Names are just like fashion trends, they go in and out of style.
Names are just like fashion trends, they go in and out of style.
To prove it, blogger and data scientist David Taylor recently crunched the numbers behind what he calls the « trendiest » baby names in U. S. history.
Using social security data to track people’s names as far back as 1880, Taylor analyzed the frequency of certain baby names throughout time.
SURPRISE SYMPTOM: After taking flu meds, parents say daughter hallucinated and tried to jump out window
For example, the name « Sandra » began its popular usage in 1934 and dropped off in popularity in 1982, a period of 48 years. At its most popular point, or peak, 2 percent of female babies were named « Sandra. »
Taylor used both these figures, how long a named remained popular and the height of its « peak, » to determine how trendy a name was.
The nifty study shows how some names aren’t meant to last while others endure throughout multiple decades of American society.
See the trendiest baby names in U. S. history above.
Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
