the following names, which were suggested in posts here:
Amadeus, Ethel, Reginald, Roger, Maurice, Mercedes, Wilhelmina, Julius, Mildred, Myra, Myrtle, Beulah, Cora, Isis and Osama.
No Adolf, Rutherford, Orenthal or Judas though.
I see a lot of people suggesting "old lady names" but they are the super popular ones. My daughter's preschool classmates and my high school friends children have names like Cora, Louisa, Mabel, Millie, Maeve, Evelyn, Dorothy/Dottie, Matilda, Gertrude, Pearl.
Not a single Jessica, Ashley, Heather, Jennifer, or any of those over-saturated 80s baby names.
Gary. Once a very common name, only four babies were called Gary last year in the UK.
Just doesn't have a ring to it, little baby Gary.
Was at a church and saw a grave to "Manly Powers." I've never met a "Manly" before. All of us guys decided to have our picture taken with the grave while we flexed our muscles.
We had a chap called Simon Manley in school. He was very short. One day in geography class, the teacher was out and he was jumping from desk to desk. My neighbour looks at me and says, "One small step for man, one giant leap for Manley."
Dorcus, it was my great-grandmother's name.
Caillou
Note: this post originally had 47 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
David Bowie's grandmother is buried in a graveyard near me. Her name was Zillah. Apparently it is biblical? I had a co worker who was pregnant, I put this forward as possible name. But it was a no.
Zillah is part of the story of Genesis. The name means Shade.
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Hmmm...they are names that are common in Africa even today along with Faith, Praise, Beauty, Blessing and other such names
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I don't know why some people feel the need to resurrect old-fashioned names for their kids.*Turns to daughter* Right, Emmeline?
Nigel. In 2016, there were no babies born named Nigel (don't know if this was just UK or worldwide). In 2019, 433 Nigels gathered in a Nigel convention in a pub in Worcestershire to celebrate "Nigelness". An award was given to the youngest Nigel, who was then 7 months old
But then Farage turned up and it all descended into a whinge about immigrants
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My actual name is Karen. I assure you, no one is naming their kid that these days.
Screw all these ancient names, we have to start name children with the names of Zarg, Borgon or Gorzan. For the sake of sci-fi movies. For the future. We don't want a destroyed, desert-of-planet that's been ruled by almighty Jackie.
I'm picturing her in Mad Max style leather, but in pink, blond hair extensions and full face make-up. "My name is Jackie. My world is, like, fire and blood. And White Claw."
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I have distant relatives that all had 'Euph' beginning names, Euphegenia and Euphemia are the only two I remember though, there was like 8 kids in the family. I discovered them while visiting the family graveyard (graveyard named after my paternal grandmothers family because apparently the whole bloody small town was related to us and we donated the land for the cemetery)
My name is Norma. Never many of us and doubt if there are any under 70 now.
I knew a pair of sisters named Devine Light and Delightful Heaven... Very interesting young girls... I hope they had a fun goth phase :)
There aren't many baby Trevors or Dereks in the UK, but it's only a matter of time as the generation of Trevors and Dereks become Grandads and their grandkids are named after them.
We almost named our youngest son Magnus Alexander. In the end, even though we loved the name, we decide it put too much pressure on the boy to conquer Mesopotamia.
Marlon Brando's daughter's name is Morrison Cheyenne...my older sister named a doll after her.
Vandalia ... my great-grandfather's name. Isn't that the name of an onion?
I think most names that have common modern connotations, like Chad, Stacey, Becky, etc. Not to mention the most famous one that shall not be named. My grandfather's name was Guy, which is another common word that just means something else now too much for people want to use it as a name.
My great-grandmother was named Zua Alvira, her sister was Izona. And her brother? George. My mom's mother was Ivan Lucinda. One of her brothers was Ovid, one Thornton, and one Noble. Other side of her family had my great-great grandfather named for a vice-president who was a candidate the year he was born - 1844. Few men named that ever. He named one of his sons Ulysses Simpson Grant... My mom got a kick out of telling people that was her grandfather's name. whispering the last name after Grant.
“F***y”. As is “Aunt F***y” from the Famous Five books. And doubly funny because, while in the US a “f***y” is a back bottom, in the Australia and the UK, it refers to a front bottom. Remember reading American kids books and they would refer to someone getting a “smack on the f***y”? My 5yo self was very confused about what messed up sh1t was going on there.
