The Changing Name Game: Madison and Parker Have Edged Out Barbara and Susan

Celebrities often pick baby names that make our heads turn, like Beyonce’s daughter Blue, Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple and Rachel Griffith’s son Banjo. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their children North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. Everyone has an opinion on whether such names are weird or cool. But would most people be inspired to use colors, foods or even cities and directions to identify children?

All new parents want to give their offspring names that will be strong and ensure confidence. It may be that they want distinctive names, yet has the creation of standout names gone too far? Or, are things actually going full circle and returning to more familiar names? Both are true.

“Popular names reflect what's going on in the popular culture of the time,” said Cleveland Evans, professor emeritus at Bellevue University and a former president of the American Name Society. The Great Big Book of Baby Names is Evans’ guide to help parents choose from lists of classic, traditional or unusual names.

Popular culture seems to influence every generation’s naming trends. Evans notes that during the 19th century, names like Ida, Edith, Bertha, Maude and Arthur became popular after characters in poems or novels. Some of these names continued in popularity in the early 1900’s, including the names of our parents and their friends. These monikers like Gertrude, Sylvia, Morris and Irving, as well as Herbert, Herman, Hubert and Harold, may seem dated and better left to the older generation.

Michelle Napierski-Prancl, a sociology professor at Russell Sage College, personally experienced the impact of popular music on the naming of infants. In 1965, the Beatles released their song “Michelle,” and that year her name entered the top 20 list on American birth certificates for girls. In 1968, it was the second most popular name, but slipped to 263 in 2018. “As someone growing up with this name, my teachers and coaches would always sing the chorus to me,” she said.

In the middle of the previous decade, the success of the Broadway show Hamilton and its historical tale likely contributed to the popularity of Alexander, George and Eliza, demonstrating the intersection of musical and political influences on baby names. “Before television, radio or movies, people drew on politicians as a source of names in ways that are not as prevalent today,” said Robert Urbatsch, associate professor of political science at Iowa State University. “I doubt people care about the incredible number of Americans who named their children after William Henry Harrison, the ninth president.”