# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![VeraGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e9bcb4/32.png) [@VeraGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VeraGemini)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/41 "2001-11-04T04:45:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NaSultainne \* > **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 my mother liked Russian novels. Ah well, could be worse, I could have been named Anna Karenina… ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/42 "2001-11-04T04:51:00Z")
In my English class last year, we had five Megans out of about 23 people. They all spelled their names differently, too - Meagan, Megan, Meghan, Meaghaen, Mg’hanne…you get the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/43 "2001-11-04T05:22:15Z")
I guess that I’m in the 10% that is not average. I am a teenager named John. Michael seems more common than any of the male names you listed. Katie is also more common than any of the frmale names listed. At least in my school they are. ---
**Author:** ![Arwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Arwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwen)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/44 "2001-11-04T05:33:41Z")
Okay, I’ll admit to my name being _gasp_ “Amanda Sarah” (how stereotypical is THAT?) but my sister’s name is Calin. She spent most of her childhood arguing that she is NOT Colin or Kaitlin, but in the last 2 years I have met about 4 Calin/Kalins. How bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/45 "2001-11-04T05:39:33Z")
Until I moved to Phoenix and joined the animal rescue movement, I had known other Julie Annes. Or Julie Anns, or Juliannes, or some other combination. But it wasn’t until I got involved that I recognized that there were WAY more of us than I had thought. Have you ever noticed that, regardless of first name, 90% of females have one of the same three middle names: Anne (Ann), Marie, or Lynn? ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/46 "2001-11-04T05:41:06Z")
I’ve yet to come across anyone else who uses the Spelling ‘Darrin’ that my mother gave me. (yes, she was a Huge ‘Bewitched’ fan. Most other’s are Darren, which is rare enough. I didn’t like it much growing up, I was oddball enough already, but now I’m glad my name is fairly unique. Anybody else know a Darrin? ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/47 "2001-11-04T05:41:29Z")
Hey John, were you born in '84? We had a boy that died, (not to freak ya out or anything) that we named after our Dad’s-John Lesley. See, there are teenage John’s. My friend had a Jonathan in '76, so he’s only mid twenties, and my younger son, Josh, goes to Cadets with a John. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/48 "2001-11-04T06:00:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by to catch a painted pony \* > \*\*Remember when the names were Ethel, Eleanore, Patricia, Gwenolyn? > > Me neither, but it must have happened once. \*\* Hey! I’m a Patricia, and I’m not that old! It must have been very popular back in '65 when I was born because I graduated high school with at least 4 or 5 other Patricias. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/49 "2001-11-04T06:52:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jadailey \* > \*\*Have you ever noticed that, regardless of first name, 90% of females have one of the same three middle names: Anne (Ann), Marie, or Lynn? \*\* Indeed. In fact, at least three-quarters of the girls I went to high school with had Marie for a middle name. (It was a Catholic school, so this isn’t all that surprising.) My middle name is actually my mom’s maiden name, and it’s quite uncommon… ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/50 "2001-11-04T07:11:12Z")
As Osiris Merlin I’ve noticed I’m pretty unique. My sister also has an incredibly unique name, but I wont say them. They came from a mother who was disliked her name because it was the name of people at least 50 years older then her. And my dad who was one of a million Bobs. But what I’m most glad is that the Britney and Tiffany phases have past. I’ve always associated those names with ultra-rich mean and snotty girls. But it probably was just my school. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@Dragon\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/51 "2001-11-04T10:19:13Z")
I’m Catherine (Cath), and you’re right, i know a countless number of Kevins, but i also think David is a common name . . . Sometimes i wish i had a more unique name, or at least a more unique way of spelling it . . . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/52 "2001-11-04T10:55:36Z")
does calling **Dragon Shadow** “Caffy”, “Caffrin”, “Caffie”, etc. count? cos that’s what i call her 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Infectious\_Lass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@Infectious\_Lass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infectious_Lass)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/53 "2001-11-04T11:06:09Z")
