Latest news with #Kihm
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In A Surprise To Literally No One, Parents Aren't Naming Their Kids "Vance" Anymore
The baby name Vance is declining in popularity, according to new data from the US Social Security Administration. On Friday, the agency released the official list of most popular baby names in the US in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the name Vance fell 41 places, from the 955th most popular baby name for boys to No. 996 ― one of its lowest-ever rankings in the annual SSA lists, which date to the 1880s. 'On the whole, parents are likely avoiding the name Vance because it's simply not so fashionable anymore, but JD Vance is likely accelerating its decline,' Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief of Nameberry, told HuffPost. 'Political names tied to presidents and VPs were very common in the early 20th century, but today's parents generally stay away from overt political associations in baby names.' Even looking back to the late 1800s, the more positive influence of politicians on baby names is evident. 'Grover Cleveland pushed both his first and last names into the Top 100 in 1884,' said Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain. 'Bryan first trended way back in 1896, when William Jennings Bryan ran for ― and lost ― the presidency. The name Franklin spiked in 1933, as FDR took office.' Kihm noted that modern parents are more likely to use names inspired by celebrities, influencers, and those figures' children than politicians. 'JD Vance is a polarizing figure and, right now, the most dominant association with the name Vance,' Kihm said. 'Parents that may have otherwise considered the name Vance may have nixed it from their lists to avoid assumptions or questions about their political affiliations. Interestingly, though, Elon actually rose by a few births. I bet we'll see that reverse in the 2025 data.' The name Vance briefly dropped off the Top 1,000 list in 1998 and 2000 but quickly recovered. Interestingly, the name rose in popularity from 2022 to 2023 before JD Vance joined the presidential ticket. But if its current trajectory continues, the name Vance may fall off for good this year. Meanwhile, the name Donald dipped 14 spots from No. 658 to No. 672 ― continuing a general trend of decline that goes back decades (with a couple of fleeting boosts after President Donald Trump entered the political arena). 'Vance did have a brief rise in the early 2000s and then again around 2015, the latter influenced by singer Vance Joy,' Kihm explained. 'But overall, it's dropped significantly from its height. Before 1970, Vance was impressively steady in the rankings, hovering in between No. 300 and No. 500.' The name peaked in popularity in 1969 at No. 328 and started appearing more on the pop culture scene over the next decade or so. 'Vance was very much a late 1970s style star,' Sandel said. 'Lance, too. During the 1980s, television series The Dukes of Hazzard cast briefly included a character called Vance Duke.' Both she and Kihm believe the decline of Vance is largely driven by style, even if accelerated by politics. Plus, fans of The Office might associate it too strongly with the 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration' character. 'I'm not at all surprised to see that Vance dropped in the rankings,' Kihm said. 'Statistically, it's a dad name or even a grandpa name. Vance was never so popular that it feels inextricably tied to a particular generation ― in this case, Gen X ― but that 'anc' sound found in names like Lance and Nancy has a strongly dated feel.' That doesn't mean all parents have fully rejected political ideals in their baby naming choices, however. 'One hopeful name from the new data that might point to how parents are feeling about the world around us?' Sandel said. 'Truce debuted in the boys' Top 1,000.' This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Buzz Feed
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
Baby Name Vance Drops In Popularity
The baby name Vance is declining in popularity, according to new data from the US Social Security Administration. On Friday, the agency released the official list of most popular baby names in the US in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the name Vance fell 41 places, from the 955th most popular baby name for boys to No. 996 ― one of its lowest-ever rankings in the annual SSA lists, which date to the 1880s. 'On the whole, parents are likely avoiding the name Vance because it's simply not so fashionable anymore, but JD Vance is likely accelerating its decline,' Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief of Nameberry, told HuffPost. 'Political names tied to presidents and VPs were very common in the early 20th century, but today's parents generally stay away from overt political associations in baby names.' Even looking back to the late 1800s, the more positive influence of politicians on baby names is evident. 