Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
American baby names through the years
1587 - First English colony, sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh, established on Roanoke Island off North Carolina; of the 109 males, 23 were named John; 15, Thomas; and 10, William.
1619 - The first slaves arrive in Virginia and are renamed by their masters. By the 18th century, the names given to slaves are often those not used for whites. Favorites include classical, mythical, and biblical choices: Cicero, Jupiter, and Jemima.
1640s - Strict Puritan colonists comb the Old Testament for righteous names, from Abigail to Zedekiah, and also use "virtue" names like Temperance and Humility.
1892 - Rose, Daisy, Lillie, Pearl, and Ruby are all in the top 100, reflecting the vogue for flower and gem names.
1924 - John finally loses its long-held position of top boy's name to Robert.
1935 - Shirley (as in Temple) is No. 2 on the list as celebrities start to influence baby names.
1947 - As Irish Americans gain a foothold in mainstream society, Irish names like Brian, Ryan, and Kevin become more popular.
1954 - Michael is the No. 1 boy's name and will continue to be for 43 of the next 44 years.
1967 - Flower power names like Harmony, Sunshine, and Rainbow are a trendlet; gender barriers blur as boys grow their hair long and names become unisex: Jamie, Jody, Stacey, and Tracy.
1969 - Frank Zappa names his first son Dweezil, following daughter Moon Unit, sowing the seeds for the crazy-celebrity-baby-name phenomenon.
1970 - Love Story, featuring tragic heroine Jennifer Cavilleri, is the No. 1 novel, and Jennifer begins a 14-year reign at the top.
1977 - The miniseries Roots launches a genealogy craze that inspires African American parents to look to African sources.
1991 - Blue-turned-pink name Ashley hits No. 1, and a new generation of feminist working moms favor such androgynous names for girls as Courtney, Whitney, Lindsey, Taylor, and Cameron.
1999 - Michael is knocked out of first place by Jacob as Old Testament names regain favor.
2000 - Christian rock singer Sonny Sandoval announces on MTV the name of his daughter, Nevaeh (heaven spelled backward), giving it a huge boost in popularity. Other spiritual names—Heaven, Genesis, Trinity—also rise.
2009 - Barack Hussein Obama becomes president, presaging a new multicultural naming era and a slew of kids named Barack.
Am I a Joseph or a Joey?
By Joe Kita
Did Chris Moneymaker become a champion poker player by chance? Is Bruce Fear selling insurance by pure happenstance? Is it a coincidence that Harold Stopp, MD, performs vasectomies? (All real people, by the way.) In my case, do I have a genuine talent for getting people to trust me (as all good journalists must), or is it simply that the name Joe has unassuming, friendly connotations and that Kita is simple, direct, and memorable, just like good prose? Would I even be in this line of work if my name were Kurt Words? Got you thinking? Here are a few more points to ponder.
Initials affect your health. An analysis of California death certificates showed that men with positive initials—like J.O.Y. and H.U.G.—live about four years longer than those with neutral initials. What's more, P.I.G.'s and D.I.E.'s lived nearly three years less than the neutrals. In another study, MBA students with C and D initials had lower grade point averages than their classmates with A and B initials, while lawyers with A and B initials went to better schools than their C and D colleagues.
Juniors are, well, junior. A study determined that men with Jr. after their name scored lower in a variety of psychological categories than those with the addendum II, III, or IV. Researchers speculate that juniors are continually reminded of their younger, subordinate status.
By comparison, the IIs, IIIs, and IVs are generally viewed as the latest in a long line of respected individuals and thus feel special themselves.
Given names carry more clout than nicknames. "Compared with nicknames, given [or formal] names connote higher levels of success and morality but lower levels of popularity and cheerfulness," explains Albert Mehrabian, a professor emeritus of psychology at UCLA. So if you're running for public office, using a nickname just might garner you more votes. But if you're trying to establish yourself as, say, a consultant, then your full given name will convey the reliability, intelligence, and trustworthiness clients want.
To give kids the best possible start in life, name them right. Last year, New York Times science writer John Tierney conducted a contest to determine the worst bad name. The winner: Iona Knipl. Don't make the same mistake Ms. Knipl's mother made. If you're in the process of naming a child, consult Mehrabian's name chart (a sample, below).
Advertisement 
