In Scotland, names have fallen in and out of fashion over time, with many popular monikers from years past now much more rare. The National Records of Scotland stores data on the most popular first names given to babies whose births were registered in Scotland, with records dating back more than 40 years. Listed are 10 baby boy and girl names that have become less popular over the years and could be at risk of becoming extinct.
1. David
David was the top baby name for boys every year from 1974 until 1992, but its popularity has since tended to decline, and it has dropped to number 57 in the 2019 list of most popular names, the latest available. Photo: Vera Anderson
2. Nicola
Nicola topped the list of girls’ names in 1974 and remained one of the top four names every year until 1988. Since then it has fallen out of fashion and last entered the top 100 names for girls in 2002, when it was joint 80th. Photo: WPA Pool
3. John
John was among the top three names in 1975, but later dropped out of the top 10 by 1995. The name now ranks at number 82 in 2019’s list of the top 100 names. Photo: Shutterstock
4. Claire
Claire was the second most popular name for girls during the 1980s, but later fell out of the top 10 from 1990. It’s popularity has continued to decline and it now ranks at number 493 overall. Photo: Shutterstock