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Throwback baby names? As if!
Much like dinosaurs, hieroglyphics and button-up shoes, a faction of formerly popular first names from the 1990s — names once considered da bomb — are now doomed to extinction, warns a startling new study.
In 2026, they’re outtie 5000.
“Courtney,” “Shannon” and “Danielle” surface as the top 3 girl names on the mommy chopping block this year, each falling thousands of place since their peak popularity three decades ago, per recent findings from Nuby, a global baby brand.
“Courtney had the biggest fall out of the girls’ names analyzed, dropping 2,261 places from its highest ranking in the 90s — 17th in 1998 to 2,278th in 2025,” the report reveals.
“Shannon has had a similar fall, dropping 2,127 places from 11th in 1996 to 2,138th,” it reads, “while Danielle has dropped 1,434 places, from 20th in 1996 to 1,454th.”
Researchers, based in the UK, examined 30 years of baby naming data via the Office for National Statistics to determine which names have fallen from glory since just before the new millennium.
The investigators reviewed both the boy and girl names that reached the top 20 between 1996 and 1999, comparing each name’s highest ranking during this period with its 2025 ranking.
Joining “Courtney” and company on the uncool roster are ‘90s hot-now-not masculine names “Connor,” “Callum” and “Jordan,” taking the first-, second- and third-place positions in the boys only roundup, respectively.
“Connor has fallen the most places among the boys’ names analyzed from 11 th in 1998 to 299 th in 2025, which is a drop of 288 places,” noted the experts. “Callum, once ranked 8th in 1998, now sits at 251st, while Jordan has dropped from 10th in both 1997 and 1998 to 248th in 2025.”
The ugly fate of names that were once sitting pretty on the lost contradicts society’s current obsession with the hottest fads of the ‘90s and early aughts.
From the haute resurrection of minimalist gowns to plastic choker necklaces and frosted makeup makeovers, today’s trendsetters certainly aren’t shy about stealing swag from yesteryear.
But when it comes to crowning their kiddos, the mommies and daddies of New York City and beyond are looking far beyond the era dominated by Beanie Babies and the Spice Girls.
Surprisingly, even older old-school names, such as Olivia and Liam, continue to reign supreme among new and expecting parents in the US, according to statistics via the Social Security Administration.
Still, when it comes to what they’ll call their little cuties, tastemakers with appetites for the unique are thinking outside the box — and outside of American borders.
Kasai, meaning “fire” in Japanese and Swahili, is steadily rising as a voguish boy name, while Klarity, a misspelling of the word “clarity,” is fast-becoming all the rage for girls.
Check out the top 10 girl and top 10 boy names of the 1990s that are now totally wack.
Girls
- Courtney
- Shannon
- Danielle
- Lauren
- Megan
- Jade
- Katie
- Bethany
- Rebecca
- Amy
Boys
- Connor
- Callum
- Jordan
- Lewis
- Jake
- Matthew
- Ryan
- Luke
- Daniel
- Samuel
Read the full article here
