Jeanna Bryner
LiveScience Managing Editor
Babies born in newer U.S. states have more distinctive names compared with their counterparts in older regions such as New England, a new study finds.
It turns out, the same values that pushed adventurous individuals into new territories as our country was being populated may still show up in the names their descendants give to babies, a new study finds.
In more recently established states, such as Washington and Oregon, parents tend to choose less common baby names, while parents in "older" areas, such as the original 13 states, go for more popular names.
Frontiers typically have fewer established institutions or infrastructure, and often occupy harsh environments. Early pioneers couldn't rely on others for help in such sparsely populated areas.
These factors "select for people who are high in individualism and foster and reward individualistic values such as uniqueness and self-reliance," said lead researcher Michael Varnum of the University of Michigan. "This leads to regional cultures which perpetuate these values, which in turn shape behavioral practices, such as baby naming." [Most Popular Baby Names in History]
Psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, who studies baby naming, applauds Varnum's study on frontiers and unique baby names, which is detailed in the February 2011 issue of the journal Psychological Science.
"It's a really fascinating illustration of the impact of regional culture on naming choices," said Twenge, author of "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement" (Free Press, April 2009).
"Even though other people who came later may not have been so individualistic, that culture was set up," Twenge told LiveScience. "That legacy of the frontier is going to live on, and that shows up in baby names."
What names say about culture
The names we choose for our children do often reflect parents' values. "It's a very heartfelt choice and a noncommercial choice of what's important to us," said Laura Wattenberg, author of the book "The Baby Name Wizard" (Three Rivers Press, 2005) and creator of the website BabyNameWizard.com.
Wattenberg's recent research showed that the meaning conveyed by a baby's name (what it tells others about the parents' tastes and background) has surged over the last 25 years as baby names have become more diverse and numerous.
"I'm convinced they're absolutely right in the core data that there's no question that the American frontier is a naming wonderland," Wattenberg told LiveScience. "Sarah Palin, even though she talks about traditional values, she's a perfect representative of frontier naming." Her kids are named Track, Willow, Trig, Bristol and Piper.
Even so, it's not simple to draw a causal connection between the character of a particular state and the naming conventions there. "Leaping from that to the idea that it represents the spirit of independence, I think there are a lot of other factors you need to consider when drawing that conclusion," Wattenberg said.
Baby names moving west
In the new study, Varnum and his University of Michigan colleague Shinobu Kitayama compared the commonness of popular baby names between relatively recently settled regions of the United States and older areas. The team used 2007 baby-name data collected by the Social Security Administration.
In New England states, more babies were given the most popular boys' and girls' names than they were in frontier states – those in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest.
Statistical analyses showed the longer ago a state had achieved statehood, the more likely it was to have a higher percentage of people with one of the top 10 most popular baby names. The results held even after the researchers accounted for other factors that might impact baby-name choices, including population density, ethnicity of a state and median income.
The following is the study's ranked list of U.S. states where prevalence of common names is lowest (with No. 1 being the most individualistic), based on percentage of babies who had one of the top 10 most popular names of that year.
You can follow LiveScience managing editor Jeanna Bryner on Twitter @jeannabryner.
Showing posts with label names. Show all posts
Showing posts with label names. Show all posts
Wednesday
Your parents named you what? The pros, cons of unusual names
(CNN) -- When you hear the name "Indiana Jones," you think of an archaeologist carrying an idol and dodging a giant boulder. When you hear about "Dow Jones," you might wonder if it's up or down that day. However, in this case, Indiana and Dow Jones are siblings, 12 and 7 years old, respectively.
Dow and Indiana Jones participate in many sporting events. Indiana says, "announcers love to say our names."
Indiana Elizabeth Jones shared her story with the iReport community, and we spoke with her mother, Jennifer Jones. The Port Deposit, Maryland, resident says Indiana got her name simply because her husband's family is from that state.
As for Dow Joseph Jones, there was serious talk of naming him Jack Ryan Jones, to keep the Harrison Ford theme. (Jack Ryan is the character Ford played in a series of action movies.) Instead, her husband named their son Dow on a dare while Jennifer was asleep in the hospital bed after giving birth.
