How popular is the baby name Shawn 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 Shawn.

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Popularity of the baby name Shawn


Posts that mention the name Shawn

Chicago quadruplets: Sheena, Shawna, Sherry, Shannon

Dolores Harris holding quadruplet Sheena
Delores holding baby Sheena

On June 30, 1963, rare identical quadruplets were born to Delores and Bernard Harris of Chicago, Illinois.

The four baby girls were named:

  • Sheena Alice
  • Shawna Denyce
  • Sherry Julienne
  • Shannon Nellie

Delores gave them first names starting with “Sh” because she and Bernard already had a 15-month-old son named Shawn.

The first three middle names (Alice, Denyce, and Julienne) honored of staff members at Michael Reese Hospital, where the quadruplets were born. The fourth (Nellie) honored Delores’ mother.

The Harris quadruplets with mother Delores Harris and maternal grandmother Nellie Smith.
Delores and Nellie holding the quads

The quads made headlines across the country as soon as they were born. The Harris family was also featured in a long article (and over a dozen photographs) in the November 1963 issue* of Ebony magazine.

All this attention may have influenced the usage of their first names, though it’s hard to tell. Here’s the data:

Girls named
Sheena
Girls named
Shawna
Girls named
Sherry
Girls named
Shannon
1965775527,3832,569
19641005898,4922,299
19631014589,0642,052
1962852959,229†1,394
1961722808,3561,235
†Peak usage

The name Sherry had just begun declining in usage in 1963, and Shawna and Shannon were already on the rise (though it does look like they rose a bit faster the year the quads were born…?). I think the strongest case can be made for Sheena, which saw a discernible uptick in 1963-1964.

What are your thoughts on these names? Which one do you like best?

*Incidentally, the same issue covered the late August civil rights demonstration during which Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his renowned “I Have a Dream” speech.

Sources:

Images: © 1963 Ebony

Name quotes #122: Fingal, Cecil, Madison

double quotation mark

Greetings everyone! Here’s this month’s quote post…

From a 2017 article about the off-Broadway play They Promised Her the Moon (which tells the story of pilot Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb, the first American woman to test for space flight):

“I immediately fell in love with the story,” the show’s director and producer, Valentina Fratti, told Space.com. “I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about Jerrie Cobb.” 

Fratti had been named for the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, but hadn’t known about the “almost first,” her American counterpart. 

From a 1907 article in the Deseret Evening News called “Genealogy“:

A very good guide, in the study of New England genealogy, is given by the Christian name. In some families, Simon, Stephen and Thomas may follow down the line of sons; while others carry only John, James and William. Genealogists have great confidence in this clue, for those Christian old worthies used to name their sons after themselves and their fathers. They had not evolved into the “Vernons” and “Cecils” and “Irvings” of now-a-days; these modern names which mean nothing but a morbid craving for the romantic and unusual. Romances guide the Christian names of babies today, alas, instead of sense of family loyalty. Have we not lost something of the real spirit of genuineness and fealty with the changed nomenclature of our babies?

From a review of the documentary The Ashley Madison Affair in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Ashley Madison launched in 2001 and took its name from the two most popular baby names at the time, “Ashley” and “Madison.” Right away, that’s creepy.

[Not technically true, but close. Ashley and Madison were the 4th- and 2nd-most popular baby girl names in the U.S. that year. In Canada — which is where the dating website is based — they ranked 13th and 4th.]

From a 1964 article in the Eugene Register-Guard called “Quite a Problem, Naming the Baby“:

The American melting pot has made something of a stew of old world cultures. Isaac and Rebecca Goldberg are the parents not of Moses and Rachael, but of Donald and Marie. Hjalmar and Sigrid Johanson are the parents of Richard and Dorothy. It seems rather a shame that Axel and Jens, Helma and Ingeborg, not to mention Stanislaus and Giacomo and Pedro and Vladimir have just about disappeared. The custom seems to be for the first generation to anglicize the given name as soon as possible. The next generation or two branches out and we get Pat Johnson, even Angus Puccini. Then, after a few generations, there is a tentative reach backward for the Shawns or even the Seans. Katy’s real name may again be Caitlin, Pat’s Padriac.

Have you spotted any interesting name-related quotes/articles/blog posts lately? Let me know!

Baby names with KEY: Keyla, Hawkeye, Mickey

keys

What’s the key to finding a great baby name?

Perhaps it’s checking out a long list of names that contain the word KEY!

Top baby names with KEY

First, a quick rundown of the most popular names with the letter sequence “k-e-y,” according to the current U.S. baby name data.

