Also school-related: first names at Yale

[Deleted]

I thought this graphic from Gawker (for what it's worth) was interesting -- it compares the 25 most popular first names in 1994 (when current college freshmen were born), generally, against the 25(ish) most popular first names at Yale.

It kind of reminds me of the chapter of Freakonomics about baby names...



gawker.com/5988377/blue-ivy-here-are-the-names-that-get-you-into-yaleor-keep-you-out

[Roc A Bee]

I was born a decade before 1994 and didn't go to hale, but hey! My name made the middle of the Vinn diagram.

[Deleted]

Maybe this will help us narrow down baby names when the time comes.   Not that Brittany or Cody were ever on the table!

[Deleted]

Well, it's nice to know my name got further than I did...

[vanillacourage]

All I am taking away from this is dismay that the current crop of college freshmen were born in 1994. OMG.

[mccallister84]

Mar 4, 2013 21:30:42 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

All I am taking away from this is dismay that the current crop of college freshmen were born in 1994. OMG.

Yea. That made me want to vomit. I hired someone in August who was born in 1990.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2013 21:26:22 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

Maybe this will help us narrow down baby names when the time comes.   Not that Brittany or Cody were ever on the table!

Shocking that Brittany and Cody didn't go to Yale.... 

[mbcdefg]

Very interesting.

I'm surprised that Mary is popular.

[Deleted]

Interesting how most of the Yale names of 1994 that weren't in the top 25 then are popular top 25 names now.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2013 22:10:27 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

Interesting how most of the Yale names of 1994 that weren't in the top 25 then are popular top 25 names now.

Have you read Freakonomics?  There's a chapter about kids' names, and one of the observations is that there are names that start out as popular among the higher classes, then they trickle down to the lower classes as aspirational names.  I wonder if something like that is at play here -- the names that were popular among parents who raised Yalies (so probably a wealthier and more educated set) are trickling down to mass popularity.  (Or not, because this is a little different from pure social class, but it is interesting to think about).

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2013 22:23:34 GMT -5 v said:

[Deleted]

No Nevaeh on this list? lol

[SusanBAnthony]

DS William, checking in!

I wanted to name DD Mary but I couldn't do "William and Mary" lol. Poor DD got the Yale shaft.

[MrsAxilla]

My cousin is at Princeton (close enough to Yale, right?) and his name is there. So is my son's.

[Deleted]

I am somewhat offended my brother's name is on the non-Yale side. I never thought it was a terrible name.

[goaskalice]

Mar 4, 2013 22:23:34 GMT -5 v said:

Mar 4, 2013 22:10:27 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

Interesting how most of the Yale names of 1994 that weren't in the top 25 then are popular top 25 names now.

Have you read Freakonomics?  There's a chapter about kids' names, and one of the observations is that there are names that start out as popular among the higher classes, then they trickle down to the lower classes as aspirational names.  I wonder if something like that is at play here -- the names that were popular among parents who raised Yalies (so probably a wealthier and more educated set) are trickling down to mass popularity.  (Or not, because this is a little different from pure social class, but it is interesting to think about).

That chapter (the whole book really) was fascinating to me. My name is on the non Yale popular side, but it was pretty rare before then so I'm not too worried

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2013 23:12:59 GMT -5 @amoosed said:

I am somewhat offended my brother's name is on the non-Yale side. I never thought it was a terrible name.

Some of the unpopular-at-Yale names definitely are not terrible names!

[aspentosh]

Mar 4, 2013 22:10:27 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

Interesting how most of the Yale names of 1994 that weren't in the top 25 then are popular top 25 names now.

This was what I thought, too. My DD's name was in top names for Yale and is now in the top 10 for names. 

[smiley]

Mar 4, 2013 21:43:25 GMT -5 @246baje said:

Interesting.

I actually have noticed a trend at my job for men's names. I work at a company known as the top in our industry that is also known for hiring the best and brightest in science.

The number of Johns, Bills/Wills, Roberts/Bobs of all ages and races is mind boggling. I worked on a 10 member team once that had 3 Bills, 2 Bobs and a John. The team before that had 4 Johns and a Robert.

I have not met a single Kevin in either the engineering or science functions.

The only common women's names are Sarah and variations of Kristin/Kirstin/Christa/Christine.

My department has less than 15 associates and at one point we had 4 Christophers (Chris) working in the department. I was super confusing!

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2013 23:12:59 GMT -5 @amoosed said:

I am somewhat offended my brother's name is on the non-Yale side. I never thought it was a terrible name.

My sister too!  And she has a nice, classic name and was born in 1992.

But it looks like Gizmo could be a Yale man.  His dad would cry.  He wants him to go to MIT.

[Deleted]

I haven't read Freakonomics, but I've heard about it from this board. It makes total sense.

