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3 weeks ago
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Classic and once-popular baby names are falling out of favor, with some at risk of disappearing entirely.
A new report from BabyCenter, which tracks the names parents consider and choose for their newborns, analyzed the top 1,000 names to identify which have seen the steepest declines since 2024.
Among girls, Charleigh, Mckinley, Prisha, Ezra, Sasha, Mía, Kenna, Kori, Dior and Shaikha are all slipping down the rankings, with Charleigh and Shaikha taking the hardest hits.
Boys' names are also seeing dramatic drops. Kylian, Atharv, Enoch, Crue, Huxley, Salman, Camilo, Advik, Emmitt and Garrett have all declined significantly, with Kylian and Atharv now barely breaking the top 1,050.
Names ending in -y are falling fastest for boys, with Huxley plummeting 296 spots. For girls, unique twists on familiar names, such as Maddison and Alivia, are losing favor, while Charleigh has tumbled the most, down 421 spots.
Baby-naming consultant Colleen Slagen of NamingBebe.com told Nexstar that these names are on the brink of extinction, having only been trendy for a brief period
'Any name that jumps over 100 spots a year in popularity … in my mind, that's the sign of a name that's going to go out of fashion,' said Slagen.
Among girls, Charleigh, Mckinley, Prisha, Ezra, Sasha, Mía, Kenna, Kori, Dior and Shaikha are all slipping down the rankings
She recommended that expecting parents check the Social Security Administration's annual list of the nation's most popular baby names.
Among girls, Charleigh and Shaikha have seen the sharpest declines.
Charleigh, a modern twist on Charlotte, and Shaikha, an Arabic name meaning 'female leader,' reflect the fading trend of unique spellings and culturally distinct names.
Other girls' names slipping in popularity include Mckinley, Prisha, Ezra, Sasha, Mía, Kenna, Kori and Dior.
Mckinley and Kenna rose to fame as strong, surname-inspired choices, while Prisha and Ezra offered cultural or gender-neutral appeal.
Dior gained popularity for its glamorous, fashion-forward associations and Mía and Sasha were once popular for their short, stylish sounds.
Kylian and Atharv are now barely in the top 1,050, with Kylian likely influenced by soccer star Kylian Mbappé and Atharv chosen for its Sanskrit meaning, 'knowledge.'
Huxley and Crue were once trendy for their literary and edgy pop-culture connections, while Garrett and Emmitt drew on classic,
Anglo-Irish roots. Names like Camilo and Advik offered international or culturally significant flair, and Salman reflected Middle Eastern heritage.
The top five middle names for girls in 2025 included Rose, Grace, Elizabeth, Marie and Jane. The list for boys featured James, Alexander, Michael, Joseph and Thomas.
Nameberry, the largest baby-name site run by experts, unveiled its top trend forecasts for 2026, with names inspired by ancient civilizations leading the pack this year.
For girls, rising favorites include Olympia, Adhara and Marcella, while boys may see Ramses, Isidore and Linus climb the charts.
Sophie Kihm, an expert at Nameberry, said: 'Parents who choose ancient-civilization names are often seeking to connect their children to history. For some, that means honoring their own heritage with Mesoamerican or ancient Asian names.
'For others, these names offer a way to cope with an uncertain future by rewinding to a romanticized past, especially through ancient Greek and Roman choices.'
Other themes on the rise include 'Showgirl' names such as Marilyn, Roxie and Ophelia, along with 'Soulful' picks like Cypress, Jubilee, Creed and Shiloh.
And while millennials and Gen Z now make up the bulk of new parents, Nameberry predicts some classic boomer names will stage a comeback, including Betsy, Nancy and Judith for girls, and Bruce, Monty and Wes for boys.