Top girl names with “k-e-y”Top boy names with “k-e-y”
Keyla
Keyli
Keylani
Keylin
Keyani
Keya
Keyari
Keyanna
Lakeyn
Keyana
Mickey
Keyon
Rickey
Keylor
Keyden
Keyan
Mikey
Keyshawn
Keyler
Keylan

Now here are the same names again, this time with links to popularity graphs and, in some cases, explanations/definitions. (Most of these are modern names without a distinct origin, so I can’t add as much extra information as I did in similar posts, e.g., VAN, ICE, CAR.)

  • Keya
  • Keyan
  • Keyana and Keyanna were likely popularized by Qiana.
  • Keyani
  • Keyari
  • Keyden
  • Keyla
  • Keylan
  • Keylani may be a combination of the English word key and Hawaiian word lani, meaning “sky, heaven.”
  • Keyler
  • Keyli is a variant spelling of Keely, which can be traced back to Caollaidhe, an Irish (male) personal name based on the word caol, meaning “slender.”
  • Keylin
  • Keylor
  • Keyon was probably influenced by similar-sounding names such as Dion and Leon.
  • Keyshawn is an elaboration of Shawn, which is an Anglicized form of Seán, the Irish form of John.
  • Lakeyn
  • Mickey and Mikey are diminutives of Michael, which is based on a Hebrew name meaning “who is like God?” (rhetorical question).
  • Rickey is a diminutive of Richard, which is based on a Germanic name made up of elements meaning “ruler, king” and “hardy, brave.”

More names with KEY

What other names have KEY in them? Here are some less-common choices. (Nearly all of these come directly from the SSA’s baby name data.)

  • Akeya, Akeyia
  • Akeyla, Akeylah
  • Akeyra
  • Beckey
  • Bjarkey
  • Buckey
  • Chakeya
  • Corkey
  • Dickey
  • Frankey
  • Hawkeye
  • Ikey
  • Ikeya, Ikeyia
  • Jackey
  • Jakey
  • Jakeya
  • Jakeyla
  • Karthikeya
  • Karthikeyan
  • Kartikeya
  • Key, Keye
  • Keyaan
  • Keyah
  • Keyahna
  • Keyair
  • Keyaira, Keyairah, Keyairra
  • Keyajah
  • Keyaki
  • Keyala
  • Keyanah, Keyannah
  • Keyanda
  • Keyandra
  • Keyandre
  • Keyandrea
  • Keyania
  • Keyanni
  • Keyansh
  • Keyanta
  • Keyante
  • Keyara, Keyarah, Keyarra
  • Keyaria
  • Keyarie
  • Keyasha
  • Keyashia
  • Keyasia
  • Keyatta
  • Keyaun
  • Keyauna
  • Keyawna
  • Keydan
  • Keydi
  • Keydon
  • Keydra
    • Siblings named Keydra, Keyden, and Keyvar were mentioned in name quotes #115 earlier this year.
  • Keydren
  • Keydy
  • Keyan
  • Keyen
  • Keyera, Keyerah, Keyerra
  • Keyeria
  • Keyetta
  • Keygan
  • Keyia
  • Keyiana
  • Keyik
  • Keyilah
  • Keyion
  • Keyiona
  • Keyira
  • Keyisha
  • Keyjuan
  • Keylah, Keyhla
  • Keyland
  • Keylanie
  • Keyle
  • Keylea
  • Keylee, Keyleigh, Keylie, Keyly
  • Keyleen
  • Keylei
  • Keylen
  • Keyleth
  • Keyliana
  • Keylianis
  • Keylianiz
  • Keylli, Keylly
  • Keylon
  • Keylyn
  • Keymani
  • Keymar
  • Keymari
  • Keymarion
  • Keymaya
  • Keymi
  • Keymia, Keymiah, Keymiyah
  • Keymon
  • Keymoni
  • Keymond
  • Keymonte
  • Keymora
  • Keymya
  • Keyna
  • Keynan
  • Keynen
  • Keyner
  • Keynia, Keyniah
  • Keynon
  • Keynu
  • Keyo
  • Keyoka
  • Keyomi
  • Keyona, Keyonah, Keyonna
  • Keyonce
  • Keyonda
  • Keyondra
  • Keyondre
  • Keyondria
  • Keyone
  • Keyoni, Keyonie
  • Keyonia, Keyonnia
  • Keyonis
  • Keyonn
  • Keyonne
  • Keyonni, Keyonnie
  • Keyonta
  • Keyontae, Keyontay
  • Keyontai
  • Keyonte
  • Keyora
  • Keyosha
  • Keyoshia
  • Keyra, Keyrra
  • Keyren
  • Keyri, Keyry
  • Keyria
  • Keyrin
  • Keyron
  • Keysa
  • Kaysan
  • Keysean, Keyshaun
  • Keyser
  • Keysha
  • Keyshana, Keyshanna
  • Keyshauna, Keyshawna
  • Keyshia
  • Keyshla
  • Keyshon
  • Keyshona
  • Keyshonda
  • Keyshone
  • Keyshun
  • Keysi
  • Keysia
  • Keyson
  • Keystal
  • Keyston
  • Keyuana, Keyuanna
  • Keyun
  • Keyuna, Keyunna
  • Keyundra
  • Keyunta
  • Keyuntae
  • Keyur
  • Keyva
  • Keyvan
  • Keyveon
  • Keyvin
  • Keyvion
  • Keyvon
  • Keyvonna
  • Keyvonte
  • Keywan
  • Keywana, Keywanna
  • Keywanda
  • Keywon
  • Keyziah
  • Lakeya, Lakeyah
  • Lakeycha
  • Lakeyda
  • Lakeydra
  • Lakeyia
  • Lakeyla
  • Lakeysa
  • Lakeysha
  • Lakeyshia
  • Lakeysia
  • Lakeyta
  • Lekeya
  • Lekeysha
  • Luckey
  • Mackey
  • Mackeyla
  • Makeya
  • Markey
  • Markeya
  • Markeyda
  • Markeyia
  • Markeyla
  • Markeysha
  • Markeyta
  • Mckeyla
  • Mikeya
  • Mikeyia
  • Mikeyla
  • Myrkey
  • Nakeya, Nakeyah, Nakeyia
  • Nakeysha
  • Nekeya
  • Nekeysha
  • Nickey
  • Nickeya, Nikeya, Nikeyia, Nikkeya
  • Nykeya
  • Oakey
  • Okey
  • Pinkey
  • Rakeya
  • Rickeya
  • Rikey
  • Rockey
  • Rokeya
  • Sakeya
  • Sankey
  • Shakeya, Shakeyia
  • Shakeyda
  • Shakeyla
  • Shakeyra
  • Shakeyta
  • Shikeyla
  • Smokey
  • Starkey
  • Sukey
  • Takeya, Takeyah, Takeyia
  • Takeyla
  • Takeyoshi
  • Takeyra
  • Takeysha
  • Takeyshia
  • Takeyuki
  • Tekeya, Tekeyah
  • Tekeyla
  • Tikeya, Tikeyah
  • Tkeya, Tkeyah
  • Tkeyha
  • Tykeyah
  • Vickey
  • Whiskey
  • Zakeya, Zakeyah, Zakeyia
  • Zikeyah

