Extinct Names

Short form of Alfred that had fallen out of favor, but could come back alongside Alfie and other clunky old-style nicknames like Gus and Ike.

Better go to the original Aurelia or Aurelie, if only for its similarity to the ord 'orally.' In pop culture, Oralie is a Pokemon name.

Cinderella stepsister type Victorian-valentine name.

Merrilee has several different origins. It's an alternative spelling of the unusual word name Merrily, as well as a variant of the smoosh name Marilee (Mary + Lee). Merrilee, Merrilees or Mirrlees are also found in Scotland, deriving from a Scottish place name. Merrilee hit the Top 1000 for a few years in the 1940s, but disappeared from the charts completely back in 2007. In 2023, however, 5 baby girls were given name, as it joined a number of vintage revivals making a reappearance in the US.

Verlin is an obscure name that found some use in the US in the early part of the 20th century, but now it and variation Verlyn are extinct, given to no baby boys in the US last year.

No babies of any gender were named Orange in the US in the most recent year counted. But that doesn't mean, in this era of anything-goes baby names, that it couldn't happen.

Verde is an uncommon color name with a Latinate accent, perfect for a spring baby.

Sister is an old-timey nickname-name for girls, ranking in the Top 1000 as a proper name for girls until the beginning of the 20th century. But more often, Sister was used as a nickname in the truest sense of the word, not a short form ala Kathy but a nickname in the way that Chip and Bud are. Or maybe Junior is a more appropriate name analogy: Sister was sometimes the nickname given to the only girl in a family of boys, so literally a descriptive word name like Junior.

Hyman was commonly used by first-generation Jewish immigrants to Anglicize Chaim, but similarities to terms like heinie and hymen have taken it out of the realm of modern possibility. The original Chaim would be preferable to Hyman.

Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.

Occasionally used as an independent name, but why.

Dickson's nickname problem keeps it from having the upside possibility of similar names like Jackson and Harrison. If you're looking for fresh baby names to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick, consider Dixon. Or better, Richardson.

This name's all-male occupational roots help it break the Barbara bonds, but still not the most inspiring surname choice.

Shepherd is soaring in the charts, so why not Farmer? Perhaps because, unlike some of the occupation names that are so popular today, it is still an everyday word. Even so, if you're looking for a name that fits modern trends but no one else is using, Farmer could be the one.

Sociable middle name choice with a Quaker feel.

Not as lively or independent as Gigi, Kiki, or Coco.

Briefly used as a male name in the early 20th century. Doll is a surname with a variety of origins and meanings, some more desirable than others.

Best known these days as the name of an American department store chain, Dillard was once a baby name that ranked on the US Top 1000, at least until the middle of the last century.