10 Baby Names that Millennial Parents Don’t Choose Anymore

Naming a baby is one of the most important decisions that parents make. What are your kid’s nickname or initials going to be? How popular or unpopular is the name you’d like to choose? Millennial parents of the 21st century are bombarded with questions on their minds before they come up with the name of their baby. In this article, you will learn the 10 baby names that millennial parents don’t choose anymore. Check them out below.

Baby Girl Names

Oh! Carol, We Won’t Be Fool

If you’re familiar with the song Oh! Carol by Neil Sedaka, chances are high that you love listening to old songs. The same thing with the name Carol, it’s classy but old. The name Carol was once popular among girls born in festive or Christmas season, but it hasn’t been that famous since the 21st century.

The name Carol is of English Origin, and it means song or melody. It is often associated with Christmas carols. It became popular during the 1920s to 1940s, and 1960s to 1970s, when Carol Burnett and Carole Lombard was widely known in the US entertainment industry.

No More Lane for Elaine

Are you familiar with Elaine in King Arthur? Yeah! You read it right. Elaine was a name that was widely known in the past. It appeared in the Arthurian legend. Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad.

Originally, Elaine is a homophone for French Helen, but it was imported to Scotland and became Helen.  In Greek, it means “Bright, Shining Light.” In 1947, about 7,069 people in the United States were given the name Elaine. However, its popularity declined after four decades.

Sending Sydney Back to Australia

Did you know that the name Sydney is used for both genders? While it is considered a Unisex name, the female variation became more famous than the male one. The name started as Sidney for boys but eventually morphed into an elegant name Sidney.

While the name Sydney isn’t that famous anymore, it will remain the name of the largest city in Australia. Back in the past, the city was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1778. With this historical fact, the name, Sydney will be forever associated with Australia.

Wrecking the Miley Name

Included in our list of Baby Names that aren’t popular anymore is none other than the name, Miley. The name Miley is a girl’s name of American origin. It became globally known after the success of singer and actress, Miley Cyrus in her show, Hannah Montana.

Miley Cyrus real name is Destiny Hope Cyrus.  However, her father gave her the nickname Miley, because she was so “smiley.” The name Miley is an excellent example of a name influenced by the pop culture that gained fast success but in a short period became untrendy.

Sally – A Princess No More

While Sally means Princess, millennial parents don’t use this name anymore. The name Sally originates from the Hebrew name, Sarah. It means “Princess, Essence, Speckled, Little Princess, or a Woman of High Rank.” Sally became famous back in the 1930s.

The name Sally achieved top 100 status in the 1930s, and she held it for about 25 years as if a Princess that would never go down her throne. Unfortunately, the name’s popularity descended in 2005. The last time that Sally was in the mainstream was in 2013 but in a different spelling, Sallie.

Baby Boy Names

A Ruler with No Crown – Derek

Derek is a boy’s name that was developed from the old Germanic name Theodoric, which originated from the words “peud” meaning  “people” and “ric” meaning “ruler,” or the “people’s ruler.” The name has been in England circulation for several centuries, but its popularity among English speaking people started in the middle of the 20th century.

Derek was a Top 100 name in the United States for 25 years. From 1970 to 1995, many parents gave their baby boy name, Derek. Some of the notable people with this name were Derek Jeter, Derek Hough, and Derek Fisher. Today, Derek seems like a ruler with no crown. The name is waning its popularity among millennial parents.

Dennis Soon To Be a Myth

Another baby boy name that is no longer famous among millennial parents is the name, Dennis. Dennis originated from the Greek Dionysius, the Greek mythological god of wine and revelry. The name was also derived from early saints, including St. Denis of France.

Dennis was considered cool and popular in the 1940s and 1950s. However, the name has been steadily declining ever since. Who knows if the name would still appear in the next few years? Maybe it will become a myth like the Greek god Dionysius.

Russel Lost its Color and Fame

Back in the past, parents would name their red-haired baby, Russel. The name means “little red one.” Russel originated from an old French nickname, “rousel,” meaning “little red one.” This is why Russel was mostly given to people with red hair.

However, in the 20th century, Russel lost its color and fame. This name is no longer on the radar of American millennial parents. Today, only two people remain vibrant red in popularity, and they aren’t babies but adults – Russel Crowe and Russel Brand.

Push Wayne and the Wagon Out

Nowadays, the name Wayne is considered a dad and a grandad name. American millennial parents would not want Wayne as the name of their baby boy. Why? Well, It’s simply because the name Wayne is old and not trendy anymore.

Wayne is a name of English origin meaning “make of wagons.” The height of the name Wayne was mainly during the 1940s and 1950s. During this time, Marion Michael Morrison became John Wayne and his blockbuster movies made way for the name Wayne to become the 29th most popular boy’s name in 1947. These days, Wayne is already out in the mainstream.

Will Malcolm Stay or Not?

For millennial parents, Malcolm won’t stay on their list of baby boy names. Malcolm is the anglicized variation of the Scottish-Gaelic “Mael Coluim,” a name that was made for St. Columba, a very important and popular saint in Scotland.

The name Malcolm was widely known in the 1990s and 20th century, which happened to coincide with the time when Scottish immigration to the United States was prevalent.  However, the name Malcolm has been slowly becoming unpopular among the 21st-century parents.