Traditional names such as Freda, Cecil, and Leigh are at risk of disappearing entirely as fewer parents choose them for their newborns, according to research by mynametags.com. The study analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) data from the past 120 years to identify names that have fallen out of favour.
Freda, meaning 'peaceful ruler', was a top 100 name from 1904 to 1934 but was given to only seven babies in 2024. Similarly, Cecil, once a staple for boys, became officially extinct last year with no registrations. Leigh, a variant of Lee, was registered just three times in 2024, despite fitting the trend for short boys' names.
Other names facing near-extinction include Rosina (meaning 'little rose'), Bessie (a diminutive of Elizabeth or Beatrice), and Millicent (meaning 'gentle strength'). Winifred, often shortened to Winnie, and Claude, with historical noble roots, have also seen dramatic declines. Maurice and Percy complete the list, with only eight and a handful of registrations respectively in 2024.
Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at mynametags.com, said: “We’ve observed first-hand that baby name trends tend to be cyclical. In recent years, we’ve seen the resurgence of many vintage names, such as Florence and Arthur. This got us thinking about the historic names that haven’t experienced a comeback.” He hopes the list will inspire parents to consider these traditional yet unusual names and “save the likes of Freda and Leigh from total extinction.”
Meanwhile, ONS data shows new names entering the top 100, including Athena and Yahya. Muhammad remained the top boys' name for the second year, while Olivia and Amelia held the top spots for girls.