She said she cried when she found out and even thought about having Dow's name changed.
CNN.com asked users to share their unusual names after a 9-year-old New Zealand girl named Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii won the right to change her name. (Full story)
Dozens of members of iReport.com community explained the stories behind their odd names, as well as what they've experienced in their day-to-day lives.
Some names might not seem problematic until they're actually used on a daily basis. Open Weaver Banks of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey (speaking of odd names), says that she shared her story with iReport.com in hopes that parents would think twice before giving their children an unusual name.
Open is an unusual name, but it's not necessarily a name that one might expect to cause regular difficulties. Weaver Banks, however, says that she often has problems with it.
"I have a hard time using my credit cards for personal items, because clerks will accuse me of using a business card. I cannot tell my name to someone without having to explain it. Some days, it is exhausting, and I can't even disguise the annoyance in my voice."
Banks' childhood was "painful" because of her name, too. "I still give my mother a hard time about the name choice, and she tries to explain that she was young, she liked how it sounded, it was 1970 and various other reasons," she explains. "I actually tried going by another name for a year, and I realized that as much as I truly hate my name, it is embedded in me and so much a part of my experience."
Some people avoid the use of their name altogether to avoid questions, confusion or embarrassment. "At times, for the sake of avoiding an uncomfortable conversation or throwing someone off guard, I answer to the names of 'Mary' or 'Kelly'," says Bluzette Martin of West Allis, Wisconsin. At restaurants, "the thought of putting an employee through the pain of guessing how to spell and pronounce 'Bluzette' just isn't worth it to me."
Martin was named after "Bluzette," an up-tempo jazz waltz written by Jean "Toots" Thielemans. Despite her daily problems with this name, it certainly has its perks, like when she met Thielemans in 1987 at a club in Los Angeles. "When I met [him], he thanked my mother," she says.
She called her mother in the middle of the night and told her that she had a surprise for her. She gave the phone to Thielemans, and he started doing his famous whistling, to the tune of "Bluzette."
Even celebrities aren't immune to the use of unusual names. Take boxer George Foreman's children, all named George. (Or actor Jason Lee's son, Pilot Inspektor, or comedian Penn Jillette's daughter, Moxie CrimeFighter.) These are just-plain bizarre names, like that of iReporter Holden Holden.
Holden, a sophomore at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, says that having a double name has its pros and cons. He says he has a face people will remember because his name is easy to remember. Unfortunately, he says, he's not very good about remembering names himself, so it can lead to some awkward moments.
Holden's grandfather died a month before he was born but was always called by his last name as a nickname. "My last name is my mother's maiden name, which she reverted to after she divorced," he explains.
Holden also says that he plans to run for president in 2036. "Since my name is pretty easy to remember, it'll be easier to garner votes that way."
As for Dow Jones' mother, she didn't go through with changing his name. Now she sees it as something unique for someone with the very common last name "Jones." And perhaps that's the bright side to having an unusual name: It sets you apart from the crowd.
Dow's sister doesn't seem to mind.
"There is a new Indiana Jones movie out this year, so all my friends think it's pretty cool," she says.
Dow and Indiana Jones participate in many sporting events. Indiana says, "announcers love to say our names."
Indiana Elizabeth Jones shared her story with the iReport community, and we spoke with her mother, Jennifer Jones. The Port Deposit, Maryland, resident says Indiana got her name simply because her husband's family is from that state.
As for Dow Joseph Jones, there was serious talk of naming him Jack Ryan Jones, to keep the Harrison Ford theme. (Jack Ryan is the character Ford played in a series of action movies.) Instead, her husband named their son Dow on a dare while Jennifer was asleep in the hospital bed after giving birth.
She said she cried when she found out and even thought about having Dow's name changed.
CNN.com asked users to share their unusual names after a 9-year-old New Zealand girl named Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii won the right to change her name. (Full story)
Dozens of members of iReport.com community explained the stories behind their odd names, as well as what they've experienced in their day-to-day lives.
