A remarkable list of common male names that have become uncommon has been revealed by a recent study that examined 121 years’ worth of US Social Security Administration data.
The study, carried out by Reddit user u/Phanyxx, examined the top 1,000 most well-liked names from the 20th century and monitored how those names declined over time.
Ten names that were popular in the early 1900s but have since vanished from the contemporary naming landscape are highlighted in the findings, which are shared on the ‘r/dataisbeautiful’ page. Willie, Elmer, and Herbert are a few of these names; changes in popular culture are mostly to blame for the decrease.
Interesting insights regarding the emergence and collapse of these names may be found in the Redditor’s analysis. Specifically, the premiere of the absurd comedy movie “Ernest,goes to Camp” in 1987 is associated with the name Ernest’s downfall, which ended in 2019 with the name’s removal from the top 1,000 following a 32-year continuous slide.
This is a list snapshot that shows the year each name dropped out of the top 1,000 along with its most popular year:
Willie (1946–2021).
- Ernest – 2019 / 1906
- 1905 / 2011 Clarence
- Elmer (1901–2010).
Clifford (1909/2006)
- Herbert (1929–2003).
- 1909 / 2000 Herman
Eighth Chester, 1919–1996
- Claude: 1891–1994
- Bert 1891-1984
“Ernest,” who peaked at number 28 in the country in 1906, saw a slow decrease over time and dropped out of the top 1,000 in 2019. Like ‘Ernie,’ ‘Bert,’ who was his opposite, too reached his height in 1901.
With naming trends heavily influenced by cultural influences and socioeconomic developments, the study provides an insight into the dynamic world of baby names. Even if these names may have become obscure over time, they nevertheless serve as a reminder of how dynamic naming standards can be.
