Family Tree

Revealed: names at risk of becoming extinct

New research has revealed the names at risk of extinction in the UK and those that are growing fastest in popularity, analysing over 1.5million names across a period of ten years

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The analysis, conducted by name label manufactur­er My Nametags, of a database of over 1.5 million names, found that the use of the names Gemma and Kieran has declined by more than 65 percent over the last decade, with the names at risk of dying out completely if the trend continues.

There were just 36 uses of the name Gemma in 2020, and none in 2021, whilst there have been just four Kierans listed so far this year.

Joining the list of names most at risk of dying out are Rebecca (-59 percent), Lauren (-57 percent), Hannah (-49 percent), Matthew (-43 percent), Ryan (-43 percent) and Robert (-43 percent), which all make the list of the top 50 most endangered names in the UK.

These names have been replaced by new, more unusual names, with analysis showing that many modern parents are being inspired by popular culture. Uses of the name Aria (+597 percent) inspired by the character Arya Stark from the best-selling book series and HBO hit-show, ‘Game of Thrones’, have skyrockete­d in recent years. Emilia, after actress Emilia Clarke, who is best known for her role Daenerys in the same fantasy drama, also makes the list of fastest growing names after seeing an increase of more than

90 percent in the past ten years.

However, despite the growth of new and shortened names, the research also shows a continued appetite for more nostalgic, ‘oldfashion­ed’ names. Mabel (+84 percent), Flora (+91 percent), Florence (+84 percent), Rupert (+205 percent), and Arthur (+104 percent) are amongst the names that have experience­d significan­t growth during the past 10 years and join the list of the top 50 fastest growing names.

Read the research in full at http://familytr.ee/rarenames

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