Haven posted a link to this post a few messages down, and I remembered how much I liked the idea of CKE's way of defining classic:
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/arcview.php?id=507534&board=baby
I've found some more "Near Misses"--I couldn't find any more "Classics"--and some of them are a bit surprising. I thought you all might be interested. :) They're listed by name, lowest place on SSA list, and year it placed there:
Christine 398 (2005)
Esther 330 (2000)
Helen 364 (2004)
Nancy 318 (2005)
Priscilla 382 (1892)
Rose 393 (1997)
Ruth 353 (2003)
The other difficult bit is that quite a few names hold up as Near Misses if you go with BtN's records (which show by decade, for the most part), but then there'll be a year or two in which they went below 400! Arrgh. ;) I kind of think it should be opened up to any name that's never been below the 500 mark--otherwise, neither Anne nor Jane count as American classics!
But overall, it's kind of a fun treasure hunt.
Array
O come, all ye Grateful
Deadheads to the concert.
O come, Grateful Deadheads,
And camp in the street.
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.