Baby Names & the Spanish-American War

I think 1898 was a fascinating year. Why? It was the year of the brief Spanish-American War. The war began in April, ended in August, and inspired a number of expectant parents to choose patriotic baby names. Here are some examples.

Maine & Havana

One of the events that led to war was the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine in Cuba’s Havana Harbor on February 15. The explosion killed more than 260 men. Many people in the U.S. blamed the explosion on Spain.

Both Maine and Havana appear on the SSA’s baby name list for the first time in 1898. (For Maine, it’s the first and only time.) According to the list, Maine was given to 9 baby girls, Havana to 8.

The SSDI tells a more complete story (though it doesn’t offer information on gender). It indicates that 25 babies were named Maine and 12 were named Havana in 1898.

Dewey & Manila

War was formally declared on April 25. On May 1, the Battle of Manila Bay took place in the Philippines. The U.S. fleet, under the command of Commodore George Dewey, defeated Spain.

Usage of the name Dewey spiked in 1898, both for boys and for girls:

• 1895: 28 baby boys named Dewey
• 1896: 63 baby boys named Dewey
• 1897: 158 baby boys and 13 baby girls named Dewey
• 1898: 1,115 baby boys and 104 baby girls named Dewey; 11 baby girls named Dewie; 6 baby boys named Dewy
• 1899: 499 baby boys and 24 baby girls named Dewey
• 1900: 345 baby boys and 9 baby girls named Dewey
• 1901: 137 baby boys and 7 baby girls named Dewey

In terms of rankings, Dewey hit 19th (!) for boys and 305th for girls in 1898.

Going back to the SSDI, we see even higher numbers — 6,708 babies named Dewey, 36 named Dewie, and 1 named Dewy in 1898.

We even see evidence of Dewey’s spike on the U.S. Census of 1920:

• 1871-1880: fewer than 10 babies named Dewey
• 1881-1890: fewer than 10 babies named Dewey
• 1891-1900: 157 babies named Dewey
• 1901-1910: 62 babies named Dewey
• 1911-1920: 33 babies named Dewey

An article in the Reading Eagle in 1899 listed ten local babies named for George Dewey, and another article I spotted from decades later joked about starting a George Dewey namesake club.

We see a similar (but less pronounced) spike of in the usage of Manila for baby girls:

• 1896: fewer than 5 baby girls named Manila
• 1897: 7 baby girls named Manila
• 1898: 104 baby girls named Manila; 35 baby girls named Manilla
• 1899: 34 baby girls named Manila; 11 baby girls named Manilla
• 1900: 10 baby girls named Manila; 10 baby girls named Manilla

Manila ranked 306th and newbie Manilla ranked 536th in 1898.

Again, the SSDI’s numbers are even higher — 195 babies were named Manila and 118 were named Manilla in 1898.

Hobson, Admiral, Shafter, Maceo & Schley

Here are five more names that debuted on the SSA’s baby name list in 1898. All of them have something to do with the Spanish-American War.

Hobson, inspired by Richmond Pearson Hobson, prisoner of war in Cuba. Baby boys: 38 according to the SSA; 161 according to the SSDI.

Admiral, the rank of many of the men (e.g. Admiral Dewey, Admiral Sampson, Admiral Schley) who played a part in the war. Baby boys: 25 SSA; 154 SSDI.

Shafter, inspired by William Rufus Shafter, army general. Baby boys: 14 SSA; 58 SSDI.

Maceo, inspired by Antonio Maceo y Grajales, Cuban revolutionary (who had passed away in 1896, actually). Baby boys: 13 SSA, 34 SSDI.

Schley, inspired by Winfield Scott Schley, hero of the Battle of Santiago Bay. Baby boys: 10 SSA; 39 SSDI.

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Source: “Berks Babies Named in Honor of Dewey” Reading Eagle 30 Apr. 1899: 4.