Life expectancy in our country has grown considerably over the past few decades. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE) on their website, the life expectancy for men has increased from 76.4 years in 2002 to 80.4 years in 2022. Meanwhile, women have gone from an average life expectancy of 83.1 years to reaching 85.7 years. This is thanks to medical and technological advancements, allowing us to live longer and reach these levels in much better health than in past decades.
This has led to some names from the early 20th century surviving current trends, such as names like Koa, Río, or even ones from popular series like Arya or Daenerys. However, some of these names are in danger of extinction. This is mainly because the average age of people with these names is so high that they are likely to disappear in the coming years if nothing is done about it. Below, we have selected five female names and five male names with some of the highest average ages recorded by the INE.
The five endangered female names
According to the National Statistics Institute on their website, Acracia is the most endangered female name. This is mainly because there are only 32 people with this name in our country, with an average age of 85.6 years. Considering that the current life expectancy for women is 85.7 years, this name is at serious risk of disappearing. Especially since current trends favor other names, causing names like Acracia to be almost forgotten.
After Acracia, we come across names like Fraternidad or Afrodisia. Currently, there are only 29 people named Fraternidad with an average age of 85.3 years. Similarly, there are only 20 Afrodisias in Spain with an average age of 85.3 years. To complete this list, we have names like Domina and Irundina. While the former has an average age of 83.3 years, the latter is reduced to 82.5 years.
The five endangered male names
After learning about the five endangered female names, it’s time to discover the five endangered male names. The list is led by the name Acindino, with only 20 people left with this name and an average age of 82.9 years. Considering that the life expectancy for men is 80.4 years, this is one of the names at the highest risk of disappearing in the coming years.
Following Acindino, we find names like Frumencio and Valerico. For Frumencio, there are currently only 30 people with this name and an average age of 78.7 years. Similarly, Valerico has only 31 people with this name and an average age of 77.4 years. And what about the remaining two names? According to the INE, Adoración and Basilides both have an average age of 76.5 years currently. While there are still 30 people named Adoración, there are even fewer people named Basilides (29).
These names, once popular in the past, are now facing the threat of extinction as younger generations opt for more modern and trendy names. It is essential to preserve these names as they are a part of our cultural heritage and history. Initiatives should be taken to ensure that these names are not lost and forgotten over time. By recognizing the value and significance of these traditional names, we can help protect them from disappearing completely.