The baby name Marty, which was rising in usage during the 1950s, rose much more quickly from 1955 to 1957 specifically:
| Boys named Marty | Girls named Marty | |
| 1958 | 1,413 [rank: 198th] | 134 [rank: 881st] |
| 1957 | 1,348 [rank: 200th] | 159† [rank: 803rd] |
| 1956 | 1,014 [rank: 229th] | 130 [rank: 877th] |
| 1955 | 618 [rank: 287th] | 86 |
| 1954 | 422 [rank: 348th] | 72 |
| 1953 | 359 [rank: 360th] | 95 [rank: 983rd] |
Here’s a visual:
The name Martin (which had ranked inside the boys’ top 100 for decades by the 1950s) likewise saw an increase in usage during those years:
- 1958: 5,666 baby boys named Martin [rank: 71st]
- 1957: 5,964 baby boys named Martin [rank: 69th]
- 1956: 5,683 baby boys named Martin [rank: 73rd]
- 1955: 5,069 baby boys named Martin [rank: 77th]
- 1954: 4,964 baby boys named Martin [rank: 79th]
- 1953: 4,780 baby boys named Martin [rank: 82nd]
Why?
I think there are two reasons, though one was probably more influential than the other.
The primary reason was likely the character Marty from three different Spin and Marty serials (which aired as 11-minute segments on The Mickey Mouse Club):
- The Adventures of Spin and Marty (1955) – 25 episodes
- The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty (1956) – 23 episodes
- The New Adventures of Spin and Marty (1957) – 30 episodes
Spin and Marty was set at the Triple R Ranch, a western-style summer camp for boys.
The main characters were teenagers Martin “Marty” Markham (played by David Stollery), who was rich and spoiled, and Spin Evans (played by Tim Considine), who was popular and athletic. “Walt Disney had never before created anything with two diametrically opposed leads.” By the end of the first serial, the boys had overcome their differences and become best friends.
The success of Spin and Marty led to merchandising that included comic books, coloring books, and phonograph records.
The secondary reason for the rise for the name Marty? The 1955 movie Marty, a poignant romantic drama about a man looking for love.
The film follows main character Marty Pilletti (played by Ernest Borgnine) — a lonely 34-year-old who lives with his widowed mother in the Bronx — over the course of a weekend. He meets a woman named Clara (played by Betsy Blair) at a dance hall, and they unexpectedly hit it off. But Marty’s mother and bachelor friends aren’t as excited about his budding romance, and they try to dissuade Marty from pursuing Clara.
The movie — despite being independently produced on a modest budget, and despite featuring ordinary-looking characters and a “quiet, simple story” — was a success at the box office. It also won four Academy Awards: Best Motion Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. (Borgnine’s “Best Actor” Oscar was presented by Grace Kelly.)
What are your thoughts on the name Marty?
Sources:
- Spin and Marty – Wikipedia
- Spin and Marty…and Walt: Nice Guys Finish First – The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Marty (film) – Wikipedia
- Marty (1955) – TCM
- Holloway, Ronald. “Marty.” Variety 22 Mar. 1955.
- SSA
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