'Grover Cleveland pushed both his first and last names into the Top 100 in 1884,' said Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain. 'Bryan first trended way back in 1896, when William Jennings Bryan ran for ― and lost ― the presidency. The name Franklin spiked in 1933, as FDR took office.' Kihm noted that modern parents are more likely to use names inspired by celebrities, influencers, and those figures' children than politicians. 'JD Vance is a polarizing figure and, right now, the most dominant association with the name Vance,' Kihm said. 'Parents that may have otherwise considered the name Vance may have nixed it from their lists to avoid assumptions or questions about their political affiliations. Interestingly, though, Elon actually rose by a few births. I bet we'll see that reverse in the 2025 data.' The name Vance briefly dropped off the Top 1,000 list in 1998 and 2000 but quickly recovered. Interestingly, the name rose in popularity from 2022 to 2023 before JD Vance joined the presidential ticket. But if its current trajectory continues, the name Vance may fall off for good this year. Meanwhile, the name Donald dipped 14 spots from No. 658 to No. 672 ― continuing a general trend of decline that goes back decades (with a couple of fleeting boosts after President Donald Trump entered the political arena). 'Vance did have a brief rise in the early 2000s and then again around 2015, the latter influenced by singer Vance Joy,' Kihm explained. 'But overall, it's dropped significantly from its height. Before 1970, Vance was impressively steady in the rankings, hovering in between No. 300 and No. 500.' The name peaked in popularity in 1969 at No. 328 and started appearing more on the pop culture scene over the next decade or so. 'Vance was very much a late 1970s style star,' Sandel said. 'Lance, too. During the 1980s, television series The Dukes of Hazzard cast briefly included a character called Vance Duke.' Both she and Kihm believe the decline of Vance is largely driven by style, even if accelerated by politics. Plus, fans of The Office might associate it too strongly with the 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration' character. 'I'm not at all surprised to see that Vance dropped in the rankings,' Kihm said. 'Statistically, it's a dad name or even a grandpa name. Vance was never so popular that it feels inextricably tied to a particular generation ― in this case, Gen X ― but that 'anc' sound found in names like Lance and Nancy has a strongly dated feel.' That doesn't mean all parents have fully rejected political ideals in their baby naming choices, however. 'One hopeful name from the new data that might point to how parents are feeling about the world around us?' Sandel said. 'Truce debuted in the boys' Top 1,000.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Baby Name 'Vance' Is Dropping In Popularity
The baby name Vance is declining in popularity, according to new data from the U.S. Social Security Administration. On Friday, the agency released the official list of most popular baby names in the U.S. in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the name Vance fell 41 places, from the 955th most popular baby name for boys to No. 996 ― one of its lowest-ever rankings in the annual SSA lists, which date to the 1880s. 'On the whole, parents are likely avoiding the name Vance because it's simply not so fashionable anymore, but JD Vance is likely accelerating its decline,' Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief of Nameberry, told HuffPost. 'Political names tied to presidents and VPs were very common in the early 20th century, but today's parents generally stay away from overt political associations in baby names.' Even looking back to the late 1800s, the more positive influence of politicians on baby names is evident. 'Grover Cleveland pushed both his first and last names into the Top 100 in 1884,' said Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain. 'Bryan first trended way back in 1896, when William Jennings Bryan ran for ― and lost ― the presidency. The name Franklin spiked in 1933, as FDR took office.' Kihm noted that modern parents are more likely to use names inspired by celebrities, influencers and those figures' children than politicians. 'JD Vance is a polarizing figure and, right now, the most dominant association with the name Vance,' Kihm said. 'Parents that may have otherwise considered the name Vance may have nixed it from their lists to avoid assumptions or questions about their political affiliations. Interestingly, though, Elon actually rose by a few births. I bet we'll see that reverse in the 2025 data.' The name Vance briefly dropped off the Top 1,000 list in 1998 and 2000 but quickly recovered. Interestingly, the name rose in popularity from 2022 to 2023 before JD Vance joined the presidential ticket. But if its current trajectory continues, the name Vance may fall off for good this year. Meanwhile, the name Donald dipped 14 spots from No. 658 to No. 672 ― continuing a general trend of decline that goes back decades (with a couple of fleeting boosts after President Donald Trump entered the political arena). 