Some names might not seem problematic until they're actually used on a daily basis. Open Weaver Banks of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey (speaking of odd names), says that she shared her story with iReport.com in hopes that parents would think twice before giving their children an unusual name.
Open is an unusual name, but it's not necessarily a name that one might expect to cause regular difficulties. Weaver Banks, however, says that she often has problems with it.
"I have a hard time using my credit cards for personal items, because clerks will accuse me of using a business card. I cannot tell my name to someone without having to explain it. Some days, it is exhausting, and I can't even disguise the annoyance in my voice."
Banks' childhood was "painful" because of her name, too. "I still give my mother a hard time about the name choice, and she tries to explain that she was young, she liked how it sounded, it was 1970 and various other reasons," she explains. "I actually tried going by another name for a year, and I realized that as much as I truly hate my name, it is embedded in me and so much a part of my experience."
Some people avoid the use of their name altogether to avoid questions, confusion or embarrassment. "At times, for the sake of avoiding an uncomfortable conversation or throwing someone off guard, I answer to the names of 'Mary' or 'Kelly'," says Bluzette Martin of West Allis, Wisconsin. At restaurants, "the thought of putting an employee through the pain of guessing how to spell and pronounce 'Bluzette' just isn't worth it to me."
Martin was named after "Bluzette," an up-tempo jazz waltz written by Jean "Toots" Thielemans. Despite her daily problems with this name, it certainly has its perks, like when she met Thielemans in 1987 at a club in Los Angeles. "When I met [him], he thanked my mother," she says.
She called her mother in the middle of the night and told her that she had a surprise for her. She gave the phone to Thielemans, and he started doing his famous whistling, to the tune of "Bluzette."
Even celebrities aren't immune to the use of unusual names. Take boxer George Foreman's children, all named George. (Or actor Jason Lee's son, Pilot Inspektor, or comedian Penn Jillette's daughter, Moxie CrimeFighter.) These are just-plain bizarre names, like that of iReporter Holden Holden.
Holden, a sophomore at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, says that having a double name has its pros and cons. He says he has a face people will remember because his name is easy to remember. Unfortunately, he says, he's not very good about remembering names himself, so it can lead to some awkward moments.
Holden's grandfather died a month before he was born but was always called by his last name as a nickname. "My last name is my mother's maiden name, which she reverted to after she divorced," he explains.
Holden also says that he plans to run for president in 2036. "Since my name is pretty easy to remember, it'll be easier to garner votes that way."
As for Dow Jones' mother, she didn't go through with changing his name. Now she sees it as something unique for someone with the very common last name "Jones." And perhaps that's the bright side to having an unusual name: It sets you apart from the crowd.
Dow's sister doesn't seem to mind.
"There is a new Indiana Jones movie out this year, so all my friends think it's pretty cool," she says.
Thursday
From Sunday to Knox: Moms ponder unusual names
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban recently named their newborn daughter Sunday Rose. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are the proud parents of twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline.
Is there some unwritten Hollywood law that states you are not an A-list celebrity unless you give your child an unusual name?
We posed the question on WisMoms.com. Some WisMoms deliberately chose unique names for their children — usually with a story behind the symbolism.
"I have two children with unique but strong names," says Attacus and Andalyn Mom of Green Bay, who adds that her son was named after the father in "To Kill a Mockingbird." "We were going to name my daughter Cosette after a character in 'Les Miserables,' but decided to name her Andalyn. It is a combination of my first and middle name."
"My toddler is named Edison, which means 'son of Edward,'" says Raising M.E.N. of Manitowoc. "It honors his great-great grandfather Edward, who passed away before he was born."
"We named our daughter Gwenhwyfar (that's pronounced Guinevere) and decided to spell it the traditional Welsh way," says Mara1138 of Appleton. "I'm sure she will hate it for awhile, but I think in the end she will appreciate having a unique and beautiful name that reflects her heritage."
"My daughter's name is Anndrayah (pronounced Andrea), but I call her Andi for short, as that is always a name that I just loved," says Mommy2Andi of Fond du Lac. "I wanted it very different than the traditional spelling."
"I have two girls: Keegan and Caitlynne," says Cmoran2007 of Green Bay. "Children (all of them, not just mine) are unique, and their names should reflect their personalities."
Other WisMoms report having friends or students with such monikers as Precious, Ember, Cold, Ender, Toy, Storm, Story and Draven, just to name a few.
"I, too, wanted something different but with meaning for my children. I also wanted something people could understand and not mispronounce," says 24/7 Mom. "My daughter I named Alannah Nicole, which is Irish for 'beautiful girl,' and (for) my son, my husband picked Landon Thomas, which is English for 'running river'"
"My daughter's name is considered unique, although it's a traditional Welsh name," says Aquadonia of Green Bay. "Rhiannon is a simple name, but so many think I say 'Brianna' that I spell it for them."
Other moms take a more conservative stance to names that will follow their children for the rest of their lives.
"Not a fan of bizarre names, or taking a simple, traditional name and spelling it goofy," says Chandla of Green Bay.
"It drives me nuts when parents name their kids after Disney characters," laments Julie Genisot of Sherwood. "No more mermaid names!"
"Just always remember that your kids will grow up and become adults. Is the name that was cute for your 2-year-old going to be appropriate for a 30-year-old applying for a professional job?" asks NJosephs of Oshkosh.
"They have to live with their names for the rest of their lives," adds 24/7 Mom. "I am so glad my dad put his foot down and named me Melissa instead of my mom's idea of Skye Blue."
"I am all in favor of unique names," says Cmoran2007. "But that's not to say that there aren't people out there who go overboard and name their kids something completely off the wall like Moon Unit or Dweezil."
"As for names like Morning Dew, Apple and Pilot Inspektor, don't force names like that on your kids," adds Aquadonia. "It's cruel."
Is there some unwritten Hollywood law that states you are not an A-list celebrity unless you give your child an unusual name?
We posed the question on WisMoms.com. Some WisMoms deliberately chose unique names for their children — usually with a story behind the symbolism.
"I have two children with unique but strong names," says Attacus and Andalyn Mom of Green Bay, who adds that her son was named after the father in "To Kill a Mockingbird." "We were going to name my daughter Cosette after a character in 'Les Miserables,' but decided to name her Andalyn. It is a combination of my first and middle name."
"My toddler is named Edison, which means 'son of Edward,'" says Raising M.E.N. of Manitowoc. "It honors his great-great grandfather Edward, who passed away before he was born."
"We named our daughter Gwenhwyfar (that's pronounced Guinevere) and decided to spell it the traditional Welsh way," says Mara1138 of Appleton. "I'm sure she will hate it for awhile, but I think in the end she will appreciate having a unique and beautiful name that reflects her heritage."
"My daughter's name is Anndrayah (pronounced Andrea), but I call her Andi for short, as that is always a name that I just loved," says Mommy2Andi of Fond du Lac. "I wanted it very different than the traditional spelling."
"I have two girls: Keegan and Caitlynne," says Cmoran2007 of Green Bay. "Children (all of them, not just mine) are unique, and their names should reflect their personalities."
Other WisMoms report having friends or students with such monikers as Precious, Ember, Cold, Ender, Toy, Storm, Story and Draven, just to name a few.
"I, too, wanted something different but with meaning for my children. I also wanted something people could understand and not mispronounce," says 24/7 Mom. "My daughter I named Alannah Nicole, which is Irish for 'beautiful girl,' and (for) my son, my husband picked Landon Thomas, which is English for 'running river'"
"My daughter's name is considered unique, although it's a traditional Welsh name," says Aquadonia of Green Bay. "Rhiannon is a simple name, but so many think I say 'Brianna' that I spell it for them."
Other moms take a more conservative stance to names that will follow their children for the rest of their lives.
"Not a fan of bizarre names, or taking a simple, traditional name and spelling it goofy," says Chandla of Green Bay.
"It drives me nuts when parents name their kids after Disney characters," laments Julie Genisot of Sherwood. "No more mermaid names!"
"Just always remember that your kids will grow up and become adults. Is the name that was cute for your 2-year-old going to be appropriate for a 30-year-old applying for a professional job?" asks NJosephs of Oshkosh.
"They have to live with their names for the rest of their lives," adds 24/7 Mom. "I am so glad my dad put his foot down and named me Melissa instead of my mom's idea of Skye Blue."
"I am all in favor of unique names," says Cmoran2007. "But that's not to say that there aren't people out there who go overboard and name their kids something completely off the wall like Moon Unit or Dweezil."
"As for names like Morning Dew, Apple and Pilot Inspektor, don't force names like that on your kids," adds Aquadonia. "It's cruel."
Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii OK with `censor'
Fewer than 10 children's names a year are rejected as unsuitable, the Department of Internal Affairs says.
Among them are Satan, Adolf Hitler and 4Real.
But the department says many of the unusual names cited by a New Plymouth Family Court judge as a form of child abuse are perfectly legitimate.
A spokesman for Births, Deaths and Marriages conceded if a person wanted to name a child Twisty Poi or Fish and Chips they could.
Of the list, published yesterday, Only Keenan Got Lucky and Sex Fruit were questionable, because of their sexual nature. Numbers rejected ranged from about two to 10 a year from the 65,000 births registered, spokesman Tony Wallace said.
He said names were declined for registration if they were offensive to a reasonable person, unreasonably long, or resembled an official rank. Names with numbers or characters were also on the no-go list.
"It's not about unusual names, it's about objectionable names," Mr Wallace said.
"Something being unusual or funny or what some people might consider silly might not be offensive to an unusual person" Mr Wallace said.
"There's no reason not to accept Cinderella Beauty Blossom or Kaos."
Mr Wallace said his office was checking whether the names of the little girl Violence or her sister Revenge were official.
He said he was unsure where Judge Rob Murfitt got his information from, but it could also be possible the children's names were not official
"Some of the names are not registered, but that doesn't mean they aren't being used."
Judge Murfitt raised the bizarre names issue in a court ruling released on Wednesday. He cited the case of a girl named Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, who was put under the guardianship of the court so her name could be changed.
The judge described the name as "a form of abuse".
Asked to comment further, a spokesman for Judge Murfitt said it was not appropriate to make public comment in respect to a judgment he has issued.
That judgment drew wide interest yesterday with nine media organisations contacting his office.
Among them are Satan, Adolf Hitler and 4Real.
But the department says many of the unusual names cited by a New Plymouth Family Court judge as a form of child abuse are perfectly legitimate.
A spokesman for Births, Deaths and Marriages conceded if a person wanted to name a child Twisty Poi or Fish and Chips they could.
Of the list, published yesterday, Only Keenan Got Lucky and Sex Fruit were questionable, because of their sexual nature. Numbers rejected ranged from about two to 10 a year from the 65,000 births registered, spokesman Tony Wallace said.
He said names were declined for registration if they were offensive to a reasonable person, unreasonably long, or resembled an official rank. Names with numbers or characters were also on the no-go list.
"It's not about unusual names, it's about objectionable names," Mr Wallace said.
"Something being unusual or funny or what some people might consider silly might not be offensive to an unusual person" Mr Wallace said.
"There's no reason not to accept Cinderella Beauty Blossom or Kaos."
Mr Wallace said his office was checking whether the names of the little girl Violence or her sister Revenge were official.
He said he was unsure where Judge Rob Murfitt got his information from, but it could also be possible the children's names were not official
"Some of the names are not registered, but that doesn't mean they aren't being used."
Judge Murfitt raised the bizarre names issue in a court ruling released on Wednesday. He cited the case of a girl named Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, who was put under the guardianship of the court so her name could be changed.
The judge described the name as "a form of abuse".
Asked to comment further, a spokesman for Judge Murfitt said it was not appropriate to make public comment in respect to a judgment he has issued.
That judgment drew wide interest yesterday with nine media organisations contacting his office.
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