This once-popular baby boy's name is at risk of going extinct

30 September 2023 , 10:08

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You don't hear of many newborn 'Tony's' nowadays (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This favoured little boy's name used to be on all soon-to-be parents' lists but according to new research, it has dropped off the charts as many people think it's too dated. And it's not the only one, as a host of previously loved names are being boycotted.

A lot fewer people are opting to name their newborn babies Tony, despite it previously being one of the most heard baby names around. That's according to Nameberry expert Sophie Kihm who says once a name drops off in the charts it can take around 100 years for it to be back on people's lists in their top picks.

Other names including Kieran and Steven - spelt as Stephen too - are being left out by expectant parents as they sound 'tired' on infants today. The female version of Stephen, Stephanie is also on the list of extinct girls' names, along with Ellen and Ashley.

It's all down to do with what Sophie explains as the '100-year-rule' meaning the top trending names in 2023 are based off of what was common back in the 1920s simply because they feel 'youthful' again.

Sophie told the Metro: "Names tend to go out of fashion after they’ve been stylish for a while. Often, it can be measured in generations. Names tied to parents’ parents’ generation (the grandparents of the baby) are usually considered to be among the least fashionable choices one could use for a baby, like Brenda and Gary today.

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Tony, Steven, and Kieran are no longer popular choices (stock photo) (Getty Images)

"Once a name is on the decline, we expect it to follow the 100-year rule – names take about 100 years to come back into fashion, that means names of the great-grandparent generation are starting to sound fresh again."

We now know the names that are considered out of date but which ones are soaring in popularity? Olive, Felix and Otis are back at the top of people's lists purely down to their fresh-faced feel. This is because they haven't been around since their heyday generations ago, so they feel vibrant and new.

As Sophie explains: "Name trends seem to reflect the cycle of life in that case, only being fresh for the taking when the generation that previously had them no longer are here."

Although there are some safer options for those who are worried their baby name could fall out of style as boys' names inlcuding Harry, George, William, Thomas and Alexander stick around thanks to their long line of traditional family use, hence they never leave the top 30 in England and Wales.

Harriet Morphy-Morris