We looked at the top baby name rises last month, so this month let’s look at the opposite: the top drops. That is, the baby names that decreased the most in usage, percentage-wise, from one year to the next in the Social Security Administration’s data.
Here’s the format: girl names are on the left, boy names are on the right, and the percentages represent single-year slides in usage. (For example, from 1880 to 1881, usage of the girl name Clementine dropped 68% and usage of the boy name Neil dropped 76%.)
- 1881: Clementine, -68%; Neil, -76%
- 1882: Malissa, -56%; Verne, -67%
- 1883: Minna, -67%; Morton, -74%
- 1884: Roxy, -62%; Ellsworth & Newt, -60%
- 1885: Sina, -68%; Clarance, -74%
- 1886: Cordia, Dicie & Johnie, -64%; Adelbert, -69%
- 1887: Faith, -69%; Hardy, -73%
- 1888: Diana & Hope, -63%; Connie, -55%
- 1889: Zilpha, -71%; Wendell, -71%
- 1890: Buena, -60%; Alvie, -69%
- 1891: Odie, -65%; Pierce, -76%
- 1892: Eudora, -67%; Maude, -58%
- 1893: Lollie, -65%; Levy, -64%
- 1894: Macy, -64%; Lindsay, -76%
- 1895: Gina, Laurel & Pennie, -69%; Alvie & Urban, -65%
- 1896: Dagmar, -75%; Talmage, -67%
- 1897: Myrta & Ouida, -75%; Benton, -68%
- 1898: Fae, -71%; Fate, -74%
- 1899: Rosia, -80%; Fitzhugh, -79%
- 1900: Irva, -74%; Dora, -69%
- 1901: Leonore, -75%; Judge, -81%
- 1902: Veva, -74%; Davis, -72%
- 1903: Littie & Samantha, -67%; Hunter, -67%
- 1904: Genie, -71%; Bessie & Reynold, -67%
- 1905: Luberta, -75%; Randall, -67%
- 1906: Dulcie, -75%; Patsy, -69%
- 1907: Libbie, -71%; Geo, -59%
- 1908: Aurore, -75%; Elden & Minor, -67%
- 1909: Arnetta, -68%; Tracy, -75%
- 1910: Lollie, -67%; Hadley, -64%
- 1911: Nada, -72%; Shelton, -73%
- 1912: Carla, -71%; Rosendo, -67%
- 1913: Vassie, -67%; Auburn, -67%
- 1914: Coy & Maryelizabeth, -64%: Hosey, -78%
- 1915: Thomasine, -67%; Giacomo, -67%
- 1916: Zudora, -75%; Remus, -72%
- 1917: Athalie, -78%; Tatsuo, -82%
- 1918: Theta, -74%; Lennis, -72%
- 1919: Liberty, -83%; Foch, -84%
- 1920: Veatrice, -77%; Pershing, -73%
- 1921: Fidela & Theone, -70%; Cleven, -71%
- 1922: Angelyn & Renata, -75%; Dail, -73%
- 1923: Odilia, -83%; Ugo & Waino, -74%
- 1924: Gladine, -71%; Masayuki, -72%
- 1925: Williemae, -72%; Emitt, -72%
- 1926: Patrice, -75%; Ann, -78%
- 1927: Vila, -75%; Boston, -76%
- 1928: Kazue, -79%; Shoji, -93%
- 1929: Livia, -81%; Tatsuo, -82%
- 1930: Ivalee, -71%; Deforest, -72%
- 1931: Emaline, -76%; Audley, -75%
- 1932: Zulema, -80%; Hale, -77%
- 1933: Dessa, -78%; Burleigh, -79%
- 1934: Nira, -81%; Overton, -71%
- 1935: Claudean, -73%; Hester, -74%
- 1936: Norita, -79%; Kenley, -79%
- 1937: Adel & Berdine, -71%; Grace, -78%
The SSA data isn’t perfect, but it does become more accurate in the late 1930s, because “many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so their names are not included in our data” (SSA). Now, back to the list…
- 1938: Ever, -75%; Casimiro, -75%
- 1939: Walda, -74%; Butler, -74%
- 1940: Avalon & Ellouise, -75%; Jacque, -71%
- 1941: Lassie, -71%; Faye & Lemar, -71%
- 1942: Voncille, -75%; Meyer, -70%
- 1943: Mahala, -76%; Ewing, -76%
- 1944: Kyle, -77%; Griffith, -77%
- 1945: Sherrianne, -74%; Ellwood, Kern & Pascal, -67%
- 1946: Bettyjo, -71%; Adrien, -77%
- 1947: Judye, -76%; Bernardino, -72%
- 1948: Tilda, -78%; Saverio, -74%
- 1949: Vickii, -77%; Alphonza, -75%
- 1950: Ranelle, -78%; Agapito, -68%
- 1951: Vallorie, -90%; Skippy, -72%
