Historic and Vintage Names · Popular Names and Name Trends
Endangered Baby Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Cathy
English diminutive of Catherine, Greek
"pure"
One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties — and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? — now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.
Christie
English diminutive of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.
Chantal
French
"stone, boulder"
Though associated with a French saint noted for her holiness and strength of character, this name is somewhat dated and it might be better to look to one of the more modern names popular for little…
Corey
Irish
"from the hollow"
Cool a few decades ago, along with Lori and Tori. Currently out of fashion but may make a retro tomboy choice as an offbeat spin on Charlie.
Meryl
Variation of Muriel via Meriel, Irish
"of the bright sea"
Meryl is a name that's at once rare and famous, thanks to Meryl (born Mary Louise) Streep. Streep's name is an invented short form of Mary Louise, but Meryl might also be a contraction of the unique…
Nicola
German; English, from Greek
"people of victory"
Nicola, an elegant Latinate feminization of Nicholas, has long been standard issue for English girls but for some reason has never voyaged across the Atlantic, which we consider a pity, especially as…
Chuck
Diminutive of Charles
So far out it's almost ready to be let back in.
Curt
Diminutive of Curtis
"courteous, polite"
Short and to the point, muscular and strong.
Deirdre
Irish
"sorrowful"
Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports.
Dom
Diminutive of Dominic, Latin
"belonging to the Lord"
A bit slight to put directly on the birth certificate, but Dom is a pleasant nickname for a boy or a girl.
Dori
Dori is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Greek, it's a diminutive of Dorothea or Dorothy, meaning 'gift of God.' In Hebrew, it relates to 'generation' or can be a nickname for…
Gail
Hebrew, short form of Abigail
"my father rejoices"
Gail was a mid-twentieth century favorite, which has been far surpassed by its original form, Abigail and nickname Abby. Spelling variations include Gale and Gayle, the latter represented by TV…
Gayle
Gayle is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be derived from the Hebrew name Abigail, meaning 'father's joy,' or it may be a variant of Gail, which began as a short form of names beginning…
Hal
Diminutive of Harold or Henry, English, Scandinavian, German
"army ruler or estate ruler"
Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment, especially with Cal and Cy feeling cool, and with the interest in vintage, cowboy-esque…
Jeanie
Short form of Jean or Jeanne
Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.
Jodie
Spelling variation of Jody
The Jodie spelling might be even more obscure, at this point, than the fading original, except actresses Jodie Foster and Jodie Sweetin have kept it in the public eye.
Judi
Judi is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Judith, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'woman from Judea' or 'praised.' This shorter variation gained particular popularity in the…
Kaye
Short form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kaye and its more popular sister Kay, once common short forms of the perennially popular Katherine, are now on the endangered list, given to fewer than 50 baby girls each year. But maybe that makes…
Keri
Keri is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It can be a variant spelling of Kerry, derived from the Irish county name Ciarraí, meaning "people of Ciar" or "dark-haired people."…
Kerri
Kerri is a feminine name of Irish Gaelic origin, typically considered a variation of Kerry, which means 'dark-haired' or 'dark one.' It can also be seen as a diminutive form of Katherine or a variant…