Distinctive Names by State

plunderb · May 2014

I've put together the lists for this year's distinctive names for each state. That is, these names are much more popular in a particular state than in the rest of the country.

For example, the most distinctive names for girls in Oregon are Maple, Cedar, and Sequoia. The most distinctive names for boys in Montana are Tuff, Bridger, and Colter.

All the state lists are here: https://namedata.blogspot.com/

Sassenach1743 · May 2014

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

danascullyx · May 2014

brita722 said:

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

Seriously. I am a teacher in CA and I have never seen any of those names.

plunderb · May 2014

brita722 said:

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

A distinctive name is a name that is used way more in one state than in others. Often, these turn out to be names from an immigrant group or ethnic minority that lives in one or two states. Thus, the distinctive names in NY and NJ are mostly Yiddish. In California, many of the most distinctive names are Nahuatl (like Eztli) and Armenian (Arpi, Hrach).

Sassenach1743 · May 2014

plunderb said:

brita722 said:

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

A distinctive name is a name that is used way more in one state than in others. Often, these turn out to be names from an immigrant group or ethnic minority that lives in one or two states. Thus, the distinctive names in NY and NJ are mostly Yiddish. In California, many of the most distinctive names are Nahuatl (like Eztli) and Armenian (Arpi, Hrach).

Yeah, I get that. I have lived in Southern California all my life, and have spent several years living in different counties (e.g. Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura). I am aware of our cultural diversity in this state and know many people of different backgrounds and still have never seen nor heard of any of those names in any capacity whatsoever. None of them seem real at all.

plunderb · May 2014

VioletteGrayskies said:

The data comes from the Social Security Administration, right?

Yes. Names get a "distinctiveness" score based on their frequency in a state compared to national frequency (adjusted for population). These are the names with extremely high scores.

plunderb · May 2014

brita722 said:

plunderb said:

brita722 said:

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

A distinctive name is a name that is used way more in one state than in others. Often, these turn out to be names from an immigrant group or ethnic minority that lives in one or two states. Thus, the distinctive names in NY and NJ are mostly Yiddish. In California, many of the most distinctive names are Nahuatl (like Eztli) and Armenian (Arpi, Hrach).

Yeah, I get that. I have lived in Southern California all my life, and have spent several years living in different counties (e.g. Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura). I am aware of our cultural diversity in this state and know many people of different backgrounds and still have never seen nor heard of any of those names in any capacity whatsoever. None of them seem real at all.

Well, be on the lookout for little girls named Anahit (9 born in CA in 2013) and boys named Narek (14 born in CA in 2013).

Sassenach1743 · May 2014

plunderb said:

VioletteGrayskies said:

The data comes from the Social Security Administration, right?

Yes. Names get a "distinctiveness" score based on their frequency in a state compared to national frequency (adjusted for population). These are the names with extremely high scores.

I'm thinking this is because many immigrants choose to use an 'American' name in their daily life while SS would have their true given names for legal purposes, etc. This may be why none of these names are recognizable, and not actually popular at all... just a thought.

plunderb · May 2014

VioletteGrayskies said:

Idani said:

Damn you New York. Damn You. 1. Our list is interesting to say the least and #2. Valentina is gaining already but I must have missed it was #56 in New York.

Nearly every name on the New York list looks like a weird transliteration of Hebrew/Jewish names.

Has anyone seen this cool map? It shows the THIRD mostly commonly spoken language in each state. In all the states, English is #1, and in nearly all, Spanish is #2. The third most common is where it gets interesting.

I wonder how many of the most distinctive names by state come from those languages? Or if there's any relationship?

Very cooll!

plunderb · May 2014

brita722 said:

plunderb said:

VioletteGrayskies said:

The data comes from the Social Security Administration, right?

Yes. Names get a "distinctiveness" score based on their frequency in a state compared to national frequency (adjusted for population). These are the names with extremely high scores.

I'm thinking this is because many immigrants choose to use an 'American' name in their daily life while SS would have their true given names for legal purposes, etc. This may be why none of these names are recognizable, and not actually popular at all... just a thought.

You're right — they aren't popular, just specific to a state or region. For example, you could live your whole life in Alabama without knowing a little girl named Krimson (5 in 2013) or Crimson (20 in 2013). But if you meet a little Krimson/Crimson, there is a pretty good chance that she's from Alabama!

NerdyLucy · May 2014

Gaaaaaaaah, my state has a bunch of shitty, made-up names. Not all, but a lot.

I live in a tri-state area, and I work in another state, so I tend to look at the lists for it too. Yeah, a bunch of other made-up names.

CURSES!

Helenahhandbasket · May 2014

So interesting!

RE: distinctive and popular-- I am in NY and I know 3 baby Giannas (two are named Gianna Rose), Two Lucas (both under age 5) one Moshe, one Chaya and a close friend just had a baby named Nicholas.

theholmanherd · May 2014

Come on, Washington! Get it together!

vjdk07 · May 2014

Am I missing it, or is Kentucky not on the list? They're probably terrible any way.

lifeonthehill · May 2014

Pretty proud of Maine on this one!