'Vance did have a brief rise in the early 2000s and then again around 2015, the latter influenced by singer Vance Joy,' Kihm explained. 'But overall, it's dropped significantly from its height. Before 1970, Vance was impressively steady in the rankings, hovering in between No. 300 and No. 500.' The name peaked in popularity in 1969 at No. 328 and started appearing more on the pop culture scene over the next decade or so. 'Vance was very much a late 1970s style star,' Sandel said. 'Lance, too. During the 1980s, television series 'The Dukes of Hazzard' cast briefly included a character called Vance Duke.' Both she and Kihm believe the decline of Vance is largely driven by style, even if accelerated by politics. Plus, fans of 'The Office' might associate it too strongly with the 'Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration' character. 'I'm not at all surprised to see that Vance dropped in the rankings,' Kihm said. 'Statistically, it's a dad name or even a grandpa name. Vance was never so popular that it feels inextricably tied to a particular generation ― in this case, Gen X ― but that 'anc' sound found in names like Lance and Nancy has a strongly dated feel.' That doesn't mean all parents have fully rejected political ideals in their baby naming choices, however. 'One hopeful name from the new data that might point to how parents are feeling about the world around us?' Sandel said. 'Truce debuted in the boys' Top 1,000.' These Were The Most Popular Baby Names Of 2024 These Were The Most Popular Baby Names 100 Years Ago These Are The Most Popular Baby Names In Every State
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Aggressive Baby Name Trend Is Seriously Alarming Experts
Some parents draw baby name inspiration from sources like family history, geography or even their favorite foods and brands. Others look to literature, music and pop culture. Still others get ideas from a more surprising source: weapons. 'There is a small but noticeable trend of parents using weapons-inspired ― and, more broadly, aggressive ― names for their sons,' Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief at the website Nameberry, told HuffPost. 'Many of these names first appeared on the baby name charts in the 2000s, including Wesson, Caliber, Shooter and Trigger.' Weapon-inspired monikers that parents have chosen in recent years also include Blade and Cannon, as well as brand-related names like Remington, Colt, Ruger and Winchester. Arson, Cutter and Dagger are among the other names with a violent edge in recent data from the Social Security Administration. 'Most of these names peaked in use relatively recently — Wesson in 2021 when it was used 306 times, Caliber in 2018 with 24 uses, Mace in 2022 with 64 uses, Dagger in 2022 with 13 uses,' Kihm noted. 'It's hard to say if these names have truly peaked in use or if some will go on to greater use, but I don't think we're past this trend yet!' Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, believes the trend will evolve over time. 'That initial wave of names borrowed from gun manufacturers has probably peaked, but we're still hearing plenty of choices in this category,' she said. 'The most popular names now are a little more subtle. Archer once referred to a soldier who fought with a bow, but it sounds preppy and polished in 2025. Likewise, Barrett is a sophisticated surname that also happens to be a firearms manufacturer.' Why are parents drawn to these kinds of names? According to the experts, various factors are driving this baby name trend. 'There's a certain set of parents that believe weapons-inspired names have a renegade spirit, which has been a rising theme among today's trendy baby names,' Kihm noted. 'Maverick ranks higher than ever, and cowboy-style names like Dutton, Stetson and Boone are climbing the charts.' So, many parents may be thinking of weapon names in the same way as cowboy-related ones. 'It's easy to imagine Boone and Wesson or Shooter and Stetson being brothers,' Kihm said. Another potential influence is that many weapon-related names resemble ― or in fact are ― surnames as well. ''Last names as first names' are a stylish category for baby names, with English surnames most likely to be adopted as given names,' Kihm explained. 