"Unusable" Baby Names (And Why Parents Aren't Picking Them Anymore)

Pop culture can make or break a baby name. A celebrity introduces an unusual moniker like Stormi or Apple, and it can become the next breakout star on the charts.

But all it takes is one bad moment, movement or meme, and a timeless choice you thought was untouchable is tainted forever. We’ve all seen perfectly lovely names fall victim to the court of public opinion—and some of these losses still sting! From tech takeovers to reality TV fatigue, these famous baby names have become casualties of the cultural zeitgeist. Love them or hate them, they’ll definitely elicit strong opinions!

Wait—What Exactly Is an “Unusable” Baby Name?

When it comes to naming baby, you do you. But be warned, an “unusable” baby name is one that’s so strongly tied to a specific pop-culture moment it overshadows all other meanings, allusions and associations. The connection could be anything—a character in a film or TV show, a polarizing public figure, a major news event or even a viral meme (we’re lookin’ at you, Karen!).

Of course, all of these “unusable” options are solid monikers with likable meanings; they’ve just got pop-culture connotations so difficult to shake, you might consider leaving them on the shelf. But if you like one and you don’t mind some occasional side-eye, you can be the ultimate judge of what’s a go and what’s a no.

“Unusable” Baby Names

Want to know which baby names have been “ruined” by pop culture? We tapped our social-media community and the zeitgeist. Below, our list of some of the most “unusable” monikers to date, supported by annual baby-name popularity data from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Karen

Oh, Karen. Until just a few years ago, the name was nothing more than a cult-classic nod to ’80s movies and a cute sister-name to the longer version, Katherine. Now, it’s one of the most well-known monikers on the internet—but for all the wrong reasons.

“Karen” is a label the internet now uses to describe a middle-class, middle-aged woman who plays the victim in society to get first in line. According to the stereotype, Karens are blonde, angry, entitled and demanding—in other words, they’re “I’d like to speak to the manager” personified.

It’s hard to source exactly when the “Karen” meme first came out, but most references pin it to around 2018, when videos of aggressive confrontations between customers and retail workers began circulating online.

Because of the Karen craze, expectant parents are straying further and further from the idea of choosing the name for their child. Members of The Bump community sum it up perfectly: “To be honest, Karen isn’t quite ready for a comeback yet. Most memes and jokes right now poke fun at ‘Karens’—women who are behind the times, extra-crabby and anti-change. I have a hard time picturing a cute little kid when I think of the name,” says forum member bbiutmcph.

All that said, it’s no surprise that Karen has seen a massive decline in popularity. In fact, it’s fallen off the SSA rankings entirely. The last time it was a top 1,000 moniker for female births was in 2020. Suffice it to say, the viral nature of the internet made it incredibly difficult for the name—and many others—to outrun the joke. For 17 percent of the parents we polled, “meme-ified” monikers are a solid pass.

Safe alternatives to Karen

Karen may not be the coolest name for girls right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t shoot for something with a similar vibe. Love the name but hate the connotation? Check out these super-cute, cancel-proof alternatives.

Alexa

Alexa isn’t just your average girl moniker anymore—it’s the name Amazon chose for its universally loved AI-powered assistant. So whether playing your favorite song or dimming your living-room lights, all you’ve got to do is say her name.

While Alexa (the product) has had massive sales since its original release in 2014, the moniker has taken a serious hit in SSA popularity stats, dropping from the top 40 to the top 900 between 2016 and 2024.

The Bump community forum member knottie09d4bfb0f6785b1f sums up the why for this numerical nosedive: “We named our daughter Alexa about two months before Amazon released their Alexa … At first, I shrugged it off, but eventually decided to change her name to Lexi because it got frustrating and ridiculous at other people’s houses. Even when I call her Lex now, the device responds!”

Safe alternatives to Alexa

“Alexa, help me think of alternative names!” No need to rely on your trusty sidekick, we’ve got plenty of sound-alikes that won’t talk back (yet).

Chad

There’s Karen—and then there’s Chad. But unlike most memes, this one goes way back.

To sum it up, the term “Chad” first emerged in the early 2000s as Chicago slang for a frat boy or jock. By the 2010s, internet culture adopted the name as a caricature for an overly arrogant, hyper-masculine archetype. Today, the ‘Chad’ meme is everywhere, and the heavy online branding has pushed this once-popular choice to the sidelines (it’s been MIA from the SSA’s top 1,000 list since 2018).

Safe alternatives to Chad

When a name like Chad is memed into extinction, the only thing left to do is find inspiration in other choices. We’ve got lots to ch-ch-choose from, so take a peek!

Donald

When you think of the name Donald, one person is likely to come to mind: President Donald Trump, of course. Basically, choosing the name Donald could be viewed as a political statement—regardless of where you stand. In fact, the majority of parents we polled (about 56 percent) said that names with any political association are completely off limits.

To be fair, the name Donald hasn’t been trending for a hot minute, so you can’t blame the leader of the free world for the name’s decline. Donald was a popular choice in the 1930s (even claiming a spot in the top 10 at its peak), but almost a century later, the appeal has tanked.

Safe alternatives to Donald

Donald is one of those could-have-been classics. But don’t fret! You’ll find tons of other options that are still super-lovely, just not as loaded.

