I like [name]Fern[/name] and [name]Minerva[/name]. [name]Gene[/name] reminds me of the [name]Golden[/name] Age actress [name]Gene[/name] [name]Tierney[/name].
I think some of these are just too popular to be considered “lost,” they are more generally grandparents names. [name]Ruth[/name], for example - [name]Ruth[/name] was huge afaik. And [name]Charlotte[/name] is back again.
I used to work in LTC as well. Some of the gems I came across:
[name]Dorothy[/name]
[name]Josephine[/name]
[name]Mildred[/name] nn [name]Milly[/name]
[name]Eileen[/name]
[name]Rosemary[/name]
Some of the more unique:
[name]Delta[/name]
[name]Alpha[/name]
[name]Bertie[/name]
Some royals (because I, fortunately, don’t know anyone personally who’s died in 2012):
[name]Albert[/name]
[name]Carl[/name] [name]Johan[/name]
[name]Emanuel[/name]
[name]Alexander[/name]
My grandma was born in 1915, but [name]Sarah[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] stood the test of time well enough that a friend of mine in elementary school had the same fn/mn combo. I wish I could recall the names of all her siblings, but she was the 2nd of 11. Maybe I’ll ask her tomorrow. Meanwhile, I’m using my grandfather’s name, [name]Wiley[/name], for my baby that’s coming any day now. It has a lot more of that “lost gem” quality I think.