Endangered Baby Names

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

This is the spelling that old-time film star Katharine Hepburn used, and it's still favored by fans wanting to reference her classic strength and beauty. But in general, it's losing ground to Katherine and even Ms. Hepburn's own favorite short form, Kate.

The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.

A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused.

Shawn is one name that's become less unisex and more distinctly male over time in all its spellings, given to only 14 baby girls and over 500 boys in the US in the most recent year counted. But at its peak in the early 1970s, it was a Top 200 baby name for girls in the US, given to nearly 2000 baby girls... and 12,000 boys in this spelling alone.

Cool a few decades ago, along with Lori and Tori. Currently out of fashion but may make a retro tomboy choice as an offbeat spin on Charlie.

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.

Truncated form of Marylouise.

Popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s, Tracey (and its spelling variation Tracy) have since fallen out of style. As a masculine name, it has been in use since at least the 19th century and was spotlighted in 1837 when Charles Dickens used it for a character in his novel The Pickwick Papers. Derived from a Roman family name, it refers to an ancient settlement known as Thracia, although it has been considered a variant of Theresa too.

So far out it's almost ready to be let back in.

Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for about 30 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 400+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though about 40 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.

Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street.

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.

This Corey variation is getting a fresh shot of style juice thanks to young It Girl Cory Kennedy (not to be confused with RFK daughter, filmmaker Rory Kennedy).

Rob has claimed Bob's turf.

Nicky is a forever-cute short form of Nicholas once used as a full name but now relegated to nickname (no pun intended) status.

Kaye and its more popular sister Kay, once common short forms of the perennially popular Katherine, are now on the endangered list, given to fewer than 50 baby girls each year. But maybe that makes them prime for a comeback? Rarer than Kate, in any case.

A long-popular name, particularly among the African-American community, Keisha was first publicized by the child actress, Keshia Knight Pulliam, who starred on the old Cosby Show. It entered the US Top 1000 in 1967 and remained there for 30 years, but it hasn't featured again since 1997.

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

See TERRY.