Taylor

Some names have a legacy so big, it can’t be outrun. Taylor is definitive proof!

In the ’90s, it was a quintessential unisex cool-kid classic, peaking at No. 51 for male births and No. 6 for female births, according to SSA stats. But over the years, it’s become so Swiftie-saturated that parents are starting to swipe left. “I’ve always been a fan of the name Taylor, but maybe a little less now because of Taylor Swift,” says JLaVO888, a member of The Bump community.

Today, Taylor—a name that once defined an era (and still does, in a way)—sits hundreds of spots lower down the national popularity list.

Safe Alternatives to Taylor

Whether Taylor is “forever” or goes down in flames has yet to be decided. But in the meantime, we’ve got lots of other options (less pop-princess-coded, but still very Tay-Tay) ready for the spotlight. Here are our top alternatives, taken straight from the baby-name vault.

Annabelle

Once upon a time, Annabelle was on its way to becoming a top 50 girl name in the US, eventually landing in position No. 57 in 2014. But in 2016, it fell out of the top 100.

The likeliest reason for the drop? The release of the Annabelle film, where a haunted porcelain doll turns a young couple’s lives into a total nightmare. Since then, Annabelle (inspired by the legend of the real-life Raggedy Ann doll) has joined other frightful toys like Chucky as a bona fide but fun-sized horror icon.

As for the girl’s name, we’re pretty certain it isn’t as cursed as modern media makes it out to be. Still, parents are choosing to steer clear. “We were so stuck on Annabelle. Then I just got sick of it one day. We ended up going with Lily, which is a name I’ve loved for years. I’m so happy we chose that instead, especially since the movie Annabelle came out. I take it as a sign I made the right choice!” says forum member pinkyxboo.

Safe alternatives to Annabelle

Spooked? Ditto! But don’t worry—we’ve got tons of backups to suit your baby girl, and help calm the creeps.

Khloe

When the Kardashians famously debuted their reality series in 2007, they had one mission—to take over the world, one chaotic, 40-minute episode at a time. Little did they know they’d totally change the baby-name game along the way.

Case in point: Khloe. This “K-ified” twist on Chloe—inspired by the third oldest of the sisters—was nowhere to be seen when the show first aired. But in 2010, it skyrocketed from total obscurity to the SSA’s top 50 list.

While the Kardashian empire lives on, Khloe’s popularity, unfortunately, does not. Thanks to the family’s heated scandals, internet omnipresence and “on-again, off-again” relationships, the name has been cast out of the top 200 entirely—marking one of the sharpest declines in the history of the SSA.

Users of The Bump are finding it especially hard to keep up: “Ugh, I am so over the Kardashian reference!” says SnoopyLuv. And they aren’t alone—about 19 percent of the parents we surveyed are dodging celebrity names above all others.

Safe alternatives to Khloe

Tired of reality TV, too? Here are a few alternatives to help you switch channels.

Elsa

No animated film captured hearts quite like the 2013 hit Frozen. To no one’s surprise, the name Elsa became a sensation—soaring to a top-300 spot in 2014 after decades of lingering lower.

But the Disney magic only lasted so long. In 2016, just two years after its peak, Elsa plummeted yet again. It’s been on the decline since, and in 2025, landed at spot No. 938.

Our best guess? Parents are over and done with the Frozen frenzy. To quote the ice princess herself: They’ve “let it go.” Just ask The Bump forum member Lisa&Mark: “Elsa is fine as long as you don’t mind the ‘Oh, like from Frozen?’ comments. I decided it would drive me crazy, so we picked something else.”

Safe alternatives to Elsa

Luckily, there are so many other ways to spin a sweet, simple name like Elsa. Here’s a flurry of ideas for your shortlist.

Alvin

Last up is Alvin, a boy’s name known for none other than the frontman of the singing, dancing, furry-tailed Alvin and the Chipmunks.

The chipmunk charm is undeniable—but it’s still the main thing seemingly deterring parents from actually choosing Alvin for their child. As JMU_Bride09, a member of The Bump community, puts it, “The only thing Alvin reminds me of is Alvin and the Chipmunks. All I can think of when I hear it is ‘Whats-His-Face’ going, ‘ALVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!”

No big shock that Alvin has experienced a massive drop in SSA ranking—about 400 spots over the last two decades, to be exact (yikes!).

Safe alternatives to Alvin

On the bright side, there are lots of other options that are similar in sound and vibe but way less on-the-nose. Check them out!

As you can see, the proof is in the numbers. Some names come and go—and pop culture and life as we know it can play a part in the timeline for when a given moniker peaks and wanes. No matter what’s happening in the world around you, choosing a name for the newest addition to your family is tough. Finding out your favorite moniker might be perceived in ways you didn’t want or expect can be a total gut punch. But if one of these beautiful choices still feels right, we say—forget about the critics and follow your heart! After all, what’s most important is a happy, healthy baby—and a name you love.

About the author: Isolde Quirante is an assistant editor at The Bump and an expert in all things baby names, with a passion for popularity-tracking, predicting the next biggest trends and providing the best inspiration for baby’s perfect moniker. She’s also discovered that you can, indeed, name your child after a fragrance.