- 1952: Laural, -76%; Edson, -74%
- 1953: Annelle & Otilia, -72%; Gerrit, -70%
- 1954: Trenace, -81%; Celso, -76%
- 1955: Jyl, -79%; Garrie & Robet, -74%
- 1956: Cerise, -79%; Orlin, -74%
- 1957: Angelene, -77%; Ruby, -76%
- 1958: Seneca, -80%; Darryel & Richerd, -72%
- 1959: Elfrida, -82%; Dietrich, -75%
- 1960: Jinny, -72%; Ardis, -74%
- 1961: Perian, -91%; Cully, -84%
- 1962: Chantay, -80%; Torin, -73%
- 1963: Marnita, -82%; Isidore, -75%
- 1964: Julann, -79%; Tandy, -75%
- 1965: Tonjua, -90%; Jaimie, -86%
- 1966: Charlet & Desi, -77%; Glennon, -74%
- 1967: Jeryl, -83%; Haskell, -72%
- 1968: Millette, -88%; Daneil, -77%
- 1969: Lya, -81%; Athony, -73%
- 1970: Cinamon, -77%; Aldrin, -77%
- 1971: Chimene, -77%; Garet, -74%
- 1972: Jurea, -83%; Rayvon, -77%
- 1973: Dayatra, -86%; Keelan, -70%
- 1974: Shondell, -78%; Efraim, -71%
- 1975: Natonya, -78%; Imari, -76%
- 1976: Okema, -87%; Nakia, -79%
- 1977: Liberty, -79%; Tierre, -81%
- 1978: Farrah, -78%; Quint, -77%
- 1979: Danetta, -77%; Kinte, -84%
- 1980: Vernee, -77%; Kendra, -75%
- 1981: Santresa, -80%; Jerritt, -74%
- 1982: Andres, -75%; Stavros, -78%
- 1983: Tremaine, -81%; Nicanor, -75%
- 1984: Tyechia, -81%; Jeris, -77%
- 1985: Gricel, -89%; Duron, -76%
- 1986: Celenia, -83%; Damiano, -76%
- 1987: Tareva, -86%; Krystal, -75%
- 1988: Jeree, -82%; Jammal, -80%
- 1989: Neyva, -77%; Derrel, -76%
- 1990: Catherin, -93%; Salvator, -88%
- 1991: Tichina, -80%; Arsenio, -76%
- 1992: Unnamed, -88%; Unnamed, -86% [2nd place: Emilce & Symba, -83%; Quayshaun, -80%]
- 1993: Akeiba, -88%; Evelyn & Jawara, -71%
- 1994: Kebrina, -86%; Farrell, -79%
- 1995: Noheli, -84%; Ajee, -79%
- 1996: Shatasha, -81%; Unknown, -77%
- 1997: Hydia, -80%, Halston, -79%
- 1998: Ajaysia, -77%; Jachai, -91%
- 1999: Naidelyn, -86%; Denzil, -79%
- 2000: Shanequa, -82%; Giovan, -75%
- 2001: Berania, -78%; Devontre, -75%
- 2002: Anallely, -86%; Nkosi, -72%
- 2003: Jnaya, -88%; Tyheim, -81%
- 2004: Nayzeth, -89%; Myzel, -75%
- 2005: Nathaniel, -80%; Hannah, -87%
- 2006: Babygirl, -86%; Infant, -91% [Counting legit names only: Mikalah, -82%; Jakyri, -79%]
- 2007: Bethzy, -91%; Brasen, -83%
- 2008: Lizania, -86%; Duvan, -79%
- 2009: Aideliz, -88%; Kesan, -78%
- 2010: Chastelyn, -95%; Yanixan, -87%
- 2011: Samuel, -79%; Tiger, -80%
- 2012: Thaily, -78%; Vadhir, -88%
- 2013: Shanik, -88%; Oneil, -77%
- 2014: Audris & Avalie, -80%; Sy, -73%
- 2015: Rion, -83%; Rawley, -79%
- 2016: Yazaira, -84%; Treysen, -79%
- 2017: Brucha, -76%; Makana, -79%
- 2018: Yuleimy, -85%; Neizan, -78%
- 2019: Anifer, -86%; Nomar & Gianlucas, -73%
- 2020: Diala, -81%; Daer, -80%
- 2021: Ashvi, -76%; Aldair, -70%
(Did you catch the doubles? Alvie, Tatsuo, and Fae/Faye.)
Top drops aren’t quite as exciting as top rises, but certain ones become much more intriguing when you notice that they were also top rises:
- Rose-then-dropped: Clarance, Lollie, Lindsay, Zudora, Tatsuo, Liberty, Norita, Vallorie, Krystal, Seneca, Nakia, Mikalah, Bethzy, Thaily
- Dropped-then-rose: Clementine, Malissa, Diana, Alvie, Pierce, Judge, Rosendo
I’ve already written about some of the names above (click the links to see the posts) and I plan to write about a few of the others. In the meanwhile, though, feel free to beat me to it — leave a comment and let us know why you think any of these names saw dropped in usage when they did.
