Endangered Baby Names

Not one but two Spice Girls are named Mel, which led to it briefly being more popular for girls than boys in the 90s and early 00s, but it has now fallen out of favor for both sexes.

Back in Patricia's midcentury heyday, Patty/Patti was the plebeian nickname while Tricia/Trisha and Tish/Trish carried a snobby-yet-insubstantial image associated with then First Daughter Tricia Nixon.

One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

Nickname left over from the last generation.

This classic Robert nickname is starting to sound sweet again, along with ultra-retro Bobby.

A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here.

One of the original cool, sleek gender neutral names, but it's since lost that edge to hits like Leni and Teddy. Today's Teri would probably be Tess or Tessa.

More modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky. Better known as Tori spelling.

A variation of the German Irma, Erma emerged in the 19th century in English-speaking countries where its similarity to timeless Emma might have helped it gain popularity. In fact, if you follow its Germanic roots, it relates back to irmin meaning "whole, great", the same as Emma does.

Bobbsey Twins-era nickname name that could find new life via Nan, heroine of The Nanny Diaries. Nan was also the nickname of Annabel St George, the protagonist of Edith Wharton's novel "The Buccaneers".