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Here's a GIF of the most popular girls' names by state from 1960 to 2012. Watching the waves is somewhat hypnotizing. For me, I want to know why Jennifer ran from 1970 through 1984 for the total population and had all 50 states from 1973 through 1978, yet when 1985 rolls around Jessica is the total population winner and Jennifer carries a single state (IL). The only other name to carry all 50 states was Lisa in 1965.

When the change comes, it's immediate and pretty much nationwide. There's clearly a MA thesis in there somewhere and potentially a PhD dissertation (assuming it hasn't already been done).

http://i.imgur.com/qWL4Wl8.gif

Answered my own question. The tear-jerker movie Love Story came out in 1970 and Ali McGraw's lead character was named Jennifer. The roll of the tide is still interesting, though.

Who's got the explanation for Jessica in 1985?

Was it baby Jessica who fell into a well for a few days? when was that?

druidcent wrote:

Was it baby Jessica who fell into a well for a few days? when was that?

That was 1987. My other thought was "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" but that was 1988. My guess is some TV show back then in the Dynasty/Dallas/Knot's Landing genre.

Back in the 3 network and early cable era I'm pretty sure daytime soaps had a huge effect, because there wasn't much else for pregnant women to watch. Likewise movies (Madison from Splash, Bella from Twilight)

It would actually be more interesting to look at the top ten or twenty, since some trendy names had a run of significance without ever getting all the way to #1. Nevaeh, for example.

This reminds me of my favorite Onion "Infographics"

I'm too young for that then..

Wasn't there some TV star? Jessica Lange? I forget what she acted in..

It is clear proof that Sheeple will rule the earth.

PS...I came up with at least a dozen innovative, and or retro heritage name candidates for our daughter...yet the wife had the VETO

Hannah it is.

mdk77777 wrote:

Hannah it is.

Just don't tell the wife about her sisters.

druidcent wrote:

Wasn't there some TV star? Jessica Lange? I forget what she acted in..

Oh, just about anything.

Single best example of "sheeple" is people who use the word "sheeple"

My family is loaded with unique names alternating with "traditional" ones. Just among my father's siblings there was a Galen and an Elva. My grandmother said that sitting around in pre-television farms/small towns there was nothing better to do than come up with ideas for names.

My mother was enamored with David McCallum from "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." when she was pregnant with me, but my father veto'd "Illya" as a name.

Man, when my daughter was born in July, 2008, there were 4 other babies whose birth/stay overlapped hers, and 3 of them were girls and all of them were named Isabella. The nurses were so glad to hear that we were not naming our child Isabella. No idea why it was so popular.

derFunkenstein wrote:

No idea why it was so popular.

Twilight, of which the first film came out in 2008. Bella's full name is Isabella. Based on that, what are the hot names from 50 Shades of Grey?

Single best example of "sheeple" is people who use the word "sheeple"

Well, "mind dead conformists" just doesn't connote the happy self-satisfaction that most people derive from being in the accepted norms of society.
For short hand, it passes as a descriptive and apt nomenclature.

@UberGerbil - As an Asian-American named Michael, I can definitely identify with your Onion infographic!