My name is Jacqueline, Jackie for short. Most Jackies are 20 or 30 years older than me. My mum picked it out of the name book because she thought it wasn’t too common. She didn’t know it had been in fashion about 20 years before! I only ever met one Jackie the same age as me, it was weird! Now I hear that name on radio phone ins and it is a thirtysomething fortysomething name like Brenda or Diane or Gillian. You can tell someone’s age by their name! On LBC in London most of the listeners are elderly so they are all called things like Pat and Joan and Olive. You are never more than three calls away from a Joan! My Dad wanted to call me lots of names, but his suggestions were disregarded! 😃 One of the names he liked was Fanny…if you know what that word is slang for in England, you know why that isn’t a good idea… My brother Gary would have been Gay if he had been a girl. My parents didn’t know of any other associations for that word then… ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@Dragon\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/54 "2001-11-04T11:08:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cougarfang \* > \*\*does calling **Dragon Shadow** “Caffy”, “Caffrin”, “Caffie”, etc. count? cos that’s what i call her 😃 \*\* Most people stick with Cath, but i know you go you’re own way 😉 ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/55 "2001-11-04T11:15:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NaSultainne \* > \*\*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”. \*\* Good post. I have a first name that’s a “girls” name, and it’s been a big pain in the ass all my life. Especially now in the computer age, even more than before, it’s first name middle initial. Please, if you want to name your kid something far out there with a strange spelling, make it the MIDDLE name. Then your child can choose what name they wish to be called. We carefully choose my daughters first name as something classic, with a traditional spelling, that can be shortened, and no obvious “tease” names. Matched that with a Chinese middle name (just strung the three syllable’s together) and a common last name. She can choose what she wants to use. ---
**Author:** ![Infectious\_Lass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@Infectious\_Lass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infectious_Lass)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/56 "2001-11-04T11:16:38Z")
Hey! I just thought of something- The name list that my Mum had (it was more a list than a book actually)was given to her by the hospital and the names on it were taken from a scholarly book about the history of names rather than a practical baby-naming book so it had such names as: Sexburga Lesbia Baldwin um…Fanny And when I told the kids at school those were names they made fun of me! Who would want to go to school being called Sexburga? Good old Anglo Saxon name…any takers? You’d be braver than me! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/57 "2001-11-04T13:24:02Z")
**Osiris** , you do realize there is a very famous Britney? Maybe not so popular now, but you never know when other people will start naming their girls after her. _shudders_ ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/58 "2001-11-04T14:27:07Z")
The [Census Web site](http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/) has some information about name popularity, which I found real interesting. I’ve only met another woman with my name (while I was at university), so I wasn’t surprised to be down past 950 or so. Top 5 female names: MARY PATRICIA LINDA BARBARA ELIZABETH Top 5 guy names: JAMES JOHN ROBERT MICHAEL WILLIAM But if you scroll down and look into the top 100-200, you can get a feel for names that are decreasing in popularity and belong to an older generation ( **Mildred** @ 60) and names which are rising in popularity ( **Tiffany** and **Dawn** in the early 100s). I don’t really believe in naming kids completely whack things (What, you ask, is completely whack? Maybe **Princess** or **Carpet**.) But I really liked having a unique name and would probably name my offspring similarly (as opposed to any of the top 25 names). ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/59 "2001-11-04T14:30:16Z")
I always enjoy when people say I have a boy’s name. My name is Erin. Seems that most people I run into can’t distinguish between the girl’s Erin and the boy’s Aaron. Is it that hard to understand? ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320/60 "2001-11-04T16:40:34Z")
My entire family has had a lot of less commonly used names. Alan = myself Alphons Ramona Vera Alfreda Ramon Marson Adiel Margaretha Ermena etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didja-ever-notice-an-observation-about-peoples-names/91320.md?page=4)