Naming Babies

Naming Babies Naming Babies Naming Babies By Maeve Maddox Throughout history, cultures have attached great importance to names. In some cultures people, like cats, have secret names known only to themselves. Most parents I know spent hours, days, even months writing down possible names, doing the best to ensure that their final choice would go with their surname and that the child’s initials wouldn’t spell out a word that could provoke ridicule. American culture may not place the same value on the naming rite as some others. If you watched the movie Pulp Fiction, you may remember what one of the characters says about the meaninglessness of American names. Nevertheless I was astounded to read that in 1994 in New York City, 2,516 baby girls were named Female. In that same year, 3,639 baby boys received the name Male. Their parents hadn’t bothered to give them a name, so the sex designated on their papers was recorded as the given name. Although some of the parents later provided genuine names, many of the children grew up with names pronounced [fuh-MAHL-ee] and [MAH-lee], respectively. Some countries have laws that curb excessive imagination in naming newborns. The United States is not one of them. American celebrities tend to choose unusual names for their offspring. For example: Indiana August Moses Amadeus Satchel Seamus Seven Sirius Apple Zowie Some non-celebrities go further: Hippo Jedi Thunder Popeye Espn Google Burger Vanille J’Adore Shoog Despite names like these, a glance at the most popular names given to babies in the United States decade by decade reveals that traditional names have staying power. Good old-fashioned â€Å"Mary† remained in the top three until the 1970s; â€Å"Michael† made it into the 21st century. Here are the top three name choices for boys and girls (Social Security statistics) for each decade since 1930: 1930 Boys: Robert, James, John Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara 1940 Boys: James, Robert, John Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia 1950 Boys: James, Robert, John Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia 1960 Boys: David, Michael, James Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda 1970 Boys: Michael, James, David Girls: Jennifer, Lisa, Kimberly 1980 Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason Girls: Jennifer, Amanda, Jessica 1990 Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany 2000 Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew Girls: Emily, Hannah, Madison The tide seems to be turning. Judging by 2013 figures, the boys are on their way to exotic names, while the girls are headed back to more traditional choices: 2013 Boys: Jackson, Aiden, Liam Girls: Sophia, Emma, Olivia 1880s Boys: John, William, James Girls: Mary, Anna, Emma Related post: Names ‘Epicene’ and Otherwise Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You50 Synonyms for "Assistant"Advance vs. Advanced