These Gen Z monikers are already going ‘extinct’, say baby naming experts

January 17, 2024

Gen Z, do you still feel old?

Gen Z may have cruelly removed Millennials from the top of the social food chain. It's the peak of a domineering generation dictating everything from the acceptable use of emojis in the workplace to the way wannabe fashionistas wear socks.

But as both generations of baby names are disappearing, domineering trendsetters are now joining their increasingly irrelevant elders.

Former favorites like Blake, McKenna and Charlie are going the dinosaur route, along with many names ending in '-lyn', including Brooklyn, Gracelyn and Adeline.

and rock a bye byeBaby Brooke.

“Girl names that were popular when Millennials were born, particularly Amanda, Angela, Brooke, Diana, and Michelle, have lost their dignity over the past decade,” researchers say in a 2024 study from the Virtual Pregnant Parent Hub. This was stated in the January report. baby center. “In the 1980s and 90s, these were all in the top 100, but by 2023 they have declined in popularity,” the expert continued.

But the list of names for newborns who will soon die is not limited to little girls.

“Names ending in '-aden' were popular among boys throughout the 2000s, but many names are less popular now,” the study authors found.

In the ranking of BabyCenter's Top 500 names, “Aidan fell from 253rd in 2022 to 346th in 2023. Raiden fell from 286th to 433rd. And Jaden fell from 325th to 426th. “, a recent report notes.

Predictably, the decline in the “-aden” population will be joined by fading names such as Julius, Johnny, Reed, and Bradley, whose popularity has plummeted over the past year.

Rounding out the least desirable baby names of 2024 are dizzying names where the last name is the first name.

Experts said, “The number of people, both boys and girls, who are changing from their surname to their first name is increasing.''

“Baylor, Bradley, Brady, Creighton, Hendricks, Preston, and Reed are not male candidates,” they noted. “Oakley, Mackenzie, Regan, and Sawyer are interested in girls.”

Unsurprisingly, gender-neutral names are poised to rule delivery rooms throughout the new year. In fact, her October 2023 findings from Namesberry found that nicknames that were once reserved for girls, such as “Rose” and “Florence,” are increasingly being given to boys.

But in New York City, Gotham's expectant moms and dads don't seem to be planning on straying too far from tradition. Names like “Emma” for girls and “Liam” for boys may continue to reign as baby name royalty, according to a December 2023 report from the New York City Department of Health. It turned out to be expensive.