The NYT did a story on the federal government's website on baby name data. It seems the ubiquitous Jessica has been in a death spiral since the mid-90's, her place at the top supplanted by Emily. I wonder if this signals a yearning for a more well-mannered society (Post), or perhaps it's a renewed appreciation for poetry and agoraphobia (Dickinson), maybe even the windswept moors and death by consumption (Bronte). It's certainly a rejection of the decade-long reign of big-haired mall trash. Also note that usurpers Madison and Chloe have made startling advances just as once-mighty Jessica has receded into the demographic shadows. Is the popularity of Madison indicative of a desire for gender ambiguity or even androgyny? Should James Madison be proud? Or first lady Dolly Madison? Or perhaps the purveyor of inexpensive snack foods such as Zingers? How many of those Chloes will insist on umlauts?

Alexis has made strides in recent years, I suppose the tacky parents who now shun Jessica needed some other means of expressing themselves. "Dynasty" fans must be reproducing in record numbers now, although that's hard to believe given that most fans of that show are gay men. For boys, the classic John is way down at 17, the lowest it's been in years, although Biblical names are still selectively popular for boys but not for girls. Matthew, Joseph, Joshua, Isaiah, but no Bathsheba, even Mary is way down at 52. Ethan is way up at 5 now, don't know what to make of that one. There are some Hispanic boys' names in the top 50, like Luis and Jose and Angel, and on the girls side some more ambiguously ethnic ones like Maria. What's interesting about the girls list is the rampant popularity of some names I would've considered extremely rare: Makayla? Savannah? (What, no Tundra?) Destiny? Come on, Destiny? I keep thinking of Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein: "Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me!" I wonder if the name is supposed to suggest that the birth of the child is the fulfillment of destiny, or that the child is meant to embark on a pre-ordained path? I prefer a less teleological name personally. Names with agendas make me nervous. Anyway, look at Brianna up there in the top 20! Have I ever met a single person named Brianna or Destiny? I guess I will soon, since a veritable army of them is being born these days.