Where did the baby name Ajee come from in 1994?

Detail of an advertisement for Ajee perfume (1994)
Ajee perfume

The name Ajee first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1994. It popped up as a girl name and as a boy name that year, notably.

Girls named AjeeBoys named Ajee
199622.
1995436
1994185*†29*†
1993..
1992..
*Debut, †Peak usage

Ajee was the highest-debuting girl name of 1994. In fact, it currently ranks 13th (between Greidys and Yaire) on the list of top girl-name debuts of all time.

Where did the name come from?

A perfume called Ajee (pronounced ah-zhay) that was introduced by Revlon in early 1994. It was classified as an “oriental” fragrance.

Advertisements for Ajee ran in various popular magazines (including Glamour, Mademoiselle, and Ebony) and featured the following text:

From the heart of Africa comes a fragrance to capture the heart of every woman.

Experience the essence of Africa. Feel the power of woman.

The perfume’s name made a strong impression on expectant parents, but apparently the scent itself didn’t make the same impression on consumers, as Ajee was discontinued just a few years later.

What are your thoughts on the name Ajee?

P.S. Other dual-gender baby name debuts from the ’90s include Draven, Dasani, and Mystikal.

Sources:

Image: Clipping from Ebony magazine (Apr. 1994)

Why did Cale debut as a girl name in 2006?

The character Cale Crane from the movie "Deamer" (2005)
Cale Crane from “Dreamer“

In the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, the name Cale — which was being given to hundreds of baby boys per year — debuted impressively in the girls’ data:

  • 2008: 14 baby girls named Cale
  • 2007: 17 baby girls named Cale
  • 2006: 34 baby girls named Cale [debut]
  • 2005: unlisted
  • 2004: unlisted

(The similar name Kale also saw higher usage for girls around that time.)

What was behind this sudden interest in Cale as a girl name?

A little girl named Cale in the family-friendly film Dreamer, which was released in October of 2005.

The movie’s main characters were Kentucky horse trainer Ben Crane (played by Kurt Russell) and his school-age daughter Cale (played by Dakota Fanning).

When Ben refused to euthanize an injured racehorse named Soñador (“Sonya”), he was given the horse — then promptly fired. While Ben tried to fix his family’s precarious financial situation, Cale developed a strong bond with the animal. Sonya went on to make a full recovery, but would she ever race again?

The film was loosely based on the recovery story of racehorse Mariah’s Storm. (I don’t know the story behind the horse’s name, but “Mariah’s Storm” is reminding me of the 1940s book Storm, which featured a cyclone whose name was spelled like Maria, but pronounced like Mariah.)

What are your thoughts on the baby name Cale? Do you prefer it as a boy name, or as a girl name?

Sources: Dreamer (2005 film) – Wikipedia, SSA

Image: Screenshot of Dreamer

What gave the baby name Mindy a boost in 1979?

The character Mindy McConnell from the TV series "Mork & Mindy" (1978-1982)
Mindy McConnell from “Mork & Mindy“

According to the U.S. baby name data, the name Mindy reached the girls’ top 100 for the first and only time in 1979:

  • 1981: 1,827 baby girls named Mindy [rank: 155th]
  • 1980: 2,262 baby girls named Mindy [rank: 131st]
  • 1979: 3,712 baby girls named Mindy [rank: 81st]
  • 1978: 1,593 baby girls named Mindy [rank: 170th]
  • 1977: 1,235 baby girls named Mindy [rank: 205th]

Here’s a visual:

Graph of the usage of the baby name Mindy in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Mindy

What caused that spike in usage?

My guess is the sitcom Mork & Mindy, which premiered in September of 1978.

Character Mindy McConnell (played by Pam Dawber) was a young woman who lived in Boulder, Colorado, and worked at her family’s music store on the Pearl Street Mall (which was relatively new at that time).

During the first episode of the show, Mindy encountered and befriended a zany extraterrestrial named Mork (played by Robin Williams). She offered to help him fit in on Earth if he would teach her more about his home planet, Ork.

Mork from Ork had actually been introduced to TV audiences earlier that year, in a February episode of Happy Days. The alien character proved so popular that a whole new series, Mork & Mindy, was created to showcase Robin Williams’ comedic talent.

What are your thoughts on name Mindy?

P.S. Two other Happy Days spin-offs, Out of the Blue and Joanie Loves Chachi, also influenced U.S. baby names…

Sources: Mork & Mindy – Wikipedia, SSA

Image: Screenshot of Mork & Mindy

What gave the baby name Shandi a boost in 2004?

Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004
Shandi Finnessey

The baby name Shandi has been on the decline since the 1980s (when it was most popular). Despite this trend, usage of the name more than doubled in 2004:

  • 2006: 22 baby girls named Shandi
  • 2005: 24 baby girls named Shandi
  • 2004: 29 baby girls named Shandi
  • 2003: 14 baby girls named Shandi
  • 2002: 13 baby girls named Shandi

Why?

I think there are two reasons.

First, there’s aspiring model Shandi Sullivan.

Sullivan was a contestant on the second season of reality TV competition series America’s Next Top Model, which aired during the first three months of 2004. She lasted until the final episode, but ultimately came in third (behind Yoanna and Mercedes).

America's Next Top Model contestant Shandi Sullivan
Shandi Sullivan

Second, there’s beauty queen Shandi Finnessey.

In April of 2004, Finnessey was crowned Miss USA in front of a television audience of about 13 million viewers. She was the first delegate from Missouri to win the title. Several weeks later, at the Miss Universe pageant in Ecuador, she placed first runner-up (behind Jennifer Hawkins of Australia).

Which of the two Shandis do you think had more of an influence on the name?

What are your thoughts on the name itself?

P.S. The delegate representing Israel at Miss Universe 2004 was none other than future Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot.

Sources:

Images: Screenshots of the TV broadcast of the 53rd Miss Universe pageant and America’s Next Top Model