Endangered Baby Names

Peppy cheerleader name of the 1960s and 70s that's sure to evoke the Four Seasons song of that name.

Truncated form of Marylouise.

An energetic, charmingly retro nickname, Suzy and all her sisters are off their fashion peak but will rise again around the middle of this century.

Best left at the Jersey Shore.

An anglicized spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend, Myrna has a unique sound and two possible meanings, both of which are positive. Actress Myrna Loy was a notable bearer and her fame caused a spike in popularity of the name, when it reached the US Top 150 in the 1930s.

Peaked in the 1940s, but still an amiable classic, a la Joe and Tom -- though rarely used on its own.

Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.

This once vivacious midcentury nickname is rarely used for modern babies.

The ultimate dad name.

Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.

Last cool when Bogie roamed Casablanca.

Alive thanks to Ponderosa papa Greene and SNL creator Michaels, both from Canada, where the name is much more popular.

Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for just over 50 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 700+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though 45 were named Leslie. Once one of the most widely-used girl names starting with L, Lesley and Leslie now trail behind trendy L-starting girl names like Layla and Lily.

Tracey is the spelling of Tracy used by British comedian Tracey Ullman, who was born Trace. A Top 10 name in 1970, Tracy was last year given to fewer than 50 baby girls in the US and Tracey to only 13. But if the Hundred Year Rule holds, Tracey and Tracy are halfway back to a comeback.

Dianne, one of the many offshoots and variations of the classic Diana, had its moment in the sun in the 1940s--it was a Top 100 name from 1943 to 1952. It now would make a very unlikely choice.

One of the earliest of the relaxed, unisex names, now relegated to oldies rock stations. Ricki is a spirited, retro nickname traditionally short for Frederica but now stands strong on its own. Notable bearers include talk show host Ricki Lake, giving it a bold, independent vibe.

One of those casual down-home names last popular in the 1960s.