Use of 'Mary' as baby name plummets among American parents

Catholic News Agency ^ | Feb 3, 2011

[Red Boots]

Interesting aside about the name Gertrude. I recently met a lady from Quebec with that name. When she pronounced it in French, it was lovely.

[SuziQ]

CARA researchers have previously documented how Mass attendance increases the likelihood of parents choosing Catholic names for their children....

Not surprising at all.

[rbmillerjr]

In other news, John is still used to refer to people who deal with pimps.

[Cronos]

Baby names go in cycles of popularity. That's why in one generation you can find tons of kids with the same first name (except for some African Americans who make up the craziest names like Shanique or Beyonce!) and all the parents heard one name and copied it. This mostly peters down from the "upper class" downwards (there was a study done on this in some economics/sociological book, perhaps Freakonomics?).

Then everyone gets fed up and chooses a different name!

[Cronos]

cool website!

[Cronos]

And Hilary started off as a boy's name, like Sir Edmund Hilary.

Also names like Ashley

[Cronos]

well, it could also be James Earl Jones “The force is strong in this one...” ;-P 1977, Star Wars Episode IV

[Cronos]

I love Leacock's descriptions:

still showed the outlines of a Norman Keep, to which had been added a Lancastrian Jail and a Plantagenet Orphan Asylum. From the house in all directions stretched magnificent woodland and park with oaks and elms of immemorial antiquity, while nearer the house stood raspberry bushes and geranium plants which had been set out by the Crusaders.

a face so face-like in its appearance as to be positively facial.!!:)

Gertrude DeMongmorenci McFiggin had known neither father nor mother. They had both died years before she was born :-PPPP

oh, it gets better!! The photographs!!!

Thank you for pointing this out to me!

[ConservativeNewYorker]

As one of those parents who has a very common last name, (think Smith, Jones or Brown)I obviously didn’t want to give my sons “common” first names. When I was a kid, we had 4 Chris Smiths in my school, Talk about confusion....

[Larry Lucido]

And yes, I met one named Florida

[DrC]

OK, how about “Jimmy Earl ????”

[mware]

I have been teaching for 28 years and still have not taught a girl with the name of Martha.

[Cronos]

:)

[Cronos]

So, you were shaved?

[Junior_G]

Candace is a biblical name/title for the queen of Ethiopia.

Yes, but she was also a stripper.

[Verginius Rufus]

Yes, lots of wonderful lines.

"Lord Ronald...flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions."

"Her aunt had carefully instructed her in Christian principles. She had also taught her Mohammedanism to make sure."

The ad for the job as governess: "Salary 1 pound, 4 shillings, 4 pence halfpenny per annum."

Stephen Leacock was born in England, got part of his education in the US, and ended up in Canada--there is a building named for him at McGill University in Montreal.

[Tax-chick]

Oh, ne zot! I wasn’t going to read this thread, but obviously I was Directed for the sole purpose of printing out this hysterical piece.

Now off to read it to the Offspring, who (being as I Dare to be Dull) include Bill, Tom, Pat, Jim, Dan, and Frank. (And Eleanore and Sabina: I also dare to be somewhat frilly.)

[Hoosier Catholic Momma]

I was named Mary after the Blessed Virgin, and my paternal grandmother is Mary, and one of my great-aunts. There are a lot of Marys running around at my kids’ Catholic school...Mary Kate, Mary Vivian, Mary Claire, etc.

I noticed that Mark is in decline as well...that’s dh’s name!

[Allegra]

And it is a derivative of Gwendolyn.

The only Wendy I know is a Winifred.

[Tax-chick]

I knew a Wendelline who called herself Wendy. I assume a rich relative was named Wendell ...