In the popular book Freakonomics that I read a few years ago, there’s a whole chapter devoted to the way names that parents give their babies filter down the socioeconomic ranks from high class to low class over the years. Of course I am skeptical, but it’s a pretty fascinating theory.
I’ve noticed that the authors and readers of this site tend to share similar tastes in names. The same names and styles of names crop up repeatedly in the forum, and the reason this is interesting is because they are often really unusual names. [name]Matilda[/name], for example. I can’t believe how many people list this as one of their top names (I’ll admit it’s one of mine), while there are no Matildas out there.
I’m trying to gauge if this phenomenon is simply because the members of this community became members in the first place because they found that they happen to share the authors’ taste when they were searching the net–and in this case, it’s a relatively small, enclosed community with specific subjective opinions.
On the other hand, I’m wondering if this community is in fact representative of the high-class community that Levitt talks about in his book, and the names that [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] laud are of a specific style that appeals widely to classy, trend-setting parents, meaning that names like “[name]Matilda[/name]” will be the next big hit. What I find to be ironic is that the names that are “hits” now are mostly held in distaste on this site BECAUSE they are hits; this community (understandably) doesn’t like overused names.
If the second situation is true, I’m wondering what’s to stop these currently cutting-edge and “stylish” names from filtering down the socioeconomic ladder and becoming out of style in a generation or so?
I think it’s a lost cause. [name]Matilda[/name] and [name]Penelope[/name] are destined to be the next [name]Sophia[/name] and [name]Olivia[/name]. So if you want to be different, you have to come up with something really different such as [name]Yvette[/name].
I posted something very similar to this a week or two ago. I agree with you in saying that the names we all like now, will be very popular in the near future. I honestly and no foense to anyone, think that in ALL of us trying to be unique we seem to find almost the same names and will end up naming our kids something that will be very popular maybe not when their born but a few years after that. Everyone tries to be diffrent i feel very little succeed unless they do what the other poster suggestioned and come up with a totally off the wall name. It seems to be a big cycle.
But I think most parents want more than just something “different.” They want a name from that elusive category of names that are appealing to others, relatively unusual, and won’t go out of style–all at the same time. That’s really tricky! I wonder if maybe part of the key is to pick a name that has a relatively stable popularity graph over the last century. That way it might still have a chance of retaining some classic coolness over the kid’s lifespan without turning into a “mom” or “dad” and then old lady/old man name.
I haven’t had kids of my own yet, but I think my parents hit the jackpot when they named my sister [name]Leah[/name]. It has an ancient history and a nice sound, everyone recognizes it, it’s somewhat common but it’s never been a “hit” and isn’t overused. While a name like “[name]Sarah[/name]” is a stable classic, it’s also SO commonly used that it’s not appealing in the way that [name]Leah[/name] is, so it doesn’t fit into that golden category to me. I also love my other sister’s name, [name]Greta[/name] (although I’m not sure; that one’s still unusual and “old world” enough that it might have a trendy spike; who knows!). I, on the other hand, sort of got the shaft with trendy “[name]Caitlin[/name].” Oh, well.
I think sometimes people overestimate the OMG there’s so many Emilys/Sophies/Olivias. If you look at 1958 the top 20 spots go from 90,000 - 30,000 (boys) births per name for the top 20 and 60,000 (combining [name]Debra[/name]/[name]Deborah[/name]) - 20,000 for girls.
In 2008 it’s 22,000-13,000 and 18,000 - 9,000. Of course these don’t count the “trends” of -aden, L-L, etc… together. But it seems like your baby is a whole lot less likely to have 5 Jennifers in her class.
Of course sometimes you get stuck in weird naming pigeonholes. Out of roughly 65 girls in my grade at school, 5 were named [name]Margaret[/name], although almost all went by nns/mns.
But I think most parents want more than just something “different.” They want a name from that elusive category of names that are appealing to others, relatively unusual, and won’t go out of style–all at the same time. That’s really tricky! I wonder if maybe part of the key is to pick a name that has a relatively stable popularity graph over the last century. That way it might still have a chance of retaining some classic coolness over the kid’s lifespan without turning into a “mom” or “dad” and then old lady/old man name.
I haven’t had kids of my own yet, but I think my parents hit the jackpot when they named my sister [name]Leah[/name]. It has an ancient history and a nice sound, everyone recognizes it, it’s somewhat common but it’s never been a “hit” and isn’t overused. While a name like “[name]Sarah[/name]” is a stable classic, it’s also SO commonly used that it’s not appealing in the way that [name]Leah[/name] is, so it doesn’t fit into that golden category to me. I also love my other sister’s name, [name]Greta[/name] (although I’m not sure; that one’s still unusual and “old world” enough that it might have a trendy spike; who knows!). I, on the other hand, sort of got the shaft with trendy “[name]Caitlin[/name].” Oh, well.[/quote]
I never knew a [name]Leah[/name] till I went to college, then in my freshmen dorm class there was a [name]Leah[/name], [name]Lea[/name], and a [name]Lea[/name] (an Italian name pronounced like [name]Princess[/name] [name]Leia[/name]). Sometimes you get weird name clusters. Only one [name]Caitlin[/name] that year (although my mom thought about naming me [name]Caitlin[/name] but my uncle said it was too common.)
But I think most parents want more than just something “different.” They want a name from that elusive category of names that are appealing to others, relatively unusual, and won’t go out of style–all at the same time. That’s really tricky! I wonder if maybe part of the key is to pick a name that has a relatively stable popularity graph over the last century. That way it might still have a chance of retaining some classic coolness over the kid’s lifespan without turning into a “mom” or “dad” and then old lady/old man name.
I haven’t had kids of my own yet, but I think my parents hit the jackpot when they named my sister [name]Leah[/name]. It has an ancient history and a nice sound, everyone recognizes it, it’s somewhat common but it’s never been a “hit” and isn’t overused. While a name like “[name]Sarah[/name]” is a stable classic, it’s also SO commonly used that it’s not appealing in the way that [name]Leah[/name] is, so it doesn’t fit into that golden category to me. I also love my other sister’s name, [name]Greta[/name] (although I’m not sure; that one’s still unusual and “old world” enough that it might have a trendy spike; who knows!). I, on the other hand, sort of got the shaft with trendy “[name]Caitlin[/name].” Oh, well.[/quote]
I never knew a [name]Leah[/name] till I went to college, then in my freshmen dorm class there was a [name]Leah[/name], [name]Lea[/name], and a [name]Lea[/name] (an Italian name pronounced like [name]Princess[/name] [name]Leia[/name]). Sometimes you get weird name clusters. Only one [name]Caitlin[/name] that year (although my mom thought about naming me [name]Caitlin[/name] but my uncle said it was too common.)[/quote]
I agree with the “name clusters” thing, cause in my whole life i have never met a [name]Sophia[/name], [name]Jack[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], so on and so forth. But i have relaized (as i live in a small town) that the names that are common hear, arnt as common other places. Like there were 12 [name]Daniels[/name], and 6 Jacobs. But when i moved i only met 1 in a whole 2 year time span. So i guess really in perspective there arnt as many names as people think even if there popoular on the SS name list. I think it depends on where you live.
Hehe, well at least it’s not ‘[name]Katelynn[/name]’ or something right
I loved [name]Caitlin[/name] as a child (before it got trendy) and then wrestled with the decision to use it or not for my first daughter 7 years ago. Ended up giving it to her as a mn instead.
