Once-popular Baby Names That Are Now Super Rare

Thanks to the duke and duchess of Sussex, their baby’s name ‘Archie’ skyrocketed to the top of the name charts in 2019. Before the birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, Archie was best-known for being Jughead’s best friend in the comics. That shows how names, like fashion, pop in and out of popularity over the years. Here are some that have fallen into obscurity over the last century. . . according to the US Social Security database.

Girls:
1. Blanche:  In the 1910s, there were 22,000 new Blanches. In 2019? Less than 5.
2. Willie (yup, for girls):  While there were still 5 girls named Willie a few years ago, in the early 1900s, nearly 30,000 per year were.
3. Sue:  In the 1940s, there were about 41,000 girls named Sue each year. Now? Like, 6.
4. Patsy:  Patsy was popular in the 40s, to the tune of 40,000 of them per year. Just 11 in 2019.
5. Carole and Bessie (tie): Carole went from over 50,000 per year in the 40s to 11 in 2019, while in the 1910s, you could expect 34,000 Bessies per year, but also just 11 3 years ago.

Boys:
1. Bob:  In the 1930s, Bob was popular to the tune of 23,000 per year. 2019? Only 14. (Doesn’t include ‘Roberts’)
2. Homer:  You could see 11,500 Homers per year in the 1910s, but just 23 were given that name in 2019 (Doh!)
3. Bill:  In the 40s, 38,000 per year were billed Bill. In 2019, just 28. (Bills are past due?)
4. Wilbur:  12,500 Wilburs showed up each year in the 1910s, but just 36 in 2019.
5. Jim:  In the 40s, about 35,500 were named Jim each year. In 2019, just 39.