We all know that what we name our babies basically creates the life they lead. Don't believe me? Read Freakonomics. There is no doubt that what we name our children affects not only their future success, but also says a lot about us and who we are.
Our backgrounds -- social class, education level, and cultural influences -- have everything to do with the names we choose for our children. A recent article posted on NPR reveals that even our political parties can have quite a bit to do with our naming choices. Liberal babies might be Abigail or John while Republican babies might be Paislee, Liberty, or Rykan.
Makes sense, right?
According to NPR, progressive communities choose more old-fashioned names while conservative ones find names that are more creative or androgynous.
This doesn't come as a shock to most of us. I live in the uber blue state of Massachusetts and I don't know a single Jaelynn, Trigg, or Jackson but I do know a half dozen Jacobs, Elis, and Elizabeths. Let's face it, what people name their children does reveal enormous amounts about who they are.
This is why for me, it was very hard to come up with a name for my kids. Both times I wanted nice, easy to spell names people had heard before, but I also wanted them to be under-used. We almost went with Henry for our son before we learned that half the people we know named their sons Henry. Now his middle name is Henry instead.
As a liberal mama, I can say one is true for me (my son has the very classic name Alan) and one isn't (my daughter is a bit weirder with Samara and we call her Sam, which is obviously unisex).
In case you are confused, I have made a chart. Here are 10 names that fit the NPR criteria for Republican babies:
- Briella
- Jaelynn
- Ashlynn
- Rylan
- Rylee
- Cameron
- Jackson
- Kaden
- Tristan
- Avery
Here are 10 for Democrat babies:
- Atticus
- James
- Henry
- Nathan
- Samuel
- Catherine
- Delia
- Millicent
- Molly
- Penelope
See the difference? It's very pronounced to me. Now, obviously, this isn't true for everyone (like me, for instance), but in many cases, I bet it would be easy to guess the parent's political party armed only with their baby name choice.
Pretty nifty, no?
Does your baby name match up to this?
Image via crabchick/Flickr
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Comments 47
No for one second do I believe all the Sha'Vondas and Ma'Kiyahs are republicans.
Both my boys have European names (thus considered unusual for the USA but very usual in the countries they originate) but I'm a liberal. So I guess it doesn't fit for me.
I was thinking the opposite - like everyone else that commented. We have given our children "liberal" names and are not democratic. :) We like more normal names.
I do not really claim any political affiliation (I do not feel informed enough about politics to label myself one way or the other), but I am definitely more liveral than conservative. That being said, I named my daughter Lucy Rose, which I feel is simple and traditional. :)
Doesn't apply in my case, nor in many of my nieces & nephews names....
No, and it seems as though it should be the opposite. The lists don't even make sense to me.