Back in 2013, the most popular name for boys born in the U.S. was Noah, according to the Social Security Administration. For girls it was Sophia. In 2021, Liam and Olivia were at the top of the list.
While the administration hasn’t released the list for 2022 yet, the latest episode of “Something Offbeat” uncovers some insight about baby name trends going back decades.
“In the early 2000s… I started to notice I had a lot of Alexis and Crystal’s in my class and I didn’t really know a lot of Alexis and Crystal’s in my non-teaching life,” said guest Michelle Napierski-Prancl, a sociologist and professor at Russell Sage College. “Then it just hit me one day as I was driving home,” she added. “Wait a minute – 18, 19 years ago – “Dynasty” was quite popular.”
This realization inspired her to research name influences, from The Beatles to “Friends”.
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Napierski-Prancl and host Mike Rogers explore how pop culture impacts naming trends, and dive into the more offbeat side of names, including some that have been deemed illegal in certain countries. According to U.S. Birth Certificates.com, these include King, Queen, Jesus Christ, Nutella and Metallica.
Each week “Something Offbeat dives into an unusual news story. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.
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