Welcome to The Lost Names Club — a space for the names that didn’t crack the US Top 1000. These are the stragglers, the sleepers, the quietly wonderful names lurking in the depths of the data. Depths is a woeful understatement. It was an abyss of some seriously fucked, questionable decisions and then brilliant names like Barnaby tucked in there like the Velveteen Rabbit.

I combed through thousands of lines — 30,000+ lines. Honestly I don’t know why either but the win you don’t have to. And I pulled out the ones that feel unexpected (some I really pushed myself on), chic and just straight up underused.

If you’re allergic to popularity but still want names with substance, you’re in the right place. And you’ve got me to thank. Blame going through that much data for the momentary lapse in bull-headed ego.

Ladies first, because I said so.

Names used between 200 - 300x

Number = # of babies born in the US with that name and for context New Zealand’s top name for 2024 was used 191x. If you need a reminder of how small fish the good Lorde’s country is, let it be this.

• Betty 253

• Romi 253

• Nori 251

• Dara 244

• Darla 244

• Winifred 244 (WHY ARE WE SLEEPING ON WINIFRED?)

• Saoirse 242

• Simone 241

• Renee 239

• Whitney 238

• Antonia 236

• Marcella 236

• Jovi 234

• Agnes 233

• Cordelia 233

• Sunday 232

• Claudia 225

• Corinne 225

• Ingrid 225

• Wendy 224 (seriously guys)

• Sally 223

• Chiara 219

• Spencer 216

• Libby 215

• Imogen 214

• Lexie 213

• Ida 211

• Gaia 210

• Harriet 208

• Martina 206

• Alba 204 (I feel like this will break the top 1000 in the next 4 years)