There was a Miss F***y at my church when I was young. She was really old.
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F***y Her granny’s a f***y, her ma’s a f***y etc https://youtu.be/IcKlVojfMD4
I have a great uncle named Vernon, he has one boy and five girls. The boy (2nd oldest child) named Vernon Jr. The girls are named (in order by age) LaVerne, Vernice, Vernee-leigh, Vernamay, and Raverna (pronounced Ray-Vern-ah). They are all in their 50's and 60's now.
Marcia. I wish I had a dollar every time some says my name because they always say it 3 times. Not many Marcias around now.
One thing that seems odd are those door name signs, keyrings, pens etc that you get from seaside places or theme parks. You can look through them and see really unusual names with spellings that look like letters picked at randowm from a Scrabble bag yet names that are more 'normal' are not even available.
Nah guys. Whoever made this list is american. There's a planet out there, you know. Linda is VERY common here in SA.
So, add some names that seem to have disappeared or lessened from your part of the world. And Americans can note that they are Americans.
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I’ve never met an Agatha. The name sounds like you’re coughing up a hairball. Sorry to any Agatha’s out there. 😬
That’s because it's pronounced with stress on the 1st syllable in English. In other languages it's on the 2nd. ☺
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I was so thrilled to get this far in a conversation about names people don’t like without seeing my name. What needs to be given a rest is people trashing the name Karen. Don’t you think we’ve had enough? Karenismyname.org
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I have cousins named Fritjof and Gerbrand. Personally I always loved Kazimir (m. Slavic) Bodil (f. Scandinavian) Persephone (f. Greek) Lucky, I don't have any kids. 😉
Kazimir and Persephone sound frikken awesome....luckily all my kids are theoretical too.
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Before my wife and I knew we were having a girl, we were considering the name Guy.
My great-grandfater was Guy. His wife was Eunice. I also worked with a kid a few years ago named Guy but he went by Eddie
Load More Replies... Belgium here...with us Laurence is female and Laurent is male. But we've got Honorine, Esperence and Jeanne as well, however they are very old names. My mom's name is Hugeutte and her sisters are Ludwina, Gerarda, Godelieve and Noëlla. 😬😂
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I know someone who named their kiddo Jasper. Named for one of his grandfathers.
I've taught a few Jaspers recently. I really like the name.
Load More Replies... Aloysius. Never met or heard of a real person with this name. I think I know of it from some Warner Bros or MGM 40's or 50' cartoon.
My grandfather‘s name was Aloys, and my mother was named after him: Aloysia! She never liked that name and prefers to be called Allo. 🙂
Load More Replies... David Bowie's grandmother is buried in a graveyard near me. Her name was Zillah. Apparently it is biblical? I had a co worker who was pregnant, I put this forward as possible name. But it was a no.
Zillah is part of the story of Genesis. The name means Shade.
Load More Replies... Hmmm...they are names that are common in Africa even today along with Faith, Praise, Beauty, Blessing and other such names
Load More Replies... I don't know why some people feel the need to resurrect old-fashioned names for their kids.*Turns to daughter* Right, Emmeline?
Nigel. In 2016, there were no babies born named Nigel (don't know if this was just UK or worldwide). In 2019, 433 Nigels gathered in a Nigel convention in a pub in Worcestershire to celebrate "Nigelness". An award was given to the youngest Nigel, who was then 7 months old
But then Farage turned up and it all descended into a whinge about immigrants
Load More Replies... My actual name is Karen. I assure you, no one is naming their kid that these days.
Screw all these ancient names, we have to start name children with the names of Zarg, Borgon or Gorzan. For the sake of sci-fi movies. For the future. We don't want a destroyed, desert-of-planet that's been ruled by almighty Jackie.
I'm picturing her in Mad Max style leather, but in pink, blond hair extensions and full face make-up. "My name is Jackie. My world is, like, fire and blood. And White Claw."
Load More Replies... I have distant relatives that all had 'Euph' beginning names, Euphegenia and Euphemia are the only two I remember though, there was like 8 kids in the family. I discovered them while visiting the family graveyard (graveyard named after my paternal grandmothers family because apparently the whole bloody small town was related to us and we donated the land for the cemetery)
My name is Norma. Never many of us and doubt if there are any under 70 now.
