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    1. Life

    It has been announced that these once on-trend baby names now risk extinction

    Calling future parents…

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 14 November 2019 In Features

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    Calling future parents…

    Naming a baby is a mammoth responsibility – choosing the moniker that your child will be known as for the rest of their life, and potentially shaping the person they become.

    Should you go traditional or opt for a celebrity-style curveball name like Apple or Blue?

    The most important thing to ensure when naming your baby is that the moniker in question is actually legal – yes, there are a lot of banned baby names that you definitely need to avoid – everything from 'Traffic' to 'James Bond'.

    We found out earlier this year what the most popular baby names of 2019 are so far, but what about the least popular?

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    Baby names going extinct

    It seems that a lot of '90s names are at risk of extinction, with Laurens and Jodies popularity plummeting in favour of Olivias and Arias.

    According to a report by The Guardian, the Keirans and Craigs of the world could also be in short supply soon.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    By analysing data from the Office for National Statistics of baby names between 1996 and 2017, they deduced that there may soon be a lack of the following...

    Least popular girls names

    Shannon

    Kirsty

    What to read next
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    Jodie

    Gemma

    Danielle

    Lauren

    Kayleigh

    Jade

    Rachael

    Rhiannon

    Least popular boys names

    Craig

    Jordan

    Macauley

    Kieran

    Scott

    Lee

    Ross

    Ashley

    Mitchell

    Shane

    According to a list by Mother and Baby, they're not the only ones. The following names also run the risk of extinction:

    Elaine

    Sharon

    Doris

    Sally

    Paula

    Geoffrey

    Wayne

    Neville

    Malcolm

    Clarence Derek

    Happy name choosing - maybe you could stop one of these names going extinct with your pick!

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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