It has become a familiar part of America’s modern political narrative. The white, small-town experience is portrayed as the most traditional American experience. Some elevate it as an ideal, the model for returning the nation’s culture to an earlier, prouder time. Others see it as just one element of a […]
Imagine a name as smooth as a flowing stream, as glossy as a raindrop. It shouldn’t be hard to imagine, because those names are all around us. Six years ago I first described a huge wave of “liquid” and “raindrop” names that was defining the sound of the times. A […]
Why aren’t more babies named after horror movie victims? If you think the answer is self-explanatory, I can’t blame you. It’s not as if they make Nightmare on Elm Street-themed nursery décor. We expect baby planning, and baby naming, to be about inspiring role models and rosy dreams of the […]
It’s not just Carter and Cooper anymore. Check out some of the types of “doer” names that have appeared in the US baby name statistics in recent years: Fishing, hunting, camping: Angler, Camper, Caster, Tracker, Trapper Speed and sport: Catcher, Driver, Fielder, Racer, Sailor, Striker, Wheeler Rodeo and horses: Breaker, […]
Not long ago, Nigel Smith discovered he was an endangered species. Smith had always known that his first name wasn’t the height of fashion. Still, it came as a blow to learn that in a recent year the UK’s Office for National Statistics hadn’t recorded a single newborn Nigel. Zip, […]
Come play! The Namerology popularity chart is now updated with current stats for every baby name used in measurable numbers in the USA or England/Wales last year. That’s a total of 36,460 different names to dig into. You can search and sort names by letter sequences, popularity range, and popularity […]
Surnames are baby names. From the days of Warren and Shirley to Todd and Tracy to Hunter and Mackenzie, surname crossovers have been a staple of American baby naming. British Isles surnames, that is. The hundreds of popular crossovers all come from English and Celtic stock. Parents won’t venture further […]
Here’s an opportunity to help advance name knowledge. Researchers at Hebrew Union College and the University of Southern California are conducting an online survey about American Jewish first names. They’re looking at names from many directions: choices and perceptions, religion and identity, history and geography—even how we name pets. I’m […]
In the world of names, style starts at the finish. Trendy name endings made Arlene, Irene and Pauline the shape of the 1920s, Sheri, Kari and Lori the shape of the 1960s, and Tiffany, Stephanie and Bethany the shape of the 1980s. And the name endings setting the standard today? […]
Rachel from Cardholder Services is a legend. Her robocalled promises to lower credit card interest rates have kept enforcement agencies busy for years. The Federal Trade Commission even has an official Rachel FAQ. But one question it doesn’t answer. Why is she named Rachel? The name wasn’t just a random […]
Recent Comments