The most unpopular baby names of 2016 (so far)

First off: Big apologies to Angela Catterns, Sandra Sully, Clive Palmer and anyone else that we’re about to offend.

Parenting and pregnancy information site BabyCenter have released their list of the most unpopular names of the year so far … and there were definitely a few surprises.

Turns out we might like Mal as a prime minister, but we aren’t racing to name our kids after him.

Ebs and flows

BabyCenter’s Managing Editor, Sarah Redshaw explained the ups and downs of name popularity saying, “It’s inevitable that as some names rise in popularity, others fall out of fashion. The question is will they die out completely, or experience a revival in the future.”

In order to make the list a name had to have been popular once upon a time, but fail to be registered in 2016.

There is such thing as ‘too traditional’

It seems that many names that were popular in recent decades have now slipped off the radar, considered too old-fashioned despite the recent popularity of  old and traditional names like Violet and Arabella.

People aren’t buying that ‘old school’ automatically means ‘cool’ - leading to dwindling use of monikers like Wayne, Duncan, Doris and Wendy. (Wendy Harmer, you may be hilarious, but it seems you’re part of a dying breed.)

Want a name that stands out from the crowd?

Redshaw’s advice for parents wanting to choose a baby name that will set a child apart from their peers is to “look to names like Paula, Debra and Elaine that were popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s.”

Just because they have currently fallen out of vogue, doesn’t mean you can’t be responsible for their valiant comeback!