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baby name consultant

Photo credit: Canva, @namingbebe, TikTok

There was a time when every other girl was named Ashley. That time has ended.

As we know, baby name trends are constantly changing. One generation’s Barbara is another generation’s Bethany. But it doesn’t make it any less odd when you suddenly realize that your very own name has suddenly made it into the “old and unhip” pile. And for many of us 80s babies…that time is now.

In a now-viral TikTok post, baby name consultant Colleen Slagen went through the top 100 girl names from 1986 to find which ones “did not age well” and were no longer ranked top 1,000 today. Such a descent from popularity would mark them as what she calls “timestamp names.” Spoiler alert: what might be even more surprising than the names now considered old school are the names that are still going strong.

The first name that Slagen says is “officially out” is Heather. That’s right, not even cult movie fame could help it keep its ranking.

heather, heathers, winona ryder, classic movies, actressWinona Ryder in Heathers.media3.giphy.com

Other extinct names include Erica, Courtney, Lindsay, Tara, Crystal, Shannon, Brandy and Dana. Tiffany, Brittany and Casey are also heading very much in that direction.

“My name is Brandy. The Gen Z hostess at Olive Garden told me that she’d never heard my name before and it was so unique,” one viewer wrote.

However, Andrea ranks “surprisingly high,” and Jessica, Ashley and Stephanie have survived…so far.

Gobsmacked, one person asked “How is Stephanie still in there? I don’t think I’ve met a Stephanie younger than myself at 34.”

But the biggest holdout still belongs to Jennifer. “She was a top 100 name all the way up until 2008. Round of applause for Jennifer,” Slagen says in the clip.

@namingbebe

Sorry Lindsay, Heather, and Courtney. #babynames #nametok #nameconsultant #girlnames #80skid #1986 #nametrend


If your name has found its way into relic of a bygone era status, fret not. Slagen, whose name also ranks out of the top 1000, assures it just means “we are creatures of the 80's.”Of course, while we still have baby names that become incredibly common for extended periods of time (looking at you, little Liam and Olivia), the real contemporary trend is going for uniqueness. As an article in The Atlantic notes, for most of American history families tended to name their children after a previous family member, with the goal of blending in, rather than standing out. But now, things have changed.

Recently, Kelley Cole went viral on TikTok for a video in which she shared the names that Gen Z teens think are now officially for "old ladies," which they read right out of a classroom from 1985. “I was told my name was an old lady's name by the teenagers on the adolescent unit I was working on,” she begins her video. “I was surprised, so the subject came up of what names are old lady names versus young names.”

@kelleykelleykelley

#oldladynames #names #girlnames #babynames #popularnames #trendynames #genx #millennial #genxnames

Laura Wattenberg, the founder of Namerology, told the outlet that “Parents are thinking about naming kids more like how companies think about naming products, which is a kind of competitive marketplace where you need to be able to get attention to succeed.”

But again, even with a keen eye on individualism, patterns pop up. “The same thing we see in fashion trend cycles, we see in names,” Jessie Paquette, another professional baby namer, told Vox. “We’re seeing Eleanor, Maude, Edith—cool-girl grandma names.”

So who knows…give it time (or maybe just a pop song) and one of these 80s names could make a comeback.

This article originally appeared last year.

What's in a name? A whole lotta regret, potentially.

When parents choose their baby’s name, they are (hopefully) putting a lot of thought into their decision—weighing out all the pros and cons of how that name would theoretically serve them throughout their entire life. Rather than, say, basing their pick off of a viral TikTok trend. But hey, to each their own.

Still, even the most meticulous parent has a chance of feeling baby name regret. In fact, a recent survey from Baby Center found that nearly 1 in 10 wish they’d chosen a different name for their child.

While every situation is different, there are some reasons why parents might begin to second guess.


Negative Feedback

15% of the 450 moms surveyed said their baby’s name was critiqued or mocked.

"I named my son Kyan (rhymes with Ryan), but every time I introduce him, most people say, 'Like cayenne pepper?'" one mom shared.

An “easier” name was just, well, easier.

Another 11% reported choosing culturally-specific names they genuinely love, but ultimately used an English name in everyday life. No doubt some have had to deal with some folks refusing to pronounce those culturally specific names.

It simply doesn't fit their child’s personality

Ten percent of moms noted that the original name they picked just didn’t seem to gel with the little human they brought into the world.

One mom shared that she tried using her original name of “MJ” for her son for “several months,” but eventually started calling him Maverick Dean, Dean being his dad’s middle name, which fit him much better.

20% of parents felt their baby name choice was “too common.”Photo credit: Canva

Another survey from the UK, created by Mumsnet in 2020, showed that 20% of parents regretted their baby name choice because it was “too common.” While another 20% reported never liking the name, but merely caving in to pressure.

The good news: if there is to be baby name regret, it tends to show up within a month of giving birth to the first birthday. So if you’ve made it that far without any doubts, you’re pretty much in the clear.

Clever Workarounds

Of course, while legally changing a kid’s name is always an option, it is a lengthy one. Which is probably why only 1 in 20 moms reported actually doing it. Instead, many moms (20%) opt for a nickname. Middle names are also a frequent alternative, with 15% of moms saying they prefer their child's middle name.

Expert Tips For Choosing a Baby Name

While baby name regret can’t always be avoided, experts do have some tips for avoiding it.

Professional baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey suggests on the “Tamron Hall Show” that parents make a categorized list of “Names I Love,” and “Names I Hate.”Hall says that parents rarely take the time to do this simple task, which can really help make those preferences easy to see.

On that note, Laura Wattenberg, founder of Namerology and author of “The Baby Name Wizard,” told Today.com that parents could take their list one step further by focusing on (and presumably, writing down) what they love about each name. That alone can reveal a lot about why a name should be a winner.

Sherri Suzanne, founder of My Name for Life, also told Today.com that parents should practice saying the potential name outloud, going so far as to practice introductions, “This is our son ___” or “This is our daughter_____,” and seeing how that feels.

It’s worth noting that while baby name regret is a possibility, it’s still not common. So odds are, you and your little one will be perfectly happy with whatever name choice you come up with. Especially if you do your homework!