Free Republic

Well, this is a real head-scratcher — not least because if you want a list of the first and last names of Americans, you'd better have either a lot of time and money or work for the NSA. Unfortunately, I don’t fit either description, so I’m going to try to piece together two separate databases — one for first names and one for surnames. But as I’ll explain, those data sets can’t be stitched together so easily. If they could, we’d be able to say that “John Smith” is the third most common full name in America, but in reality...

Las Vegas — The Democratic nominee in the Nevada governor’s race is the son of one of the most powerful politicians in America, but you wouldn’t know it by his campaign. Rory Reid is going to great lengths to keep his distance from his famous father — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — in an election year when the elder Reid is the anti-incumbent movement’s public enemy No. 1. Rory Reid’s campaign banners say “Rory 2010.” Campaign releases call him Rory on second reference. His first TV ad — “Paid for by Rory 2010” — doesn’t utter or display...

Study links unusual surnames to criminality Jennifer Harper Thursday, January 29, 2009 Mama, stick with Michael. But Malcolm? Maybe not. A man's first name can predict his criminal tendencies, according to research released Wednesday by economists who compared crime statistics and a roster of more than 15,000 first names to reveal a distinct "name-crime link" among American males. The more unpopular or uncommon the name, the greater the chance the lad will end up in jail, said David E. Kalist and Daniel Y. Lee of Shippensburg University. "Regardless of race, juveniles with unpopular names are more likely to engage in...

A website which maps global surnames has been launched to help people find the origins of their name and how far it may have spread. The Public Profiler site plots eight million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories. The site covers 300 million people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have moved to. David Beckham, for example, has an English name, but there are more Beckhams in the US than Britain. But the region of the world with the highest concentration of people called Beckham was even further from the footballer's...

Adoptees use DNA to find surname By Paul Rincon Science reporter, BBC News The tests read a number of genetic markers on the Y chromosome Male adoptees are using consumer DNA tests to predict the surnames carried by their biological fathers, the BBC has learned. They are using the fact that men who share a surname sometimes have genetic likenesses too. By searching DNA databases for other males with genetic markers matching their own, adoptees can check if these men also share a last name. This can provide the likely surname of an adoptee's biological father. The genetic similarities between...

Bill would help groom become Mr. Missus Oregon - A senator introduces an amendment to make it easier for a man to take his wife's surname Tuesday, June 05, 2007 RYAN KOST You've heard of women's lib. Now, state Sen. Vicki Walker wants to introduce you to men's lib. The Eugene Democrat tagged an amendment onto a routine housekeeping bill that she hopes will help men who want to change their names when they marry, but aren't really sure how. Under Walker's amendment, the application for marriage licenses would be redesigned to make room for a little box where...

Forensic scientists could use DNA retrieved from a crime scene to predict the surname of the suspect, according to a new British study. It is not perfect, but could be an important investigative tool when combined with other intelligence. The method exploits genetic likenesses between men who share the same surname, and may help prioritise inquiries. Details of the research from the University of Leicester, UK, appear in the latest edition of Current Biology. The technique is based on work comparing the Y chromosomes of men with the same surname. The Y chromosome is a package of genetic material found...