Names That Came And Went In A Flash!
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These male and female names came and went in a flash. They were once in the top 100 for only one year since 1880. Since then, some have risen to make a comeback and some have fallen out of oblivion.
- Lola
Origin:
Spanish, diminutive of DoloresMeaning:
"lady of sorrows"Description:
A hot starbaby name – chosen by Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox, and used as the nickname of Madonna's Lourdes – Lola manages to feel fun and sassy without going over the top. Be warned, though: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," to quote a song from the show Damn Yankees.
- Rosalie
Origin:
French variation of Rosalia, LatinMeaning:
"rose"Description:
Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.
- Hadley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"heather field"Description:
Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. The hit book The Paris Wife, a novel by Paula McLain told from the point of view of Hadley Hemingway (born Elizabeth Hadley Richardson), has helped popularize the name, which also appears on the vampire show True Blood. Hadley could become this generation's Hailey. Adley, a mashup of Hadley and Addie, has also appeared on the scene.
- Camden
Origin:
American and British place-name, ScottishMeaning:
"winding valley"Description:
Camden is a surprise hit, probably as a result of some star baby cred: it has been chosen by no less than four celebrity parents since 2012. Gentle but not flimsy, Camden could be an updated spin on Cameron, Callum, or Caden.
- Kiara
Origin:
Variation of the Italian Chiara or the Irish Ciara or Aboriginal Australian, KoreanMeaning:
"light, clear; little dark one; cockatoo; first ray of sun"Description:
Kiara can be considered a variation of both the Italian name Chiara and the Irish name Ciara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear," while Ciara is the feminine form of male given name Ciar, derived from the old Irish cíar, meaning "dark."
- Cassidy
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"curly-haired"Description:
Has fallen off its Kathie Lee Gifford inspired peak in the 1990s, but since that notably celebrity baby is now a grownup and out of the limelight, Cassidy may once again reclaim its own Irish charm.
- Selena
Origin:
Latinized variation of Greek SeleneMeaning:
"moon"Description:
Selena is smooth, shiny, and sensual, a nineteenth-century name that found new life in the Latino community, following the biopic of slain Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, starring Jennifer Lopez. But you don't have to be Latin to love Selena, which is both distinctive yet in step with stylish modern names such as Seraphina and Celia.
- Ashton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"ash trees place"Description:
The recent ascent of this English surname is due to two things: the megapopular Ash beginning and TV/movie hottie Ashton Kutcher. The name peaked at Number 76 in 2004, a year after Ashton Kutcher's (both Christopher Ashton) hit TV show Punk'd made its debut.
- Colby
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"coal town"Description:
Combining the sounds of Colton and Toby, Colby has been in the US Top 1000 since the 70s. It peaked in 2021, entering the Top 100 thanks to Colby Davidson's appearance on reality TV show, Survivor that same year. Currently on the rise in the UK, in the US, its popularity has been shaky, dipping one year, rising the next. Given to around 490 boys in 2024, it is also chosen for around 50 girls each year.
- Malik
Origin:
Arabic; GreenlandicMeaning:
"king; owner; wave"Description:
A name with many spelling variations, including Malek, Melik, and Maliq, Malik is a popular name of Arabic and Semetic origin that is used internationally as both a given name and a surname. In terms of meaning, it can be considered a royal name meaning "king", though other sources suggest it is an alternative transcription of Maalik, making "owner, possessor" a more accurate meaning.
- Michaela
Origin:
Feminine variation of Michael, HebrewMeaning:
"who is like God?"Description:
This most proper form of the name shot up the charts in the nineties, only to sink just as precipitously, supplanted by upstarts Makayla and McKayla ad infinitum. The Michaela version retains some elegance as the closest feminine form to the original.
- Monique
Origin:
French variation of MonicaMeaning:
"advisor"Description:
The sort of oh-so-French name that's falling out of favor now.
- Desiree
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"desired, wished"Description:
One of the original French names chosen by midcentury parents for their sophistication and je ne sais quoi, Desiree has since become completely assimilated in the US. It ranked in the Top 1000 from 1954-2017, but has since dropped back out.
- Jase
Origin:
Diminutive of JasonMeaning:
"the Lord is salvation"Description:
Nickname name Jase joined twin brother Jace in the Top 100 in 2013, after first entering the list in 2002 -- but has since dropped in the charts. Inspiration may be Jase (born Jason) Robinson of the reality show Duck Dynasty.
- Alton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller at the old town"Description:
The sort of formal surname name more popular in another era; Dalton's a more modern relation.
- Jayla
Origin:
Modern spelling of Jaalah, HebrewMeaning:
"to ascend"Description:
Not quite as unusual as it might seem, it first entered the popularity list in 1995, as a possible alternative to the very popular Kayla. In the Bible, an alternate spelling is Jaala.
- Mindy
Origin:
Diminutive of MelindaMeaning:
"beautiful honey"Description:
This sweet nickname style name combines contemporary Indy with vintage Minnie. Popular in the 80s, it fell out of style by the mid-90s, but, with the likes of Annie, Edie, Ellie, Bonnie and Heidi getting more attention, could Mindy make a comeback?
- Brad
Origin:
Diminutive of BradleyDescription:
Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.
- Charlene
Origin:
Variation of Charlotte, feminine form of CharlesMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Charlene is a Charlotte variation that, along with similar names like Arlene and Marlene, spiked in popularity in the 1940s and fifties, reaching a high of Number 100 in 1949. Most parents today would prefer one of the note classic versions -- or even nickname Charlie.
- Krista
Origin:
Czech variation of ChristinaDescription:
Krista may be past its peak -- along with all similar C-starting sisters and their K variations -- yet it's still a pretty name.