15 once-common baby names that have fallen out of favour

These names were once all the rage. These days? Not so much.

In case you missed it: This was one of the Herald's top stories on social media this week.

Think of your friends' names. Would you name a baby after any of them?

Chances are that your answer is a "maybe", for some of them, and a resounding "definitely not" to a lot of those.

Netmums has published a list of the least popular baby names of 2018 - and a lot of the most common names are in it.

Here's a short selection of the names no one is giving their babies these days - some of the monikers are actually at risk of becoming completely extinct.

1. Gary

Only 33 babies in the UK were named Gary in 2014, a place where Gary was once a very popular name. There are no signs of that trend reversing so your mate Gary might be one of the last few men named Gary on the planet.

2. Annette

The latest stats show absolutely no one is naming their baby girl Annette these days.

3. Norman

Norman is about as popular a name as Gary these days.

4. Elaine

Your baby is not likely to have many friends named Elaine growing up.

5. Linda

The name Linda was very popular in the 70s. These days? Not at all.

6. Susan

When was the last time you met a baby named Susan? Exactly.

7. Ronald

The only Ronald your children will talk about will be the McDonald one.

8. Carol

Sweet Caroline... no one is even thinking of that name anymore.

9. Janet

Janet has been steadily declining in popularity since the 1960s.

10. Nigel

Nigel no mates? More like no mates named Nigel. The name doesn't even make the top 2000 baby names.

11. Donna

Baby Donna is just not something you hear very often these days.

12. Barry

Poor Bazza. It's still fairly popular in Australia, but it is in steady decline everywhere else in the world.

13. Judy

Hardly anyone decided their baby girl looked like a Judy recently.

14. Paula

The name Paula is so out of fashion for babies these days it could soon be extinct.

15. Steven

Steven was a very popular from the 1950s until the 1990s, as you can tell by the number of people you know named Steven, Stephen, Stevo, etc. However, it doesn't even remotely rank as a popular baby name these days.

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