Baby Names That Are LOSING Popularity
We are always interested in the names that are gaining popularity. Forty years ago, the name Ava was virtually unheard of, but now we see it as a top baby name! Names that gain in popularity mean they are taking the place of other popular names. A baby name that you heard 10 years ago everyday can be obsolete. There are some baby names that are losing popularity but why?
Table of Contents
Why Are There Baby Names That Are Losing Popularity?
Baby names lose popularity for many reasons. They just are not as popular, people are looking for new and brighter names, or someone with that name makes the name infamous.
Whether a celebrity goes into obscurity or a name becomes a new infamous saying, recently we have seen names take a nosedive because of the influence society has.
Female Name Losing Popularity: Karen
Karen is a name that is dropping swiftly in popularity. Meaning “pure”, Karen is actually from Denmark and was taken from Katherine. It has an honorable origin but recently this name has taken a terrible turn. Why?
A Karen Meaning
How did we go from a popular name that means “pure” to a name synonymous with a horrible person? Karen is a term where a woman is overly entitled and or demanding. A Karen acts inappropriate when not necessary. The name Karen would be the person who calls the police for no reason, screams at a cashier for something they cannot change or declares her privilege as a way to control and manipulate others in a situation. Often times a Karen is racist, elitist and exercises privilege to her advantage. She is angry, yells and can sometimes become violent. That is a heavy definition!
The name Karen comes with so much drama, new parents are steering clear of the once stoic name. Karen was once in the top ten for name choices in the 1950s and 1960s. In the last five years, we have seen the name Karen drop tremendously in popularity. Is “The Karen” just a faze? We wonder if this name will bounce back over time or if we are burying the name “Karen” permanently to reflect a culture who is sick of entitlement.
Becky (Rebecca)
Becky may have the good hair, but her name is not trending! Rebecca was popular since the 1940s. It soared over the next twenty years, with its peak popularity in the early eighties. It slowly declined until around 2000, where it began to take some serious dips. In 2016 Beyoncé had everyone asking if they are “Becky with the good hair”.
In Beyoncé’s song “Sorry” from her “Lemonade” album, she mysteriously calls out Becky with the Good Hair being the woman responsible for her husband’s alleged affair. She calls out “Becky” and the term was coined. “Becky” is known as the girl who was your husband’s mistress and/or someone who really gets on your nerves. Becky knows how to push buttons, get what she wants no matter who will hurt form her decisions. The person who has the name Becky exercises her privilege no matter who will be negatively affected. Since Becky is the nick name for Rebecca, the name Rebecca is negatively affected for a possible baby name.
Rebecca means “moderator” or “to tie”. Originally, people who choose the name Rebecca are looking for a peaceful leader name for their daughter. Now, it is synonymous with a privileged, uncaring woman who puts her wants ahead of everyone else and will get what she wants, even if her decisions will hurt others in the process. Can Rebecca or more importantly bounce back as a beloved name or will this name continue to mean hurting others with her privilege?
Ken
For almost every annoying Karen, there is an equally annoying Ken. Ken is referred to as Karen’s partner in crime. A Ken is usually yelling and screaming along with his wife, calling the police on others when it is not necessary, exercising privilege, they may or may not include being racist to others. Ken can be the husband of Karen, further enabling her, or he can be acting alone, instigating his own hate.
Ken originally means “know”. It used to be synonymous with knowledge, wisdom and intellect. This is quite different from its modern meaning now! In the 1950s with the creation of Barbie, Ken was her loving boyfriend. He was kind, believed in Barbie’s vision and was known as the nice guy who was both handsome and smart. Now Ken has a bad rap. Can Ken go back to the ever knowing intellectual or has the name been lost as the enabling arrogant partner of Karen?
Kevin
The name Kevin was popular in the 1980s as a fun name for a little boy. Meaning “noble”, Kevin was a strong boy’s name. On top of it all, it transitioned across many countries, so it was a respectable name in many cultures and it was loved in many different countries. Even the patron saint of Dublin, Saint Caoimhin is the Old Irish version of the name Kevin! It lasted generations, was popular and well loved.
Now, Kevin is also used interchangeably with Ken. Kevin is not as popular as Karen’s accomplice in chaos as Ken, but many people do use Kevin to describe a man who is making a scene and using privilege to cause trouble and hurt others. Can Kevin go back to its regular glory as a name respected by all? Or has it become the name of a man who tries to hurt others by using privilege and trying to control situations by yelling or even with violence?
What Baby Names to Choose- It’s Ultimately Up To You
In the end, whatever name you love will be the perfect name for your baby. It does not matter what society is saying or what is negatively trending, it is what you love for your child.
These names have a bad reputation today and it’s telling how society can change the way parents name their children. This has happened in the past so this is not the first time in history that society, trends and the media has changed the way names are perceived to others.
