2017 was a rough year for [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]–in the US at least–between a hurricane and a Weinstein. [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] had been increasing in popularity. On the [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Names Pool form on the [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Names [name_m]Wizard[/name_m] website, the tiebreaker asked what number [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] would land at in the popularity ranking list. But if you really think about it, both of the negative [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] stories breaked later in 2017, so it was still safe to predict that [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] would increase in popularity for the year overall. However, I think this same question will be great for NEXT year. [name_m]Will[/name_m] [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] still become more popular due to the previous underlying increasing popularity trend? Or will last year’s negative news send it back down the popularity list? I looked up the data for [name_f]Katrina[/name_f] and [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] which both decreased in popularity after those major hurricanes…but they both had already started their downward trends. What do you think will happen to [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]?
I think it will just go down in popularity. The hurricane association is definitely negative, but I see more people drawing the connection to Weinstein more, especially if more allegations are made and he goes through the legal system to any greater extent. If it wasn’t for all of that, though, I think [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] would’ve just risen through the ranks. It fits in well with the old-is-new trend.
[name_f]Katrina[/name_f] had already peaked and started falling well before the hurricane. And [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] recovered: by 2003 it was the same rank as it was in 1992. So I’m not sure they’re comparable.
I think [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] will drop back into the 400s next year and stay there for a while.
I hadn’t noticed that about [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] but it’s also quite interesting: it steadily declined in number from 1987 until present. However, it recovered a bit in ranking for a short time, re-peaking at #5 in 2003. I don’t think that fact has anything to do with the hurricaine, though. Rather, it is a result of the overall wider variety in naming and fewer babies given the most popular names. A coincidence of sorts.
I was wondering the same thing. Personally the name is ruined for me at the moment, but maybe a few years will offer more perspective…
DH is a [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]. He’s already gotten some comments (meant to be humorous) when he introduces himself, such as “oh like the hurricane?” or “[name_m]Harvey[/name_m]? as in Weinstein?”. I definitely think it will be a stark decline based off the public reception I have seen so far. Two major hits in one year is more than enough to taint a name’s connotation.