**Data source:** U.S. Social Security Administration (2024)
**Tools:** Python / SQL / Hex / Figma
Out of 1,087 names with over 50k lifetime births, I used a rolling 20-year window to find the maximum concentration of births for each name, calculated separately by gender. These 50 were selected from the 169 names that crossed the 75% threshold, prioritizing lifetime volume and names with exceptionally high spikes.
A few things to keep in mind:
* Just because a large share of births fell within the window doesn’t mean the name wasn’t also common outside it. For the most popular names, even <25% could be hundreds of thousands of babies.
* Many popular names were spread across longer periods and just missed the threshold, like Jennifer (23 years), Jason (23 years), or Susan (24 years).
* Newer names haven’t had as much time to spread across multiple generations, so it makes sense that their concentration scores would be higher. If Aiden becomes as timeless as Michael or James, it could fall off this list in a few decades.
Happy to pull stats on any specific names not on this list if you’re curious.
BrettHullsBurner on
Wasn’t this just posted a couple days ago?
AMWJ on
I think this is a really interesting question, but it also seems like “concentrated names” are names with a tail, which leads to the most recent names being more concentrated than any previous.
platinum92 on
Seeing the “Aiden” rhyming scheme take over boys names is wild.
SevenCedarJelly on
Weird that so many would be named “Kathy”. It’s a nickname. No Katherines or Catherines or Kathryns, etc…..just Kathy. Odd.
Soulfighter56 on
Losing my shit over Aidan, Jaden, Kaden, Brayden, Aiden, and Jayden lol
eric5014 on
Aiden appears twice. Does that mean the overlap between them is over 75%?
Low_Cut_368 on
Modern American names are absolutely brain dead and you can’t change my mind. Who tf names their child Nevaeh
LawstinTransition on
Lot of white poverty names post 1972
fluctuatore on
Seems that Americans agree more on girls names than boys names.
heridfel37 on
And not a Jennifer to be found
Mnm0602 on
Lmaooo Aidan, Jaiden, Kaden, Braydon, Aiden, Jayden we are sheep.
BobDope on
Man Nevaeh is just the dumbest fucking name Id be so mad if my parents did that to me
Alarmed_Act_1078 on
Crazy that little area in Scotland is popular US name. Paisley
Oh you looking for Aiden? I saw him earlier over there talking to Braiden, Jayden and Kayden.
MathematicianOnly652 on
So, “Chad” was definitely a fad
wastedpixls on
Quite surprised to not see Jason on this list. White guys between 40 and 50 are either named Jason or know two guys who are.
ChefW03 on
I thought I was pretty good understanding numbers but I am at a loss with the chart. I understand that you methodology – but the percentages do not make sense to me.
Paisley, Aria, Harper, and Isla are all above 95% for the same period. The explanation of the percentage is that it represent the number of times that name was given during that time period. If one name was given 97% – shouldn’t that only allow 3% remaining?
Please explain further? What am I missing?
ThingCalledLight on
Hey friend, your Dustin is off. Its band should start further left to be aligned with the bars above it that start the same year.
28 Comments
**Data source:** U.S. Social Security Administration (2024)
**Tools:** Python / SQL / Hex / Figma
Out of 1,087 names with over 50k lifetime births, I used a rolling 20-year window to find the maximum concentration of births for each name, calculated separately by gender. These 50 were selected from the 169 names that crossed the 75% threshold, prioritizing lifetime volume and names with exceptionally high spikes.
A few things to keep in mind:
* Just because a large share of births fell within the window doesn’t mean the name wasn’t also common outside it. For the most popular names, even <25% could be hundreds of thousands of babies.
* Many popular names were spread across longer periods and just missed the threshold, like Jennifer (23 years), Jason (23 years), or Susan (24 years).
* Newer names haven’t had as much time to spread across multiple generations, so it makes sense that their concentration scores would be higher. If Aiden becomes as timeless as Michael or James, it could fall off this list in a few decades.
Happy to pull stats on any specific names not on this list if you’re curious.
Wasn’t this just posted a couple days ago?
I think this is a really interesting question, but it also seems like “concentrated names” are names with a tail, which leads to the most recent names being more concentrated than any previous.
Seeing the “Aiden” rhyming scheme take over boys names is wild.
Weird that so many would be named “Kathy”. It’s a nickname. No Katherines or Catherines or Kathryns, etc…..just Kathy. Odd.
Losing my shit over Aidan, Jaden, Kaden, Brayden, Aiden, and Jayden lol
Aiden appears twice. Does that mean the overlap between them is over 75%?
Modern American names are absolutely brain dead and you can’t change my mind. Who tf names their child Nevaeh
Lot of white poverty names post 1972
Seems that Americans agree more on girls names than boys names.
And not a Jennifer to be found
Lmaooo Aidan, Jaiden, Kaden, Braydon, Aiden, Jayden we are sheep.
Man Nevaeh is just the dumbest fucking name Id be so mad if my parents did that to me
Crazy that little area in Scotland is popular US name. Paisley
Destiny? That’s a woman’s name..
I feel basic two of my kids names are on the list
Steve Martin had these tables memorized in “Leap of Faith” https://youtu.be/Yq5csaHc_GE?si=hnLAaxamD1sLUKcQ
Oh you looking for Aiden? I saw him earlier over there talking to Braiden, Jayden and Kayden.
So, “Chad” was definitely a fad
Quite surprised to not see Jason on this list. White guys between 40 and 50 are either named Jason or know two guys who are.
I thought I was pretty good understanding numbers but I am at a loss with the chart. I understand that you methodology – but the percentages do not make sense to me.
Paisley, Aria, Harper, and Isla are all above 95% for the same period. The explanation of the percentage is that it represent the number of times that name was given during that time period. If one name was given 97% – shouldn’t that only allow 3% remaining?
Please explain further? What am I missing?
Hey friend, your Dustin is off. Its band should start further left to be aligned with the bars above it that start the same year.
https://preview.redd.it/4f9w44334lrg1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=014261aefff910c2aca9b855832f74718c6f47f8
There’s a Key & Peele sketch in here somewhere…..
just commenting to say that this IS beautiful data, great job!
No one show this to Taylor Frankie Paul. She’ll read into it too much.
what do the percentages mean?
Aiden/Jayden/Kayden/Brayden. What the hell, crazy lack of creativity there.
Brooklyn is a name?
Why not Manhattan, it’s better there
Jk