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HelpAmerican Names
Hi !!!
I often come across posts about 'Southern names (USA)' but I've no idea about the other parts of U.S.
So..which names are typical from:
Midwest?
New England?
West Coast?
Personal Name Lists https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/125456
I often come across posts about 'Southern names (USA)' but I've no idea about the other parts of U.S.
So..which names are typical from:
Midwest?
New England?
West Coast?
Personal Name Lists https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/125456
This message was edited 1/24/2019, 1:41 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
Minnesota/South Dakota: Scandivian, OLd German names are all the rage, with a mix of nature type names.
Rest of the Midwest is a toss up. It is a very diverse region so you are going to see the typical tryndee names, to the traditional Gaelic, Slavic, Italian and Hispanic names, and the classic English names. I would say it is the same in the West Coast. It all depends on the particular state and city.
Rest of the Midwest is a toss up. It is a very diverse region so you are going to see the typical tryndee names, to the traditional Gaelic, Slavic, Italian and Hispanic names, and the classic English names. I would say it is the same in the West Coast. It all depends on the particular state and city.
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I think when people say names sound Southern, it's mostly a reflection of stereotypes about the South...rural, conservative, old-fashioned, religious, eccentric.
Based on stereotypes I have of other regions...
If something sounds German, I'm most likely to associate it with the midwest or Pennsylvania.
If something sounds unusual and French, I'm likely to associate it with Maine, Louisiana, or African Americans.
If something sounds Arabic, I'm likely to associate it with African Americans (anywhere) or recent immigrants (likely in California or the north half of the country?).
If something sounds Hispanic, I'm most likely to think Florida or the Southwest.
If something sounds unusual and Italian, I'm most likely to think Northeast.
If something sounds Asian, I'm most likely to associate it with the west coast.
If something sounds liberal or hippie or hipster, I'm most likely to think west coast or urban.
If something sounds preppy, I'm most likely to think east coast.
And predictably, with place names, I think of the place: Dakota sounds midwestern, Brooklyn sounds east coast, Oakland sounds west coast, etc
Based on stereotypes I have of other regions...
If something sounds German, I'm most likely to associate it with the midwest or Pennsylvania.
If something sounds unusual and French, I'm likely to associate it with Maine, Louisiana, or African Americans.
If something sounds Arabic, I'm likely to associate it with African Americans (anywhere) or recent immigrants (likely in California or the north half of the country?).
If something sounds Hispanic, I'm most likely to think Florida or the Southwest.
If something sounds unusual and Italian, I'm most likely to think Northeast.
If something sounds Asian, I'm most likely to associate it with the west coast.
If something sounds liberal or hippie or hipster, I'm most likely to think west coast or urban.
If something sounds preppy, I'm most likely to think east coast.
And predictably, with place names, I think of the place: Dakota sounds midwestern, Brooklyn sounds east coast, Oakland sounds west coast, etc
This message was edited 1/25/2019, 3:12 PM
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Interesting question. It's complicated! Regions within the US are really diverse, so you'll often see more difference between people living right next to each other, if they're from different classes or ethnic backgrounds, than you see between regions. But there are always regional stereotypes :).
Some states certainly have unique naming cultures. Alaska, Utah, Hawaii, New Mexico, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico all have totally different and unique name styles. The state rankings can show you just how much popularity varies from state to state, and can help you see some regional trends: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/state/.
Laura Wattenberg has also written some thoughtful posts about the reasons baby names vary by region, particularly on red states vs. blue states.
- http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2009/1/red-and-blue-baby-naming-inauguration-2009-edition
- http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2008/9/of-names-and-politics-the-palin-story
To answer some of the questions you asked initially (and to indulge in stereotypes), here are some names that I would associate strongly with each region:
- New England: preppy, WASPy names, like Crichton Banks Ludworth, III (definitely some overlap with the aristocratic Southern naming style)
- Midwest: short, plain, middle-aged names like Bob, Carl, Craig, Derek, Sue, Pam, Jen, Carrie.
- West Coast: hippie word names (maybe w/ quirky spellings) like Starr, Phoenix, Skye, Bleu.
Some states certainly have unique naming cultures. Alaska, Utah, Hawaii, New Mexico, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico all have totally different and unique name styles. The state rankings can show you just how much popularity varies from state to state, and can help you see some regional trends: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/state/.
Laura Wattenberg has also written some thoughtful posts about the reasons baby names vary by region, particularly on red states vs. blue states.
- http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2009/1/red-and-blue-baby-naming-inauguration-2009-edition
- http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2008/9/of-names-and-politics-the-palin-story
To answer some of the questions you asked initially (and to indulge in stereotypes), here are some names that I would associate strongly with each region:
- New England: preppy, WASPy names, like Crichton Banks Ludworth, III (definitely some overlap with the aristocratic Southern naming style)
- Midwest: short, plain, middle-aged names like Bob, Carl, Craig, Derek, Sue, Pam, Jen, Carrie.
