Thursday, September 13, 2018

The 90s Called....(Part 1)

Time for a bit more time-travel! I thought it'd be fun to see how much naming has changed since the 90s.
First off, here are the names from 1992's Top 1500 that aren't on the full 2017 list at all, with their 1992 rankings (why 1992? because it's exactly 25 years, that's why):

Boys:
  • Keifer, #1210
  • Tou, #1396
  • Naquan, #1417
  • Kramer, #1472

Girls:
  • Shaniqua, #419
  • Brittni, #550
  • Kirstie, #558
  • Brittanie, #610
  • Deidre, #631
  • Shanae, #662
  • Lakeisha, #700
  • Katlin, #715
  • Krystle, #782
  • Shanika, #804
  • Dominque, #806
  • Tyesha, #816
  • Felisha, #826
  • Shanequa, #856
  • Brittaney, #864
  • Marquita, #874
  • Britni, #878
  • Cassondra, #878
  • Brittny, #885
  • Shameka, #1011
  • Shanique, #1016
  • Martika, #1037
  • Shannen, #1037
  • Shantell, #1042
  • Tanesha, #1042
  • Brittnee, #1053
  • Lashonda, #1064
  • Brittnie, #1072
  • Keshia, #1072
  • Britny, #1090
  • Laquisha, #1109
  • Magen, #1138
  • Shamika, #1146
  • Meranda, #1149
  • Shanay, #1149
  • Shakiyla, #1169
  • Ashlea, #1172
  • Tkeyah, #1172
  • Chiquita, #1184
  • Felecia, #1194
  • Laquita, #1207
  • Shaquana, #1207
  • Shari, #1207
  • Tosha, #1207
  • Kanisha, #1215
  • Myesha, #1215
  • Chante, #1223
  • Tawny, #1223
  • Markita, #1231
  • Shakia, #1242
  • Ceara, #1247
  • Shanise, #1247
  • Tameka, #1247
  • Magan, #1255
  • Shaquita, #1255
  • Tiesha, #1260
  • Tonisha, #1273
  • Phylicia, #1284
  • Kenyatta, #1302
  • Nicollette, #1311
  • Britnee, #1322
  • Keosha, #1329
  • Lakisha, #1344
  • Shaneka, #1344
  • Tamra, #1344
  • Cassaundra, #1351
  • Uniqua, #1357
  • Sharonda, #1368
  • Tenisha, #1376
  • Latesha, #1381
  • Ronisha, #1381
  • Brittnay, #1391
  • Chantell, #1410
  • Latia, #1416
  • Dannielle, #1433
  • Shanee, #1433
  • Chelcie, #1442
  • Ieshia, #1442
  • Kanesha, #1463
  • Crysta, #1474
  • Lakendra, #1486
  • Tanika, #1486
  • Meghann, #1500

So, I saw the boys' list was only 4 names, and I had high hopes that the girls' list would be similar in length. Obviously, I was mistaken! Wow. Let's play a fun game called "Count the Brittany Variations". :p
(still not as unmanageable as the 1970s list I did a while back, though)

As to the inverse--here are the highest ranking names in 2017 that don't appear on the full 1992 lists at all, and their 2017 rankings:

Boys:
  • Ayden, #99
  • Maddox, #136
  • Zayden, #189
  • Maximus, #200
  • Jax, #222
  • Legend, #255
  • Iker, #280
  • Beckham, #284
  • Jayceon, #313
  • Caiden, #327
  • Atlas, #329
  • Zayn, #341
  • Hendrix, #349
  • Jaxton, #370
  • Raiden, #400
  • Finnegan, #410
  • Zaiden, #421
  • Ronin, #519
  • Kobe, #531
  • Aarav, #536

Girls:
  • Nevaeh, #77
  • Everly, #82
  • Adalynn, #116
  • Adalyn, #134
  • Emerson, #150
  • Finley, #159
  • Brynlee, #218
  • Emersyn, #241
  • Daleyza, #245
  • Journee, #262
  • Amiyah, #266
  • Briella, #286
  • Adelynn, #306
  • Paislee, #311
  • Gracelynn, #369
  • Addilyn, #376
  • Everleigh, #387
  • Harlow, #390
  • Maliyah, #394
  • Yaretzi, #404

I almost didn't put these next lists in because the names are comparatively "boring", but here are the names that have dropped the most in usage since 1992 (by % of babies given that name):

Boys:
  1. Michael, -1.95%
  2. Christopher, -1.6%
  3. Joshua, -1.31%
  4. Brandon, -1.23%
  5. Matthew, -1.21%
  6. Tyler, -1.18%
  7. Nicholas, -1.05%
  8. Andrew, -1.04%
  9. Zachary, -0.99%
  10. Justin, -0.97%
  11. Ryan, -0.9%
  12. Kyle, -0.89%
  13. Cody, -0.88%
  14. Robert, -0.87%
  15. David, -0.84%
  16. Joseph, -0.8%
  17. Daniel, -0.8%
  18. John, -0.77%
  19. Kevin, -0.74%
  20. Jonathan, -0.69%

Girls:
  1. Jessica, -1.85%
  2. Ashley, -1.78%
  3. Brittany, -1.22%
  4. Amanda, -1.2%
  5. Sarah, -1.02%
  6. Samantha, -0.99%
  7. Stephanie, -0.92%
  8. Megan, -0.86%
  9. Jennifer, -0.83%
  10. Chelsea, -0.76%
  11. Lauren, -0.75%
  12. Nicole, -0.73%
  13. Kayla, -0.71%
  14. Rachel, -0.71%
  15. Danielle, -0.65%
  16. Amber, -0.65%
  17. Courtney, -0.61%
  18. Taylor, -0.6%
  19. Rebecca, -0.58%
  20. Emily, -0.57%

Yes, the names that have dropped the most by straight usage as opposed to ranking are mostly still pretty common. There are a few reasons for that:
a) There are a lot more names in use today than in 1992,
b) There were fewer babies born last year than in 1992,
and (way more difficult to explain)
c) A name can't lose popularity it never had. The most popular names can decrease by hundreds or even thousands of babies and not drop a single place on the charts, but if the #500 name decreases by 50 births it might drop 50 places or more. 

Next time: gender-shifts. Dun dun duuuunnnn.....

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