17 once-trendy ‘80s girl names that just ‘didn't age well’

Naming a baby is one of the first big decisions new parents make. While some look for modern, unique names, others turn to the past, hoping to find a retro gem. But as one baby name expert is pointing out in a viral video, there's a big difference between "vintage" and just "dated."

Colleen Slagen, who runs the popular TikTok account @namingbebe, sparked a massive online conversation with a video breaking down popular '80s names that have completely fallen off the charts.

"I looked through the top 100 girl names from 1986 to find which ones don't even rank in the top 1,000 today," Slagen explains in her video. "That is the sign of a time-stamped name." She hilariously dubs these names "creatures of the 80s."

Two young women hang out in a 1980s-themed roomCanva

So, which names are officially "out"?

"The first name that is officially out is Heather—sorry, Heathers," Slagen says. "Tiffany is also on her way out the door." She continues, listing other names from the 1986 top 100 that are now extinct from the top 1,000: "Lindsay, we have two spellings in the top 100 and they are both out! Shannon at 44, Tara and Crystal, out... and lastly Brandy and Dana."

Perhaps more surprising are the iconic '80s names that, while not extinct, are barely hanging on. Slagen notes that "Jennifer," once the most popular name, "used to be popular until 2008" and now ranks at 502. "Jessica," "Ashley," and "Stephanie" are facing a similar decline. "Brittany is pretty low at 848," she adds.

The video, which has been viewed millions of times, sparked a wave of '80s nostalgia and recognition in the comments.

"1985 Jessica here. Every girl in my class was either Jessica, Jennifer, or Ashley," one user, @moseleymarketplace, recalled.

Another, @mom..mom..mommy, wrote, "Heather here. never loved my name and now it ages me. Imagine having to put Heather on a resume today."

And @acfhxd12 joked, "I met a toddler Amanda recently and they called her Mandy. I was so surprised. Such an 80s vibe."

The trend Slagen identified is part of a well-known "100-year-rule" in naming. As Jessie Paquette, another baby name expert, told Vox, naming trends are like fashion. "We’re seeing Eleanor, Maude, Edith—cool-girl grandma names," Paquette mentions. These "grandma" names are in, while "mom" names (like the '80s list) are decidedly out.

Laura Wattenberg, founder of Namerology, also explained to The Atlantic that the game has changed. “Parents are thinking about naming kids more like how companies think about naming products, which is a kind of competitive marketplace where you need to be able to get attention to succeed.”

For now, it seems "Heather" and "Tiffany" will have to wait a few more decades before they're considered "cool-girl grandma" chic.

Gif from the movie "Heathers" via Giphy

You can follow Colleen Slagen (@namingbebe) on TikTok for more videos on baby names. For interesting stories like this visit thedailynet BEST OF THE INTERNET section.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.