Last week we talked about the baby name Windy, which saw a boost in usage in the ’60s thanks to the song “Windy” by The Association.
But I shouldn’t forget to mention that an earlier song by the same band also influenced American baby names.
“Cherish,” their very first hit song, ranked #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks straight in the fall of 1966. The same year, the baby name Cherish debuted in the SSA’s data:
- 1968: 28 baby girls named Cherish
- 1967: 24 baby girls named Cherish
- 1966: 11 baby girls named Cherish [debut]
- 1965: unlisted
- 1964: unlisted
Usage of the name peaked in 2007, when 461 baby girls were named Cherish (rank: 641st).
Do you like the name Cherish? Do you like it more or less than Windy?
(And, do you like “The Association” as a band name? Do you like it more or less than the equally ambiguous “The Charts“?)
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