I knew a pair of sisters named Devine Light and Delightful Heaven... Very interesting young girls... I hope they had a fun goth phase :)
There aren't many baby Trevors or Dereks in the UK, but it's only a matter of time as the generation of Trevors and Dereks become Grandads and their grandkids are named after them.
We almost named our youngest son Magnus Alexander. In the end, even though we loved the name, we decide it put too much pressure on the boy to conquer Mesopotamia.
Marlon Brando's daughter's name is Morrison Cheyenne...my older sister named a doll after her.
Vandalia ... my great-grandfather's name. Isn't that the name of an onion?
I think most names that have common modern connotations, like Chad, Stacey, Becky, etc. Not to mention the most famous one that shall not be named. My grandfather's name was Guy, which is another common word that just means something else now too much for people want to use it as a name.
My great-grandmother was named Zua Alvira, her sister was Izona. And her brother? George. My mom's mother was Ivan Lucinda. One of her brothers was Ovid, one Thornton, and one Noble. Other side of her family had my great-great grandfather named for a vice-president who was a candidate the year he was born - 1844. Few men named that ever. He named one of his sons Ulysses Simpson Grant... My mom got a kick out of telling people that was her grandfather's name. whispering the last name after Grant.
“F***y”. As is “Aunt F***y” from the Famous Five books. And doubly funny because, while in the US a “f***y” is a back bottom, in the Australia and the UK, it refers to a front bottom. Remember reading American kids books and they would refer to someone getting a “smack on the f***y”? My 5yo self was very confused about what messed up sh1t was going on there.
There was a Miss F***y at my church when I was young. She was really old.
Load More Replies... F***y Her granny’s a f***y, her ma’s a f***y etc https://youtu.be/IcKlVojfMD4
I have a great uncle named Vernon, he has one boy and five girls. The boy (2nd oldest child) named Vernon Jr. The girls are named (in order by age) LaVerne, Vernice, Vernee-leigh, Vernamay, and Raverna (pronounced Ray-Vern-ah). They are all in their 50's and 60's now.
Marcia. I wish I had a dollar every time some says my name because they always say it 3 times. Not many Marcias around now.
One thing that seems odd are those door name signs, keyrings, pens etc that you get from seaside places or theme parks. You can look through them and see really unusual names with spellings that look like letters picked at randowm from a Scrabble bag yet names that are more 'normal' are not even available.
Nah guys. Whoever made this list is american. There's a planet out there, you know. Linda is VERY common here in SA.
So, add some names that seem to have disappeared or lessened from your part of the world. And Americans can note that they are Americans.
Load More Replies... I’ve never met an Agatha. The name sounds like you’re coughing up a hairball. Sorry to any Agatha’s out there. 😬
That’s because it's pronounced with stress on the 1st syllable in English. In other languages it's on the 2nd. ☺
Load More Replies... I was so thrilled to get this far in a conversation about names people don’t like without seeing my name. What needs to be given a rest is people trashing the name Karen. Don’t you think we’ve had enough? Karenismyname.org
Load More Replies... I have cousins named Fritjof and Gerbrand. Personally I always loved Kazimir (m. Slavic) Bodil (f. Scandinavian) Persephone (f. Greek) Lucky, I don't have any kids. 😉
Kazimir and Persephone sound frikken awesome....luckily all my kids are theoretical too.
Load More Replies... Before my wife and I knew we were having a girl, we were considering the name Guy.
My great-grandfater was Guy. His wife was Eunice. I also worked with a kid a few years ago named Guy but he went by Eddie
Load More Replies... Belgium here...with us Laurence is female and Laurent is male. But we've got Honorine, Esperence and Jeanne as well, however they are very old names. My mom's name is Hugeutte and her sisters are Ludwina, Gerarda, Godelieve and Noëlla. 😬😂
Load More Replies... I know someone who named their kiddo Jasper. Named for one of his grandfathers.
I've taught a few Jaspers recently. I really like the name.
Load More Replies... Aloysius. Never met or heard of a real person with this name. I think I know of it from some Warner Bros or MGM 40's or 50' cartoon.
My grandfather‘s name was Aloys, and my mother was named after him: Aloysia! She never liked that name and prefers to be called Allo. 🙂
Load More Replies...