Some of the above are non-traditional spellings of more common names, such as Becky, Vicky, and Keith.

Which KEY name do you like most? Let me know in the comments!

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Top view of old vintage keys by Ivan Radic under CC BY 2.0.

Where did the baby name Rolayne come from in 1948?

Arnie Ferrin, college basketball player in the 1940s

The rare name Rolayne has appeared in the U.S. baby name data a total of four times — all in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Usage was particularly high in Utah:

  • 1953: unlisted
  • 1952: 8 baby girls named Rolayne
  • 1951: 5 baby girls named Rolayne
  • 1950: unlisted
  • 1949: 16 baby girls named Rolayne
    • 8 born in Utah
  • 1948: 16 baby girls named Rolayne [debut]
    • 12 born in Utah
  • 1947: unlisted
  • 1946: unlisted

Where did the name come from?

RoLayne Rasmussen, the University of Utah homecoming queen who married well-known University of Utah basketball player Arnie Ferrin in June of 1948.

Arnie was born Chariton Arnold Ferrin, Jr. (The name Chariton is based on the ancient Greek word charis, meaning “grace, kindness.”) He was a four-time All-American during college, and after graduating in 1948 he played for the Minneapolis Lakers from 1948 to 1951. He helped the Lakers win the BAA championship in 1949 and the NBA championship in 1950.

And as Arnie made headlines, RoLayne was often mentioned in the articles as well. As were their children, as they came along. (They had four: Arnold III, Richard Bard, Louanne, and Shawn.)

RoLayne was one of several baby names to be influenced by the partner of a high-profile person. Names similarly influenced include Perian, Stedman, and Josanne.

Sources: Arnie Ferrin to be Inducted into Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor, Obituary: RoLayne Rasmussen Ferrin (1999)