# Didja Ever Notice.... (An Observation About Peoples' Names) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320 "2001-11-03T16:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/1 "2001-11-03T16:37:44Z")
Didja ever notice that about 90% of the **white** teenage girls in America have one of ten or so names? [ul] [li]Jessica[/li][li]Amanda[/li][li]Lauren[/li][li]Stephanie[/li][li]Megan[/li][li]Ashley[/li][li]Jennifer[/li][li]Stacy[/li][li]Michelle[/li][li]Kim[/li][li]Emily[/li][li]Erica[/li][/ul] We had a couple of high-school teams come through my Subway® yesterday, and they had their names on their shirts. Not a single Pam, Jane, Eve, Suzette, etc. Which brings me to my next observation… Didja ever notice that about 90% of the **white** teenage boys in America have one of about ten or so names? [ul] [li]Kurt[/li][li]Brian[/li][li]Jason[/li][li]Justin[/li][li]Jake[/li][li]Jessie[/li][li]Kevin[/li][li]Josh(ua)[/li][li]Eric[/li][/ul] If Mrs. Rastahomie and I ever have a girl, we’re naming her Beulah ;). And if we ever have a boy we’re naming him Floyd ;). Or Anakin or Frodo… By the way: **FUB, racinchikki, Lady Juliet, Zoggie** (and any others I might have missed), what are _your_ first names? ---
**Author:** ![Michele\_in\_SoCal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Michele\_in\_SoCal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michele_in_SoCal)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/2 "2001-11-03T16:42:29Z")
I, **Michele** am 47, and my husband **Eric** is 49. Our parents were ahead of the times in the Name Game! ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/3 "2001-11-03T16:47:10Z")
My first name is Theresa. My teenager’s first name is Shannara. ---
**Author:** ![JessEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cdc98d/32.png) [@JessEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessEnigma)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/4 "2001-11-03T17:48:41Z")
Michael is an unbelievably common name for guys also. I know more Michaels than Jessicas, an amazing accomplishment really. My brother’s name is Michael. My parents have no originality. I’m thinking that my daughter will be named something like Cassandra or Meredith. Something relatively easy to pronounce and spell, but not condemning them to First Name, Last Initial-dom. jessica ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/5 "2001-11-03T17:53:36Z")
Mine name is on the other end of the spectrum…Banks. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/6 "2001-11-03T17:57:39Z")
My first name is Briana. When I was growing up, _no one_ had heard the name. It started getting popular when I was in High School, and now it’s one of the top 10 names in the U.S. I personally think that my mom is to blame for it’s popularity. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/7 "2001-11-03T18:08:27Z")
My sister, I and my brother are Hannah, Crosby and Seth. Those are the names my parents selected. I’ve more siblings (adopted and step) who arrived with names previously affixed: Dorothy, Albert, George (called Trip) and David. ---
**Author:** ![Janet\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Janet\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janet_O)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/8 "2001-11-03T18:13:23Z")
It ain’t Janet. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/9 "2001-11-03T18:16:04Z")
I am 18 and my (given) name is Katie. (Not Katherine.) I know more Matthews and Amandas than any other name. I’m probably going to name my children old-fashioned, classic names, like Caroline or Elisabeth. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/10 "2001-11-03T18:39:34Z")
Heh. Gun and I both are named off that list. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/11 "2001-11-03T18:57:26Z")
Well, I hate to say it, but I stuck the boys with Daniel and Joshua. At fifteen and almost thirteen they were kind of in the lead in this neighbourhood though. At church, we have a pile of Jordens and all the other “J” names for boys. There isn’t really a trend for girls’s name’s, but the hands down winner for women has to be Debby. I got a call once, and all Mr. zoogirl could tell me is “Debby from church called”. Oh great! I went through the church phone book and came up with eleven! We’ve got a stack of adult Dave’s too. I’m the only Ann, though. We had another one, but she left. Mr zoogirl is Randy, and we run into quite a few around the same age. ---
**Author:** ![NaSultainne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NaSultainne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NaSultainne)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/12 "2001-11-03T19:04:32Z")
Ahh, now I come at this from the other point of view. I had a crazy mother with a fixation on television personalities as her source for baby names, and all four of my brothers suffered as a result. Nicknames from the neighborhood bullies, dirty-sounding synonyms, the works. Throw in my eldest brother, “Junior”, and they to a man hate their given names. Not one grew up to name a son after himself. I was lucky; being the only girl, my dad chose my name. Now don’t get me wrong, I like my name. (No, I’m not going to tell you what it is.) It’s uncommon enough that in my whole life I’ve only met a handful of women with the same name. I did however, spend a lot of time explaining how to say it, how to spell it, and then once the ol’ lightbulb went on and they recognized it, hearing how beautiful the name was. Duh! You couldn’t figure _that_ out until you saw it in print, you dolt! Some compliment! Fast forward to present; I have three children, two boys, one girl. All have beautiful names, _common_ names, _easily_ recognized and spelled, damned near impervious to name-abuse, and incidentally, popular names yet just below the radar of the top twenty lists similar to those posted in the OP. I _love_ their names, chosen for meaning, chosen with care, chosen with love. Each one knows the thought and care we took in choosing names, and each is pleased with his/her name. I know this is a long post for a simple topic, bear with me. All who might wish to give your child a distinctive name, think carefully. Ask a friend with an unusual name or pronunciation how they liked a given name growing up. Ask a friend with an uncomfortable first-last name combination if s/he’s happy with it. A child who has to defend a name every time a new acquaintance comes into the picture may soon grow to resent or even hate the name. Even if you’re sure it’s “special”. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/13 "2001-11-03T19:14:19Z")
I have thanked my parents on several occasions for sticking with traditional names for me and my brother. Granted, there may be a million Davids out there, but it’s a nice solid name. The only problem with mine – Rachel – is that people always stick the extra “a” in, and in the wrong place. “Racheal” is not, to the best of my knowledge, an acceptable spelling. “Rachael” is, but it’s not MY name, dammit! Then there’s my poor cousin Jenny, who is two years younger than me. Do you know how many Jennies/Jennifers there are, all about 20 years old? ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/14 "2001-11-03T19:25:54Z")
Well, since you asked, my name is Kerry Ann. I hate having to spell it out for everyone. I always start out “K-E-” and they’re like, “Oh, R-R-I. Gotcha [ya - **WB**].” And I say, “No no, R-R-Y.” And then they sigh disgustedly at me, like it’s _my_ fault they interrupted me and spelled my name wrong. Jerks. My first girl I’m naming Olivia Jane. I love the name Olivia because it shortens to Liv. Jane is supposedly a “common” name, but I can’t really think of anyone who has that name. My first boy will probably be named after my father or my SO’s father, so there’s not a lot of room for change there. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/15 "2001-11-03T19:34:12Z")
I was named after “Sherry Baby” by Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons. I hate it when people sing it to me after hearing my name and thinking they’re so clever. I don’t know why my mom changed the spelling. I used to hate that, but now I like it. I gave my girls traditional names. Sarah, Lauren and Rebecca (although we call her Becca). I haven’t heard any complaints by them (in regards to their names, anyway). Sheri ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/16 "2001-11-03T19:43:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DarkWriter \* > **I was named after “Sherry Baby” by Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons. I hate it when people sing it to me after hearing my name and thinking they’re so clever.** That happens to me too - “Carrie Ann” by the Hollies. Plus my last name rhymes with Holly, so my dad always says, “The song is ‘Carrie Ann’ by the Hollies, you’re Kerry Ann by the \_olleys!” Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/17 "2001-11-03T19:44:21Z")
I’m Cyndi. I get lots of crap for supposedly misspelling it, but it makes more sense that way. CYNthia is my given name, so why not CYNdi? My daughter is Laura, named after my mom. Not Lauren, Not Laurie, Not Lara, Lora, or Lori dagnabit! ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/18 "2001-11-03T19:48:10Z")
My kids’ names are fairly traditional. My son’s is pretty common, actually, but not on the Top Ten. His name is John. Just John. Not Jonathan, not Jon. John. But we call him Johnzilla. 😃 My daughter’s name is Diana. No, she is NOT named after the princess. She’s named after the Goddess. I like the name. It’s a good, strong, female name. One that will serve her well in adulthood. And hey, she’s going to be an adult for a _lot_ longer than she’ll be a kid. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/19 "2001-11-03T19:59:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FireUnderpantsBoobs \* > \*\* That happens to me too - “Carrie Ann” by the Hollies. Plus my last name rhymes with Holly, so my dad always says, “The song is ‘Carrie Ann’ by the Hollies, you’re Kerry Ann by the \_olleys!” Ugh. \*\* [/QUOTE] I feel your pain. I do like the song, though. 🙂 Sheri ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/20 "2001-11-03T20:00:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Persephone \* > \*\*My kids’ names are fairly traditional. My son’s is pretty common, actually, but not on the Top Ten. His name is John. Just John. Not Jonathan, not Jon. John. But we call him Johnzilla. 😃 > \*\* Our youngest has one hell of a temper. Her nickname is “Beccasaurus Rex.” 🙂 Sheri [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320.md?page=2)