'Popular last names as first names include Carter, Parker and Hunter — itself somewhat aggressive ― which match weapon names like Shooter, Trigger and Dagger, with the two syllables and 'er' endings.' Similarly, Wesson sounds a lot like Weston, which has recently ranked among the SSA's top 100 baby names for boys. For some parents, the appeal of such names may also be tied up in conservative values around gender or guns. founder Jennifer Moss believes some parents are drawn to weapon names for their sons because they feel 'threatened' by recent cultural shifts toward broader acceptance of gender identities and expressions outside the traditional gender binary. 'Assigning these overly violent names might be a reaction to the fear that their son might have less-than-masculine traits,' she said. 'So these parents assign a dictionary word name that has been traditionally associated with aggression or strength, hoping to instill those characteristics into their male offspring.' 'Weapons-inspired names convey masculinity without being traditional male names,' Kihm added. 'They are at once undeniably masculine and extremely modern. We associate weapons with men and masculinity, so these parents might have more conservative values around gender.' She pointed to Nameberry's analysis of 'The Reddest and Bluest Baby Names,' which found that parents living in so-called red states are more likely to choose gun-themed names for their children. 'In our study, we identified Gunner ― notably spelled with an 'er,' which differentiates it from the Scandinavian Gunnar ― as the ninth 'reddest' name for boys in the U.S.,' Kihm said. Parents in red states are also known to choose names that evoke romanticized imagery of rural life, which can include farming occupations and weaponry. There's a general interest in names that signal strength and independence as well. 'Some of the most obvious choices are clearly more popular in red states,' Sandel said. 'Think Maverick or Walker ― the fictional Texas lawman of television fame. That's true for weapons-related names, too. You're more likely to meet a newborn Remington or Gatlin in Texas or Alabama, rather than California or Maryland.' What do baby name experts think of this trend? 'It's rare for me to outright reject a name or name trend, but I cannot get behind weapon-inspired names,' Kihm said. 'They glamorize violence and, particularly in the wake of so much violence in the U.S., feel out of touch. In name consulting, I've never encountered a parent who wants to use these names, but I would advise any client against it.' Moss noted that parents have been using dictionary words as names for their children for centuries, pointing to examples like Faith and Angel, as well as occupation-based picks like Mason and Thatcher. But she emphasized the importance of being cognizant of the meanings of these kinds of names and the public association with them. 'I find the weapon names particularly alarming because it's tying your child to an instrument of destruction or death ― or at the least a word that's associated with violence,' Moss said. 'Another reason not to use a name with an immediately identifiable meaning is that it can become a joke. People's first response might be to laugh at it, or assume that you do belong to a particular culture that favors weaponry or violence. It comes with baggage.' Not every weapon-related name carries the exact same meaning or weight, however. 'It's just like any other category in naming ― it's great to honor what we love and value, but the name has to leave space for our child to become their own person,' Sandel said. 'So, yes to Remington or Archer. A cautious maybe to Gatlin and Gunner. But Beretta? I think that crosses a line.' Although distinctive names can be great, she noted that Beretta is both uncommon as a given name and immediately recognizable for its association with weapons, lending it an aggressive feel that might be a burden on a child. Still, Sandel added that the weapon trend is consistent with an overall shift in the baby name sphere. After generations of parents sticking to familiar names for their sons while taking a more daring approach for their daughters, there's finally a little more creativity in the realm of boy names. 'Weapons-related names are novel, but so are lots of name categories we're exploring for boys now,' Sandel said. 'If that means we have a few Remingtons mixed in with boys named Bodhi, Onyx and Ellis, I think that's part of figuring out what it means to name our sons for the 2020s and beyond.' However creative you want to be with your children's names, it's important to remember that parents are naming future adults. 'We recommend that when choosing baby names, check your personal fears and biases before you instill them into your baby's name,' Moss said. 'As most parents come to realize, our expectations for our child don't necessarily align with the child's individual identity. Give your child a name that evokes positivity, that will grow with them and they can make their own instead of conforming to your expectations.'This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
