Research for a baby website has listed the once-popular names that have suffered the most spectacular fall from grace in the past 100 years.
Top of the boys' list was Norman, with a 99,85 percent decline in popularity since 1907. Walter and Percy came second and third on the list of endangered names.
The biggest faller among the girls was Gertrude. Edna, Ethel, Irene and Elsie also made the top 10. But not all names are vulnerable to changing tastes.
Thomas, last year's second most popular boy's name, has been in the top five for at least the past 200 years. William has also been in the top 10 for two centuries.
For girls, Elizabeth has been among the favourites for at least 200 years.
Other names have enjoyed a revival under a different guise.
Olive, number seven on the list of declining names, has a descendant in Olivia, third most popular last year.
But Sarah Stone, editor of www.gurgle.com, the site that commissioned the study, said some names, such as Harold or Irene, could soon disappear altogether.
In the US, Emily and Jacob have become entrenched atop the list of popular names. Emily has been the most popular female name each year since 1996. Jacob has been the top male name since 1999. Prior to that, Michael was the most popular name each year from 1964 to 1998.
The most popular names for boys whose births were registered last year were: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Christopher, Anthony, William, Matthew and Andrew and for girls, Emily, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Madison, Sophia, Olivia, Abigail, Hannah and Elizabeth.
- According to the website All-babynames.com, Mamello and Puleng topped the popularity list in South Africa. - Reuters