Popular nineties baby names no one is using anymore

Some of the most popular baby names from 25 years ago are barely used any more. But there are some names that never go out of fashion.

It appears baby names typically used for girls are becoming outdated a lot quicker than those for boys.

There are still plenty of babies being given popular nineties names like Jack, Thomas, Liam, Lucas and James in more recent times, but there are barely any named Jessica, Sarah, Stephanie, Rebecca and Lauren anymore.

Looking back 25 years ago in Victoria, government data shows 745 babies were named Jessica and 596 were named Sarah. It made them the most popular names of 1996.

But last year those names didn’t even rank on the list of 100 top baby names.

In fact, 14 out of the 20 most popular girls names in 1996 did not even get a mention on the top 100 list last year.

However, that’s not to say if you had a popular boys name in the nineties it is still going strong in terms of popularity.

Eight of the top 20 boys names in 1996 did not get a mention on the top 100 list last year.

They include Michael, Jake, Nathan, Luke, Andrew, Christopher, Mitchell and Dylan.

The names Jack and Olivia were popular 25 years ago and are still popular today. Picture: istock

If your name is Jack, you‘d be pleased to know your name doesn’t look like it’s going to die out anytime soon.

Jack has remained a favourite throughout the decades, actually climbing up the ranking.

In 1996 the name ranked sixth (with a count of 625 babies) and last year it ranked third (with a count of 417) in Victoria.

In NSW, the name also ranked third last year and was fifth in 1996.

Thomas has also kept up its popularity. The name ranked fifth in 1996 in both Victoria (with a count of 632) and NSW (with a count of 802).

Flash forward to 2021 and Thomas still made the top 10 names in both states. It came in at ninth in Victoria and tenth in NSW.

Just like Jack and Thomas, the female names that have withstood the test of time are Olivia and Chloe.

Olivia ranked second in Victoria and NSW last year, compared to 15th position in Victoria and 22nd in NSW in 1996.

Chloe ranked twelfth in Victoria and eighth in NSW last year. In 1996, the name ranked eighth in both Victoria and NSW.

You won’t find many parents naming their newborns Jessica or Michael these days. Picture: iStock

Top 10 baby names in Victoria in 2021

1: Oliver and Charlotte

2: Noah and Olivia

3: Jack and Isla

4: Charlie and Amelia

5: Leo and Mia

6: Henry and Ava

7: William and Grace

8: Levi and Matilda

9: Thomas and Zoe

10: Archie and Willow

Top 10 baby names in Victoria in 1996

1: Matthew and Jessica

2: James and Sarah

3: Joshua and Emily

4: Daniel and Stephanie

5: Thomas and Emma

6: Jack and Georgia

7: Michael and Rebecca

8: Nicholas and Chloe

9: Benjamin and Lauren

10: Jake and Samantha

Top 10 baby names in NSW in 2021

1: Oliver and Amelia

2: Noah and Olivia

3: Jack and Charlotte

4: Henry and Isla

5: William and Ava

6: Leo and Mia

7: Lucas and Grace

8: Theodore and Chloe

9: Levi and Ella

10: Thomas and Matilda

Top 10 baby names in NSW in 1996

1: Joshua and Jessica

2: Daniel and Emily

3: James and Sarah

4: Matthew and Emma

5: Jack and Samantha

6: Thomas and Lauren

7: Nicholas and Georgia

8: Jake and Chloe

9: Luke and Rebecca

10: Michael and Stephanie

Originally published as Popular nineties baby names no one is using anymore