What's in a name?

What’s in a name? The answer to that question is simple. There is a lot in a name. This thought came to me last month, as our church was Christmas caroling at a local nursing home. Tami observed and noted the “old fashioned” names of the residents. We discussed how you really don’t see these names much anymore and how they will likely die out in a generation or two. You know what kind of names I’m referring to. The names of your grandparents or names you might see in a history book. This whole discussion got me to thinking about the names of my many students over the last 27 years. With very few exceptions, I have never taught students named Margaret, Delores, Elmer, George, etc… This also led to further thought about the names of the students I’ve taught in my career. I came to the following conclusion: There are basically three categories of names. Old fashioned names, retro names, and modern names. Old-fashioned names are the aforementioned monikers that are not in use anymore, and are quickly dying out. Retro names belong to people between the ages of 30 and 50. These are names that are common among today’s adults excluding the elderly. These names are well known, but there aren’t many millennials running around with these names. In other words, retro names belong to the people I grew up with. Greg, Tom, Dave, Susan, Tracy, Lori, etc… Modern names belong to the kids of today, and generally belong to the students I’ve taught (and currently teach). Just for fun I’ve compiled a lengthy list of each kind of name. Obviously I couldn’t think of every name ever given, but it’s not bad considering it came from my brain and I didn’t look anything up.

Old-Fashioned names-
Ruth, Margaret, Irene, Madge, Charlene, Eustace, Charlotte, Frank, Harold, Ines, Walter, Abraham, Solomon, Isaac, Hank, Leon, Jacob, Mary, James, Charles, Noel, Phillip, Victor, Noelle, William, Thomas, Abigail, Chester, Elmer, George, Louis, Ferdinand, Delores, Doris, Elizabeth, Florence, Beatrice, Yvonne, Christian, Asa, Ralph, Peter, Richard, Jeanette, Leonard, Sheldon, Catherine, Virginia, Howard, Jesse, Naomi, Esther, Louise, Gabriel, Nellie, Leona, Wilbur, Albert, Sam, Violet, Rose, Clara, Joan, Martin, May, Augustus, Edward, Virgil, Beverly, Nora, Eugene, Sarah, Rosemary, Elanor, Lawrence, Edsel, Lenora, Carl, Melvin, Carol, Betty, Gus, Edwin, Marge, Eileen, Pearl, Francis, Ruby, Alice, Ethel, Agnes, Joseph, Lucille, Luanne, Fred, Edmund, Lucy, Francine, Helen, Victoria, Cora, Arthur, Edgar, Harvey, Hiram, Maxwell, Oliver, Stanley, Rosa, Theodore, Vincent, Wyatt, Marilyn, Amelia, Dorothy, Edith, Evelyn, Gayle, Harriet, Iris, June, Lillian, Mabel, Ulysses

Retro Names-
Jason, Tina, Linda, Rick, Amy, Jerry, Steve, Cindy, Laura, Pam, Mike, David, Tom, Ken, Stephanie, Paul, Kyle, Colleen, Maureen, Lori, Kevin, Greg, Keith, Melissa, Jeff, Susan, Trent, Wendy, Chris, Gary, Brian, Kim, Sherry, Tim, Cheryl, Jim, Robert, Tracy, Kelly, Debbie, Chuck, Carrie, Tony, Ann, Tammy, Mark, John, Billy, Jay, Eric, Dan, Sandy, Don, Shawn, Marty, Julie, Karen, Jessica, Jane, Todd, Scott, Michelle, Brandon, Lisa, Debbie, Donna, Terry, Terri, Doug, Kristi, Dennis, Joe, Ray, Katie, Becky, Alicia, Barry, Elaine, Barb, Denise, Rhonda, Molly, Carly, Vicky

Modern Names-
Brandon, Justin, Jared, Ashley, Madison, Heather, Tiffany, Amber, Conner, Sophie, Ethan, Cameron, Aubrey, Savannah, Sierra, Autumn, Logan, Carson, Jeremy, Lauren, Chelsea, Wesley, Garrett, Alex, Elliott, Kierstyn, Meredith, Mia, Preston, Ashton, Thackston, Reese, Sasha, Turner, Zoey, Riley, Brandy, Kaitlyn, Chloe, Skyler, Kai, Miranda, Lexie, Paxton, Wilson, Carter, Keira, Quinn, Tiana, Addison, Berkley, Tyson, Jade, Bradley, Calyn, Terrence, Jamaal, Maddox, Zane, Alexis, Dexter, Zander, Hunter, Jayden, Sage, Dax, Ebony, Allie, Blake, Chase, Colby, Cade, Dalton, Jamison, Bryce, Kelsey, Cassidy, Mason, Paige, Reid, Tyler, Westin, Tristan, Austin, Jackson

As you read through the three categories of names, you can almost feel time shifting. With very few exceptions, there is very little crossover. Some names have withstood the test of time. Names like Michael, Emily, Emma, etc… But for the most part names come and names go. I don’t believe I will ever teach another Margaret, Ralph, Dennis or Susan. My classes will be filled with Ashleys, Logans, Hunters, Austins, and Sierras.

Names are funny. We never really give them much thought. However, when you look at them in the categories I’ve created, they really do tell a story.

What’s in a name? Everything!