Can you guess the American names that disappeared over time?
Like fashion, historical events, popular media, and cultural changes all influence the cyclical nature of baby names.
For example, the Social Security Administration, which uses data from Social Security card applications to determine the popularity of names, ranked Bella No. 985 in the top 1,000 female names in 1931. However, the name was removed from the list completely for almost 69 years.
With the popularity of Stephanie Meyer’s character Bella from the Twilight books, the name appeared on the list again in 2000, at number 749. But since then, not many parents named their children like that. Wonder why?
Some well-known names disappear and then reappear decades later, but others remain favorites for decades. Another example of American names that lost their popularity is Michael, which has been number one for more than a century, then it’s Mary, which again was on top for a century.
While more modern names like Onyx, Anakin (Oh, may the force be with you!), and Nova may make a fashionable comeback, more traditional names like Harriet and Amos may remind us of our grandparents and a time long gone.
In the following lines, you will see some of the American names that seemed to fade away, and the simple reading of them will give you goosebumps.
Judith
Some traditional names have been in the top 50 or top 100 names for decades, even though they have never placed highly on popularity lists. In 1940, Judith was the fourth most popular female name in a list of the top five names for women in each of the previous centuries.
However, from 1936 to 1956, it was among the top 50 most popular names for girls. The majority of Judith’s popularity occurred in the first half of the century but the name hasn’t made it into the top 100 since the 1960s.
Judith is ranked No. 62 overall in a list of the 100 best female names of the previous century. Even though it’s not a popular name in 2025 I would totally name my child Judith. How many people do you know with this name?
Doris
Despite never making it into the top five in any of the last century’s years, Doris barely makes it onto the list of the 100 most popular names of the last century at No. 98. Doris didn’t even make the top 1,000 names in 2023, having peaked at No. 6 in 1929.
Perhaps the most well-known Doris of the last century is Doris Day, who was born Doris Day in 1922. Her wholesome girl-next-door persona contrasted with the cultural changes of the 1960s, which may be why the name has become less popular in the decades since. She was a well-known singer and actress in the 1950s and 1960s.
Speaking of Doris, have you watched the movie “Hello, My Name Is Doris?” from 2016? I almost forgot that it was made so recently! Well… 9 years ago but still.
Albert
Another example of an American name that went to, it’s harsh to say extinction, but you don’t see it mentioned that often anymore, is Albert.
However, according to statistics, it’s still very used in the U.K. In 1910, Albert was the fourteenth most popular male name in the United States.
Twelve members of the British royal family have been named Albert in the last 200 years, which may have something to do with the number of royals who have shared the name. Do you know anyone named Albert?
Gladys
As the fourteenth most popular baby girl name in the 1900s, Nameberry dubbed Gladys the Harper of its time.
Currently, though, this formerly popular Welsh baby name has all but vanished, failing to even make it into the top 300 baby names.
However, given its homage to joy and vintage feel, maybe it’s time to save Gladys from extinction. Would you accept this as a challenge for 2025?
Kay
Although Kay’s popularity peaked between the middle of the 1930s and the middle of the 1940s, she has essentially been absent from the public eye since the 1980s.
Ernest
Among all those American names that you barely hear anymore is Ernest. In the United States, Ernest has a lengthy and beloved history.
In 1885, it peaked at number 21 on the list of the 1,000 most popular male names. Before a gradual decline caused it to completely drop out of the top 1,000 list by 2019, it remained in the top 100 until 1957.
People no longer want to name their children Ernest, even though the name is beautiful and it also has literary associations with Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. What could be the cause of it?
Ralph
Ralph continuously appeared on the list of the top 100 male names from 1900 to 1963, reaching its highest ranking of No. 21 in 1917. After that, it continued to fall the list until it finally made an appearance at No. 950 in 2018.
The unfortunate fact that the word “Ralph” became a slang term for vomit in the United States in the mid-1960s probably contributed to the name’s decline in popularity.
Gertrude
It’s been a long while since I’ve heard this name! No wonder, because it vanished from the top soon after 1965 ended.
This archaic name’s precipitous decline probably followed Doris’s path, as names like Lisa, Kimberly, and Michelle gained popularity as the nation was caught up in a cultural revolution.
Mildred
In the United States, Mildred was the sixth most popular female name in 1920, but by 1985, it had fallen out of the top 1,000.
James M. Cain’s 1941 novel Mildred Pierce, which was made into a movie in 1945, might have contributed to the name’s continued appeal well into the 1950s before it started to decline steadily once more.
Although it doesn’t seem like this archaic name will make a resurgence, the popularity of British actress Millie Bobby Brown helped the diminutive Millie rank as the 102nd most popular female name in 2023, which was its highest ranking ever. Mildred and Millie seem like they’re somehow familiar, right?
Guy
Guy has not even made it into the top 3,900 baby names, indicating that it is on the verge of going extinct despite being playful and masculine.
Even though Guy hasn’t been popular in America since the 1950s, he has a great chance of becoming a baby name that is about to expire.
Gale
Gale can mean “joy,” “wind,” or “tranquility,” and it can be used as a baby girl’s or boy’s name. Whatever connotation you choose, one thing is certain: Gale is headed toward extinction as a baby name.
Gale is currently ranked 9,705 among baby boy names and hasn’t made it into the top 4,520 names for girls. Maybe we can still hear Gale mentioned in games or fantasy stories…
Amanda
Surprisingly, Amanda (meaning she must be loved) is one of those American names that seemed to disappear from everywhere. Experts say that Amanda a baby girl name once very popular may go extinct in the future.
However, the nickname Amanda “Mandy” has risen in popularity in the past years. There is also a movie called Mandy from 2018 starring Nicholas Cage.
Do you know of any other names that might be extinct and we haven’t mentioned yet? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then you may also like 50 Fascinating YouTube Facts: Dive into the Unknown!
