Are These Names Going Out of Style?

Names, like fashion choices, often go in and out of style over time. One decade’s Nancy and Susan give way to years of Jessica and Jennifer, until suddenly all of them are overtaken by Evelyns and Olivias.

While those are obvious examples, name popularity also changes year to year. We took a look at which names decreased in popularity from 2023 to 2024 (the latest published Social Security data) to see what might be on its way out. Here’s what we found.

K Names Decreasing

Across both male and female names, some of the biggest declines in popularity were among names beginning with K. For girls, these include Kamari, Kya, and Kinslee. On the boy side, we saw sharp declines in the use of names like Karsyn, Kole, and Khai.

It’s possible that K names previously benefited from pop culture influence (think: the Kardashian era) and that appeal may now be waning. Or, maybe it’s simply that people have found a letter they like better.

Exalted Names on the Decline

Names that signal royalty, power, and status are waning, too. Royal, King, Prince, and derivatives like Princeton and Kingsley all show up on the boys’ list. For girls, we see names like Princess, Royal, and Royalty falling down the ranks.

Similarly, names like Blessing, Liberty, Promise, Miracle, Legend, Messiah, and Major are falling out of favor.

Trendy Names Aren’t So Trendy Anymore

Names that saw a rapid increase in popularity over past years are now headed in reverse. That’s likely because parents who sought these trendy, modern names have likely already used them. And thanks to the flash-in-the-pan trendiness of names with -x-, -den, and -lyn/leigh, the names are now starting to feel dated.

This list includes names like Jaxson, Kaiden, Brayden, Paxton, Kyler, Jayden, and Zayden for boys, and Braelyn/Braelynn, Kinslee, Paislee, Everlee, Brynleigh, and Oaklee for girls.

Creative Spellings Are Disappearing

While some parents still prefer the more “kreatyve” spelling of certain names, many such names are seeing less and less use.

That means boys’ names like Karsyn, Landyn, or Zyon are falling out of favor. Girls’ names similarly declining include Charleigh, Emersyn, and Brynleigh.

While reverting to a traditional spelling might lose some uniqueness, sticking with the tried and true name avoids constant corrections and mispronunciations.

Nicknames As Names Are Out

While you’re still likely to see some parents who opt for Kate or Pete instead of Katherine or Peter, “nickname” names showed up frequently on the list of names declining in popularity. This may be due to a similar return to tradition as the lack of creative spellings, or it could simply be a change in preferences.

Either way, short names like Ty, Zeke, Dash, Rex, and Ozzy (for boys) and Liv, Kai, Nia, Ari, Elle, and Sky (for girls) are all less popular than they were the year prior.

Millennial Classics Are Still Trending Downward

It’s no surprise that names common among today’s parents are falling in popularity. Many of them have strong associations with the 1980s and 1990s, feeling dated but not quite yet vintage or old-school charming.

That means you’re not likely to see a burst of baby boys named Brandon, Tyler, Justin, Jared, Ryan, or Kyle anytime soon. And you probably won’t see any bouncing baby Megans, Ashleys, Jessicas, or Brittanys, either.

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