Sassenach1743 · May 2014

VioletteGrayskies said:

brita722 said:

plunderb said:

brita722 said:

This is strange. I checked the California list and have never seen nor heard of 99% of the names shown. Where are they getting this info? Yikes.

A distinctive name is a name that is used way more in one state than in others. Often, these turn out to be names from an immigrant group or ethnic minority that lives in one or two states. Thus, the distinctive names in NY and NJ are mostly Yiddish. In California, many of the most distinctive names are Nahuatl (like Eztli) and Armenian (Arpi, Hrach).

Yeah, I get that. I have lived in Southern California all my life, and have spent several years living in different counties (e.g. Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura). I am aware of our cultural diversity in this state and know many people of different backgrounds and still have never seen nor heard of any of those names in any capacity whatsoever. None of them seem real at all.

Sorry, I thought from your avatar icon that you might be British.

Actually, my name is Brittania (Brita is my nickname) which means England/ from Britain. Hence the union jack avatar

ritzgrrl · May 2014

@alyssa32713 Wow, go Maine! DH is from Maine. Very respectable list. Wisconsin on the other hand...not so much. Lucus...really? Like mucus? For shame.

queenbone · May 2014

Wow, I can't believe people name their sons after a football stadium (Autzen.)

Didn't you find another stadium name from another state recently? And I have heard some people attribute the popularity of Addison to the cross street for Fenway Park.

Mayhaps this needs to be its own list. (Although I shudder to thnk of all the little Espns out there.

:-SS)

absolutelymaybe · May 2014

Roflmao. Washington State #1s Valkyrie (girl) and Vitality (boy). That's just freaking awesome. Rushing home to tell DH what we're naming our twins right now!!!

ETA: Unless I'm completely uninformed, I don't even think we get to use the excuse of having an ethnic enclave that caused the names to be uniquely poplar.

genromeo · May 2014

WV made me want to cry (or maybe kraiigh?)

jess9802 · May 2014

queenbone said:

Wow, I can't believe people name their sons after a football stadium (Autzen.)

I retched a little when I saw that.

vulpini · May 2014

absolutelymaybe said:

Roflmao. Washington State #1s Valkyrie (girl) and Vitality (boy). That's just freaking awesome. Rushing home to tell DH what we're naming our twins right now!!!

ETA: Unless I'm completely uninformed, I don't even think we get to use the excuse of having an ethnic enclave that caused the names to be uniquely poplar.

Vitaliy. Just one t. It's a Russian/Eastern European name.

Hannahbanana54 · May 2014

queenbone said:

Wow, I can't believe people name their sons after a football stadium (Autzen.)

Didn't you find another stadium name from another state recently? And I have heard some people attribute the popularity of Addison to the cross street for Fenway Park.

Mayhaps this needs to be its own list. (Although I shudder to thnk of all the little Espns out there.
:-SS)

I know someone who did this.

absolutelymaybe · May 2014

vulpini said:

absolutelymaybe said:

Roflmao. Washington State #1s Valkyrie (girl) and Vitality (boy). That's just freaking awesome. Rushing home to tell DH what we're naming our twins right now!!!

ETA: Unless I'm completely uninformed, I don't even think we get to use the excuse of having an ethnic enclave that caused the names to be uniquely poplar.

Vitaliy. Just one t. It's a Russian/Eastern European name.

Well that totally ruined my fun. I guess I should learn to read.

plunderb · May 2014

absolutelymaybe said:

vulpini said:

absolutelymaybe said:

Roflmao. Washington State #1s Valkyrie (girl) and Vitality (boy). That's just freaking awesome. Rushing home to tell DH what we're naming our twins right now!!!

ETA: Unless I'm completely uninformed, I don't even think we get to use the excuse of having an ethnic enclave that caused the names to be uniquely poplar.

Vitaliy. Just one t. It's a Russian/Eastern European name.

Well that totally ruined my fun. I guess I should learn to read.

You'll always have Valkyrie.

Not sure, but Valkyrie gives me a neoNazi vibe. Anyone else?

WestIsleFlower · May 2014

Oh Florida, you never fail to entertain me

Kseniya, Naelle, Juvens, and Kervens.....oh my!

plunderb · May 2014

WanderingStars23 said:

And re: language, The third most popular language here is German. The number one girl's name is Bergen. I don't know if that's a real name or any of the history/etymology of it, but I know that in German Berg means mountain.

Maybe after Bergen Park? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen_Park

rahkitt · May 2014

Minnesota looks to me all Somalian. I would have thought more states would have mostly ethnic enclave names, but I guess Minnesota's big minority groups tend to be ones that aren't really spread evenly around the rest of the country (Hmong and Somali).

BTW, thanks for doing this! I really appreciate people who take the time to mine data like this.

colliebabe · May 2014

Hannahbanana54 said:

queenbone said:

Wow, I can't believe people name their sons after a football stadium (Autzen.)

Didn't you find another stadium name from another state recently? And I have heard some people attribute the popularity of Addison to the cross street for Fenway Park.

Mayhaps this needs to be its own list. (Although I shudder to thnk of all the little Espns out there.
:-SS)

I know someone who did this.

I think it was because of Wrigley Field, not Fenway though.

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