DD's name isnt on any of these lists, but it passes the Supreme Court Justice test, so I'm satisfied

[BeagleMama]

Mar 5, 2013 9:44:51 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

DD's name isnt on any of these lists, but it passes the Supreme Court Justice test, so I'm satisfied

I love this test! I also like "Please meet my Grandma/pa ..... "

Thanks for sharing this chart, I love the "science" behind baby names.

[mbcdefg]

Mar 5, 2013 9:54:49 GMT -5 BeagleMama said:

Mar 5, 2013 9:44:51 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

DD's name isnt on any of these lists, but it passes the Supreme Court Justice test, so I'm satisfied

I love this test! I also like "Please meet my Grandma/pa ..... "

Thanks for sharing this chart, I love the "science" behind baby names.

When people say, "I don't want to name my baby XYZ, it's such an old man/old lady name," I just want to reply, "um, you know (s)he won't be a baby forever, right?"

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2013 9:58:14 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Mar 5, 2013 9:54:49 GMT -5 BeagleMama said:

I love this test! I also like "Please meet my Grandma/pa ..... "

Thanks for sharing this chart, I love the "science" behind baby names.

When people say, "I don't want to name my baby XYZ, it's such an old man/old lady name," I just want to reply, "um, you know (s)he won't be a baby forever, right?"

Our baby girl name is Virginia. Total old lady name (it's after my grandma, who was born in 1908). I love it!

Now things like Edith and Ruth I can understand not liking on account of being old lady names.

[Deleted]

My name is on the Yale list, but I have yet to meet anyone my age with my name let alone a college freshman.

[BAMFMrsB]

I made the Yale list. 2x! Wheeeeeeeeee

I noticed a lot of the girl names are "Queen" names. Christina, Katherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Victoria, Margaret (well, princess), Caroline.

It bums me out that the boy names are always so pedestrian. John, James, Christopher, William, Thomas. ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz.

[mbcdefg]

Mar 5, 2013 10:04:56 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

Mar 5, 2013 9:58:14 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

When people say, "I don't want to name my baby XYZ, it's such an old man/old lady name," I just want to reply, "um, you know (s)he won't be a baby forever, right?"

Our baby girl name is Virginia. Total old lady name (it's after my grandma, who was born in 1908). I love it!

Now things like Edith and Ruth I can understand not liking on account of being old lady names.

That's the name of my 50-something aunt (whom I adore). I'd totally use it for a baby name except I don't want to name a kid after a living relative.

I can't get MH on board with Walter, Catherine, Caroline, Beatrice, or Margaret. He agreed to Henry only if he can call him Hank, which I don't like.

I
noticed a lot of the girl names are "Queen" names. Christina,
Katherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Victoria, Margaret (well, princess),
Caroline.

I've actually pulled up lists of British princes/princesses when I feel like brainstorming future baby names, lol.

I would LOVE to use Victoria if (a) my cousin hadn't already used it (although the kid goes by a nickname), and (b) if I could ensure that she'd only be called Victoria and not Vicky/Tory.

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2013 10:15:18 GMT -5 BAMFMrsB said:

I made the Yale list. 2x! Wheeeeeeeeee

I noticed a lot of the girl names are "Queen" names. Christina, Katherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Victoria, Margaret (well, princess), Caroline.

It bums me out that the boy names are always so pedestrian. John, James, Christopher, William, Thomas. ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz.

I have trouble picking out boy names (in principle; I'm not PG!). It does seem like the good ones are all super boring. My choice would probably be Michael after my dad, but that's like the most common boy name of all time.

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2013 10:16:37 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Mar 5, 2013 10:04:56 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

Our baby girl name is Virginia. Total old lady name (it's after my grandma, who was born in 1908). I love it!

Now things like Edith and Ruth I can understand not liking on account of being old lady names.

That's the name of my 50-something aunt (whom I adore). I'd totally use it for a baby name except I don't want to name a kid after a living relative.

I can't get MH on board with Walter, Catherine, Caroline, Beatrice, or Margaret. He agreed to Henry only if he can call him Hank, which I don't like.

Walter makes me think of Walter Cronkite. LOL. Then again, I do have a 12-year-old cousin who goes by Walt. Beatrice sounds really old-lady to me. I PPH Catherine, Caroline, and Margaret. Sadly, Margaret is off the table for us as one of H's long-term XGFs. 

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2013 10:16:37 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

I
noticed a lot of the girl names are "Queen" names. Christina,
Katherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Victoria, Margaret (well, princess),
Caroline.

I've actually pulled up lists of British princes/princesses when I feel like brainstorming future baby names, lol.

I would LOVE to use Victoria if (a) my cousin hadn't already used it (although the kid goes by a nickname), and (b) if I could ensure that she'd only be called Victoria and not Vicky/Tory.

 This is my trouble with Virginia. I don't care for Ginny. People called my grandma "Virge."