How popular is the baby name Pam in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Pam.

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Popularity of the baby name Pam


Posts that mention the name Pam

Road trip roundup: Dora, Dixie, Mollie, Pam

The gold rush town of Deadwood, South Dakota, takes pride in its lawless past — drinking, gambling, even murder. So I wasn’t too surprised to learn that prostitution played a large part in the narrative.

The first prostitutes arrived in Deadwood in 1876. “Most prostitutes died in obscurity under assumed names, but a few became well known, if not respected.”

Here are some of the names (or pseudonyms) of Deadwood’s early prostitutes:

Only in 1980 (!) was prostitution wiped out in Deadwood once and for all.

In the Adams Museum, I found a pair of bedazzled denim wedge-heeled shoes left behind by one of Deadwood’s former (but more recent) working girls:

Prostitute Shoes

Here are the names of Deadwood’s last three madams:

Which set of names do you like better: the one from the late 19th century, or the one from the late 20th century?

Sources: Adams Museum, Deadwood.com, Madam Mollie Johnson, queen of the blondes

What turned Shaft into a baby name in 1971?

The character John Shaft from the movie "Shaft" (1971)
John Shaft from “Shaft“

The unusual name Shaft debuted in the U.S. baby name data in 1971:

  • 1973: 16 baby boys named Shaft
  • 1972: 31 baby boys named Shaft
  • 1971: 22 baby boys named Shaft [debut]
  • 1970: unlisted
  • 1969: unlisted

Why?

Because of the 1971 movie Shaft, which introduced theatergoers to New York City-based private detective John Shaft (played by Richard Roundtree).

The film was based on a 1970 novel of the same name written by (white) journalist Ernest Tidyman:

[O]n April 27th, 1970, readers met John Shaft, a former thief and Vietnam veteran now working as a private detective — and soon to take on a case that would find him brushing up against the mob, the police, and a group of black militants. However unlikely its origins, Tidyman’s Shaft remains a brisk, convincing read. Deeply immersed in Shaft’s point of view, it’s filled with the protagonist’s conflicted, sometimes ugly…observations about early 70s New York.

Movie post for "Shaft" (1971)

The film’s memorable theme song, which could be heard during the opening credits, was written and performed by Isaac Hayes.

You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother- (Shut your mouth)
But I’m talkin’ about Shaft (Then we can dig it)

Later released as a single, the song reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in November of 1971 and won the Oscar for “Best Original Song” at the 44th Academy Awards (in April of ’72).

The first Shaft film was followed by a pair of sequels — Shaft’s Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973) — both of which also starred Roundtree.

What are your thoughts on the baby name Shaft?

P.S. I’ve found other ’70s baby names inspired by blaxploitation films, but none are as shocking as Shaft. They include Coffy, Foxy and Sheba, inspired by the Pam Grier movies Coffy (1973), Foxy Brown (1974) and Sheba, Baby (1975).

Sources: Shaft (1971 film) – Wikipedia, The Unlikely, Gritty Origins of John Shaft, Isaac Hayes – Theme from Shaft Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Image: Screenshot of Shaft

Baby name stories: Robin

Cheap Trick's album "Heaven Tonight" (1978"
Robin Zander (on the left)

One of the benefits of having a unisex name is that you can pass it down to either a boy or a girl. Or, you can pass it down to both a boy and a girl, which is exactly Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander did.

Zander has two children — one is a boy named Robin Jr., the other is a girl named Robin-Sailor.

About her children’s names, [Robin’s wife] Pam jokes, “Any more kids and we’d have to do the George Foreman thing.”

Robin and Robin-Sailor remind me of Emeril Lagasse’s latest two children, Meril (girl) and Emeril (boy).

Source: Daly, Sean. “Trick Daddy Zander surrenders to the bay area beauty.” St. Petersburg Times 10 Nov. 2006.

Baby name needed, part 2: Middle name for Ivan

Back in March, a reader named Pam wrote to me regarding the names of her twins. Several days ago, she sent me an update.

She still likes the names Alexander, Ivan and William…but not in the same order as before. One twin will now be Alexander William, the other will have the first name Ivan, and Pam would appreciate some middle name suggestions for Ivan.

Pam writes:

We would like something “strong” like Ivan Alexander, but don’t want to use Alex for a first name and a middle name.

Makes sense. :)

One thing that struck me about Alexander William was its length (6 syllables). I feel like the boys’ full names should be on par with one another, so I focused on finding longish middles for Ivan.

I still like these options from the original post:

Dominic
Gregory
Joseph		Lawrence
Oliver
Patrick		Sebastian
Sylvester
Thomas

And I also think these names could work:

Abraham
Anthony
Benjamin
Broderick
Christopher		Demetrius
Emmanuel
Gabriel
Gregory
Jeremiah		Matthias
Raphael
Roderick
Samuel
Solomon		Theodore
Timothy
Tobias
Xavier
Zachary

What other names would you suggest to Pam as a middle for Ivan?