In recent years, the names Leona, Summer and Theo have risen from obscurity to become among the most popular in the country.
According to a major new study though, trendy children's names that rise in popularity too quickly tend to disappear without trace in just a few years.
In contrast, names that gradually move up the popularity tables, such as Emily, Joshua and Jack, are much more likely to remain fashionable for longer.
Dr Jonah Berger, of the University of Pennsylvania, who led the study, believes the findings aren't just limited to baby names but affect pop music, fashion and technology too. 'Things that catch on too quickly may die out just as fast,' he said.
The study looked at thousands of first names given to babies between 1880 and 2004 in France and the U.S. Most names followed the same pattern, reaching a peak in popularity before falling again. However, there were massive differences in the speed of their rise and fall.
Charlene, for instance, grew slowly in popularity in America from the First World War. It peaked in 1950, when the name was given to one in 50 girls, and declined equally slowly. It is still fairly common today. Tricia, on the other hand, exploded from nowhere, appearing in the most popular name charts in the late 1950s and peaking around 1970 and almost vanishing by the late 1990s.
In The UK, the name Leona tripled in popularity in 2007 after Leona Lewis won the X Factor. Ruby has also risen in popularity quickly and is now the second most popular girls' name after Grace. For boys, Theo Walcott has been an influence as the fastest-growing names include Theo as well as Jayden. Names on the way out include Jordan, which in 1998 was the tenth most popular name for a boy.
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