We love getting stuck in to the latest baby names data to see what parents across the UK are opting for when it comes to their bundles of joy. Not only is it fun to see which names are currently the most popular and which names from decades gone by are having a resurgence, it's also interesting to reflect on those falling out of favour.
Some of the most popular names ever have now unfortunately vanished from birth certificate entirely, ranging from those that were a no-brainer in the 1960s right through to some that were much-loved in the 1990s.
Here, using the latest Office of National Statistics data from baby names registered in 2024, we look back at the 23 female names at risk of disappearing entirely...
Beverley: No Bevs for the last five years sadly, and just three in 2019. Previously, it was comfortably in the top 100 girls names in the UK between the 1950s and mid-1970s.
Brenda: There were just four Brendas born in 2024! A leap away from when the name was in the top 20 in the 1930s (it stayed in the top 100 until the mid-1950s too).
Carol: Sadly this one has been entirely out of use since 2021; it used to be a highly popular choice in the 1940s through to the 1980s.
Everyone's clicking on...
Debra: Last year saw just three baby Debras, but none the year before. Could it be on the way out for good in 2025? It peaked in the mid-60s.
Janet: For over 60 years, between the 19o0s and 1960s, this name was in the top 100. But only seven Janets were recorded in 2024, a drop from 11 in 2023...
Karen: At one point in the 1960s, this was the most popular name of all! Now? Karen was used 4 times last year, and zero the one prior...
Leslie: Sadly, no Leslies to report last year (but six Lesleys at least). This name has been falling out of favour since the 1970s.
Lynsey/Lynsay/Lyndsay/Lyndsey: However you want to spell it, this name sadly didn't feature at all in the latest dataset. It had a moment of popularity in the mid-1980s.
Lynne/Lynn: This is wild, because imagine a world where nobody has an auntie Lynne? Seriously? I simply could not. This name was in the top 100 for around a decade between the mid-1950s to mid-1960s.
Mandy: The name Mandy hasn't been used at all since 2019, when it was chosen for four little ones. It hit its peak in the 1960s.
Paulette: There were none recorded in the last year. Pauline, however, is clinging on with 4 last year, up from zero in 2023 and 2022 (it was a smash hit between the 1920s and 1960s).
Toni: There wasn't a single baby Toni last year! It was in the top 100 between the 1980s and 1990s.
Tracey: Ditto, zero last year (although four with the alternative spelling of Tracy). Tracey's peak popularity in the last few decades was a total of 29 baby Traceys in 1996, prior to that it was a top 100 name in the 1960s through to the 1980s.
Trish: Apart from three babies named Trish in 2008, this name hasn't been gifted to a single baby from 2009 onwards.
Sue: No Sues! And okay, yes this name is more of a nickname for Susan or Susanne, but unfortunately they both fared pretty poorly too (with the former being used 12 times and the latter zero!). Susan was once the most popular name of all, and hovered in the top ten between the 1940s and 1960s.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
