Naming a Generation: Regional and Gender Patterns in 21st Century American Baby Naming
Presenter(s)
Courtney Casey
Abstract
Baby names provide a unique lens through which cultural change, regional identity, and social trends can be examined over time. Using U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data from 2000 and 2024, differences in naming diversity across gender and geographic regions were examined. Naming concentration was measured using the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI), a diversity metric based on the distribution of name frequencies, while regional variation was assessed through rank deviation between regional and national top ten names. Results indicate that female names consistently exhibited greater diversity than male names and that naming diversity increased significantly for both genders between 2000 and 2024. Regional comparisons reveal persistent differences in naming preferences, with the West and Midwest exhibiting the greatest deviation from national trends. Together, these findings suggest that while naming practices in the United States have become increasingly diverse over time, regional identity and gender continue to shape naming behavior.
College
College of Science & Engineering
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Tisha Hooks
Location
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Start Date
4-23-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-23-2026 3:00 PM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
2b=2pm-3pm
Poster Number
8
Naming a Generation: Regional and Gender Patterns in 21st Century American Baby Naming
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Baby names provide a unique lens through which cultural change, regional identity, and social trends can be examined over time. Using U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data from 2000 and 2024, differences in naming diversity across gender and geographic regions were examined. Naming concentration was measured using the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI), a diversity metric based on the distribution of name frequencies, while regional variation was assessed through rank deviation between regional and national top ten names. Results indicate that female names consistently exhibited greater diversity than male names and that naming diversity increased significantly for both genders between 2000 and 2024. Regional comparisons reveal persistent differences in naming preferences, with the West and Midwest exhibiting the greatest deviation from national trends. Together, these findings suggest that while naming practices in the United States have become increasingly diverse over time, regional identity and gender continue to shape naming behavior.
Comments
Casey, Courtney P