Choosing a name for your bundle of joy can be a daunting task, especially if you’re looking for a name that isn’t too common -- and many soon-to-be moms and dads are.
"Many parents-to-be tell us they're looking for a unique baby name,” said Linda Murray, Global Editor in Chief at pregnancy and parenting digital resource, BabyCenter.
If finding a unique moniker for your little one is on your agenda, look no further than BabyCenter’s Endangered Baby Names list. While Liam and Emma continue to top popularity charts, some names are on the brink of extinction, according to BabyCenter.
Endangered baby names
Although they were once popular, 14 names have not been chosen by a single BabyCenter member for a newborn in 2017.
“These names have become one-of-a-kind yet still have the ring of familiarity,” said Murray, who noted that all it takes to keep a name from being gone forever is for a family to choose it for their baby.
Here are the names that are at risk of going the way of the dinosaurs, according to BabyCenter:
For girls:
- Bette / Bettie
- Blanche
- Erma / Irma
- Krista
- Myrtle
- Olga
- Rhonda
For boys:
- Carroll
- Dick
- Homer
- Lowell
- Roosevelt
- Rudolph
- Willard
Threatened baby names
Other names are fading in popularity due to their association with a specific person. Celebrity names -- like Gwen, Bradley, and Peyton -- have dropped in popularity, says Murray.
"There's a tipping point at which a name can become so common or associated with a specific person that parents stop using it," she said. "One recent example is from the movie Frozen. The name Elsa has tumbled 57 percent this year, as parents let it go."
Other girl names that have seen a dip in popularity? Adrianna, Amelie, Brynn, Cadence, and Elliana. Boy names that seem to have fallen out of favor with parents include Alec, Bradley, Cade, Camden, and Colin.