The Matrix — widely considered to be one of the greatest science-fiction movies of all time — was released in March of 1999. It was the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year, and went on to win four Oscars (including Best Visual Effects) in early 2000.
In The Matrix, the majority of humanity is unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality created by sentient machines. This simulation is called “the Matrix” by the (relatively few) humans who live outside of it.
At the start of the story, a man living inside the simulation — a computer programmer named Thomas Anderson (who is also a hacker known as “Neo”) — becomes vaguely aware of the Matrix.
Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) is soon contacted by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) — two resistance fighters who have been freed from the Matrix. They offer him a chance to escape the simulation and join them in the war against the machines.
So, how did The Matrix impact U.S. baby names?
Neo
After returning to U.S. baby name data in 1999, the name Neo more than quadrupled in usage in 2000:
- 2001: 111 baby boys named Neo
- 2000: 116 baby boys named Neo
- 1999: 24 baby boys named Neo
- 1998: unlisted
- 1997: unlisted
Neo’s name is not only a match to the Greek prefix neo-, meaning “new,” but also an anagram of the word one, which is significant because Morpheus believes Neo is “the One” — the person who, according to prophecy, will destroy the Matrix and liberate mankind.
Morpheus
The rare name Morpheus debuted in the data in 2000:
- 2001: unlisted
- 2000: 5 baby boys named Morpheus
- 1999: unlisted
- 1998: unlisted
- 1997: unlisted
The character’s name comes from the mythological figure of Morpheus, one of the dream-shaping sons of the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos. According to Ovid, Morpheus’ specialty was appearing in dreams as a human. (His bothers specialized in taking other forms.)
Trinity
Already being given to hundreds of baby girls per year, the name Trinity more than tripled in usage in 1999, then nearly tripled again (jumping straight into the girls’ top 100) in 2000:
- 2001: 4,481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 67th]
- 2000: 4,284 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 74th]
- 1999: 1,481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 209th]
- 1998: 481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 525th]
- 1997: 437 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 543rd]
The word trinity, which refers to a group of three, is strongly associated with the concept of the Holy Trinity in Christian theology.
(Another name based on a religious concept, Nevaeh, became trendy around the same time.)
Matrix
Like Neo, the name Matrix returned to the data in 1999:
- 2001: unlisted
- 2000: 6 baby boys named Matrix
- 1999: 12 baby boys named Matrix (peak usage)
- 1998: unlisted
- 1997: unlisted
The word matrix refers to a place where something originates or takes form. Before the mid-16th century, it meant “uterus” specifically. In ancient Rome, the word referred to “a female animal kept for breeding.” It ultimately derives from mater, the Latin word for “mother.”
The Matrix was followed by three sequels — not to mention three video games, several comic books, and more.
The first sequel, The Matrix Reloaded, and the first video game, Enter the Matrix, both came out in May of 2003. The second sequel, The Matrix Revolutions, was released six months later, in November.
Reloaded and Revolutions became the third- and the eighth-highest-grossing films of the year, respectively, and they (along with the game) featured a number of new characters, including…
Niobe
Noibe (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) was a Zion-born resistance fighter who captained the hovercraft Logos.
The name Niobe debuted in the data in 2003:
- 2005: 20 baby girls named Niobe
- 2004: 33 baby girls named Niobe
- 2003: 21 baby girls named Niobe [debut]
- 2002: unlisted
- 2001: unlisted
The character’s name comes from the Greek mythological figure of Niobe, who was punished by the gods for her hubris.
Persephone
Persephone (played by Monica Bellucci) was a human-like computer program living inside the Matrix with her husband, the Merovingian.
Usage of the name Persephone more than doubled in 2003:
- 2005: 47 baby girls named Persephone
- 2004: 43 baby girls named Persephone
- 2003: 45 baby girls named Persephone
- 2002: 19 baby girls named Persephone
- 2001: 22 baby girls named Persephone
The character’s name comes from the Greek mythological figure of Persephone, the wife of Hades and (thereby) the queen of the underworld.
Link
Link (played by Harold Perrineau) was the Zion-born operator of Morpheus’ hovercraft, the Nebuchadnezzar.
The name Link saw slightly elevated usage in 2003:
- 2005: 7 baby boys named Link
- 2004: 15 baby boys named Link
- 2003: 13 baby boys named Link
- 2002: 8 baby boys named Link
- 2001: 6 baby boys named Link
Sati
Sati (played by Tanveer K. Atwal) was, like Persephone, a sentient computer program. Introduced in the second sequel, Sati was a little girl whose parents (also programs) had created her without a purpose, putting her at risk of deletion.
The rare name Sati returned to the data briefly in 2004:
- 2006: unlisted
- 2005: unlisted
- 2004: 7 baby girls named Sati
- 2003: unlisted
- 2002: unlisted
The character’s name comes from the Hindu goddess Sati, whose name means “truthful” or “virtuous” in Sanskrit.
Zion
Zion wasn’t a character, but a place — the last human settlement on planet Earth. The vast underground city was depicted onscreen in both Reloaded and Revolutions (after having been only mentioned in the original film).
Usage of the name Zion, which had been declining for several years, began increasing again in 2003:
| Boys named Zion | Girls named Zion | |
| 2005 | 1,120 (rank: 293rd) | 248 (rank: 988th) |
| 2004 | 1,008 (rank: 311th) | 212 |
| 2003 | 879 (rank: 329th) | 137 |
| 2002 | 828 (rank: 333rd) | 125 |
| 2001 | 867 (rank: 324th) | 143 |
Of all the Matrix-related names above, which one would you be most likely to use in real life?
P.S. Blade Runner, Star Wars, and 2001: A Space Odyssey are also considered to be among the greatest science-fiction movies of all time.
Sources:
- Wikipedia: The Matrix, The Matrix (franchise), Neo, Morpheus, List of American films of 2003
- Grebey, James. “Everything To Remember About the Matrix Trilogy Before You See The Matrix Resurrections.” Time.com 17 Dec. 2021.
- Matrix – Merriam-Webster
- Sati – Matrix Wiki – Fandom
- Wiktionary
- SSA
Images: Screenshots of The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded