The UK's most unpopular baby names revealed
The nation's most unpopular baby names have been revealed and it's bad news for parents who sought inspiration from the small screen.
Parenting site ChannelMum.com analysed data collected by the Office for National Statistics and discovered that 30 once-popular monikers are now given to less than one child per week.
According to the list, parents-to-be are no longer looking to '90s hit series Friends with just three children given the name Chandler last year (the moniker featured in the top 500 back in 1996).
Meanwhile, Ross has also lost popularity plunging from 1,150 in 1996 to just 42 in 2018 with only 31 baby girls given the name Monica in total.
Though the beloved television series isn't the only throwback show to have held a significant influence over baby names in the past.
Once a popular reference point for parents across the UK, the number of families choosing the name Sabrina, in honour of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has dropped by two thirds.
Ashley, made famous by Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, has also lost momentum with just 42 babies given the moniker in 2018.
"It's a lesson to modern parents that naming your child after the latest trend or popular TV show could see a swift decline in that name being one you'll love forever," SJ Strum, baby name expert at ChannelMum.com, said.
"However, what goes down must come up. Highly unpopular baby names are often chosen by hipster parents as these mums and dads seek out a unique name which will make their child stand out in real life and increasingly online."
But current television shows have already begun to influence the next generation.
According to a recent report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), hit series Peaky Blinders may be responsible for the resurgence of old school monikers including Ada and and Arthur.
Last year, Ada returned to the top 100 for the first time since 1924 while Arthur replaced Jacob in the top 10 baby names for boys.
The top 15 most unpopular names for boys:
Jeff/Geoff - 0
Melvyn - 0
Graeme - 0
Piers - 0
Greg - 0
Ken - 3
Clive - 3
Chandler - 3
Niles - 4
Kirk – 4
Ainsley – 5
McCauley – 5
Brett - 8
Grant – 14
Ross - 42
The top 15 most unpopular names for girls:
Isis - 0
Tammy - 0
Justine - 0
Tracy - 0
Norma – 3
Carol - 4
Leoni / Leigh - 4
Marlene - 5
Donna - 6
Reese - 6
Rowena - 6
Kelly - 22
Carly – 27
Monica - 31
Ashley - 42
You Might Also Like
