AS parents strive to make their children stand out they’re favouring unique names over established classics.
That means quirky monikers such as Posie and Ava are growing in popularity, while popular culture has also influenced choices, with Skylar and Sansa now popping up.
But the shift towards unusual names has seen traditional names fall out of fashion.
Fewer babies are being given titles such as Sally, Wendy, Wayne and Malcolm, all established classics from yesteryear.
As the number of children with these names steadily drops, they’re at risk of going ‘extinct’, as they cease to be used.
Looking at the top baby name predictions for 2019, Mother and Baby have identified 12 names which could no longer be in use in the near future.
Girls’ names going ‘extinct’
- Elaine
- Sharon
- Doris
- Sally
- Paula
Revealing the six girls’ and six boys’ names, they said: “It seems these are the names at risk of extinction this year.”
Among the disappearing names are Doris, Greek for gift of the ocean, Sally, which means princess, and the opposite of Paul, Paula.
A Disney classic, there are few Wendy’s around, and there aren’t many Elaine’s, a name which mean ‘bright shining light’, as Sharon, meaning plain, is also going out of fashion.
Boys’ names going ‘extinct’
- Geoffrey
- Wayne
- Neville
- Malcolm
- Clarence
- Derek
Meanwhile Neville – despite being a popular Harry Potter character – faces the chop along with Clarence, meaning bright, and Derek, an English name for ‘the people’s ruler’.
Other boys’ names which are fading are Geoffrey, meaning ‘pledge of peace’, and Wayne, which translates to ‘maker of wagons’, and Malcolm, which has Scottish roots.
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