Some names seem like "old people names," but why? Like most things in human culture, what people decide to name their kids is influenced by fashion and media. As such, some names will catch fire for a generation or two, but then lose steam. The name then earns a reputation as "old fashioned," and the tumble can worsen so badly that it falls out of use almost entirely.

Reddit user u/Phanyxx looked at historical name data from the Social Security Administration, and compiled a delightful infographic to illustrate the fate of some of these once-beloved name for boys and men.

Key Findings

• Willie peaked at 11th place in popularity as late as 1946, but fell out of the top 1,000 male names in 2021. Willie Nelson was born in 1933 when the name was riding high.

• Bert was able to reach number 133 back in 1901, but by the time 1984 was upon us, its collapse was complete. By the time the muppet Bert first appeared in "Sesame Street," the major decline had already begun.

• Some names, like Elmer, saw a resurgence before it fell off entirely. That name peaked in 1901, started a rapid decline in the 1960s, saw a bit of an increase in the early 2000s but ultimately fell off the list in 2010.

[Image: Voronoi]