- West Coast: hippie word names (maybe w/ quirky spellings) like Starr, Phoenix, Skye, Bleu.
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Are you looking for historically typical names or current stats?
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Both
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Regular common names. For example, Lurline sounds Southern as well as Darlene. Emma sounds like a name you could hear anymore. Being American, the names I usually hear are American and the other ones aren't. I would expect to hear Lily, Mia, Emma, Sophia, Hannah and John, David, Elijah, even, those names sound American as in names in the US.
There is maps like this but they hardly show anything.
https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b5002281900002a00c66a2d.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale
There is maps like this but they hardly show anything.
https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b5002281900002a00c66a2d.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale
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Never would have thought Elijah was up there!
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Regional differences can be subtle and vary between communities. For instance, Detroit and Grand Rapids may have different styles even though they are both in Michigan. Within the American South, Tennessee, South Carolina, and New Orleans have many cultural differences that probably impact names.
In the northeastern US, traditional names linked to historic personalities seem common. For instance, while the rest of the country has a lot of boys named Noah and Liam, I would expect to encounter comparatively more boys named Benjamin (Benjamin Franklin), Henry, Thomas (Thomas Jefferson) and maybe Lincoln than in the US as a whole. To a lesser extent, I associate names like Julian with the northeast more than with other areas, but I haven’t researched this.
Added: The Rocky Mountain region and more western Midwest areas like North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, etc. seam to have more unconventional/free-spirited names like Ryker, Maverick, Easton, and Nash.
The Pacific Coast (Oregon, Washington, and parts of California) seems more hipster, so I would expect some names to reflect that like Sebastian and Penelope.
In the northeastern US, traditional names linked to historic personalities seem common. For instance, while the rest of the country has a lot of boys named Noah and Liam, I would expect to encounter comparatively more boys named Benjamin (Benjamin Franklin), Henry, Thomas (Thomas Jefferson) and maybe Lincoln than in the US as a whole. To a lesser extent, I associate names like Julian with the northeast more than with other areas, but I haven’t researched this.
Added: The Rocky Mountain region and more western Midwest areas like North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, etc. seam to have more unconventional/free-spirited names like Ryker, Maverick, Easton, and Nash.
The Pacific Coast (Oregon, Washington, and parts of California) seems more hipster, so I would expect some names to reflect that like Sebastian and Penelope.
This message was edited 1/24/2019, 9:28 AM
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But you will also see a lot of Italian and Portuguese-derived names in the Northeast, because Italian and Portuguese are very prevalent backgrounds in those areas.
It's kind of almost a cliche that Utah parents tend to pick more unusual, tryndee-seeming names for their babies, like Kinsley and Braxton and such.
But in general, I'd say that family's ethnic backgrounds, family tradition and other factors are much more to do with the prevlalence of names than pure geography is.
It's kind of almost a cliche that Utah parents tend to pick more unusual, tryndee-seeming names for their babies, like Kinsley and Braxton and such.
But in general, I'd say that family's ethnic backgrounds, family tradition and other factors are much more to do with the prevlalence of names than pure geography is.
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You also see a lot of Italian names in the Midwest like because there are a lot of Italians that settled those areas too as well as in the New Orleans Metro area.
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"But in general, I'd say that family's ethnic backgrounds, family tradition and other factors are much more to do with the prevlalence of names than pure geography is."
Agreed, there are a lot of factors. A few name trends are very Geographical like Aurora's popularity in Alaska due to the aurora borealis, but belief patterns, work traditions, and history all come into play. Since some areas were predominately settled by a particular group (Dutch, Spanish, German, Irish, Norwegian, etc.), it definitely impacts the regional culture. One town I visited came into being after a Catholic priest advertised the area in a Catholic magazine in Germany during the mid 1800s, so the whole area is very Catholic and very German.
Agreed, there are a lot of factors. A few name trends are very Geographical like Aurora's popularity in Alaska due to the aurora borealis, but belief patterns, work traditions, and history all come into play. Since some areas were predominately settled by a particular group (Dutch, Spanish, German, Irish, Norwegian, etc.), it definitely impacts the regional culture. One town I visited came into being after a Catholic priest advertised the area in a Catholic magazine in Germany during the mid 1800s, so the whole area is very Catholic and very German.
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Perhaps other Americans will disagree with me, but I don't think that there are names typical of the areas you mention. Other than the South being fond of double-barreled girls names, and some names sounding "country" so seeming Southern, the only "area-typical" names I can think of is Spanish names being more common in areas with a lot of Latinos.
The South is unique. The fact that some names sound Southern doesn't mean that every area has its typical names.
The South is unique. The fact that some names sound Southern doesn't mean that every area has its typical names.
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Southern names to me are just typical Ulster Scots or British names. You find similar styles in parts of Australia and England, so I don't think they are that unique to the South.
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