Analysis·9 min
Thunder vs Spurs: Two Cities, Two Naming Cultures
OKC and San Antonio are battling in the West Finals. Their naming cultures couldn't be more different — and both are fascinating.
By Jack Lin
Analysis Articles
Browse our analysis articles on baby and pet names.
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Analysis·9 min
Jalen Brunson's Knicks Run: Is Jalen the Name of 2026?
Jalen Brunson is carrying New York. Is his name carrying with him? We dig into SSA data to see if deep playoff runs move baby names.
By Jack Lin
Analysis·9 min
Knicks Reach First Finals Since 1999: The Name Time Capsule
The Knicks are back. So are the baby names from 1999. Explore which late-90s names are cycling back into style.
By Jack Lin
Analysis·11 min
Royal Names in Real Life: What Princess Charlotte's Generation Did to Baby and Pet Naming
Princess Charlotte turned 11 this May. A decade of data shows exactly how royal names trickle down — and why they now reach pets as fast as babies.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·11 min
The Top 10 Sports Names of May 2026 (And Whether They Belong to a Baby or a Dog)
From Jannik to Napoleon Solo, May 2026 delivered a remarkable run of sports names. Here's what the data says about which ones work for babies vs. dogs.
By Jack Lin
Analysis·11 min
Why Americans Name Babies 'Bear' and Pets 'Henry': The Great 2026 Name Swap
The cultural logic behind naming children Bear and dogs Henry reveals something unexpected about how Americans think about identity, status, and belonging.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Why American Parents Are Suddenly Comfortable With Slavic Names: A Eurovision Aftermath
Bulgaria's Eurovision win didn't just introduce DARA to American ears. It opened a door to an entire phonetic and cultural world of Slavic names.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano on Netflix: What Ronda and Gina Tell Us About 90s Girlhood
Netflix's historic MMA broadcast resurfaces two names that defined a specific register of 90s femininity — and their very different trajectories today.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Princess Charlotte Just Turned 11: The Royal Name Effect, Revisited a Decade Later
Charlotte has been a top-3 US girls' name for nearly a decade. Princess Charlotte's 11th birthday is the right moment to audit the royal name effect.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Zoë Kravitz, Harry Styles, and the Met Gala Ring: What Celebrity Engagements Do to Name Shelf Life
Celebrity engagements don't just trend on social media — they extend a name's cultural shelf life. Zoë and Harry are the latest proof.
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Cannes 2026 Honored Peter Jackson, John Travolta, Barbra Streisand: Three Generations of Hollywood Names
Cannes 2026's honorary honorees span 60 years of cinema. What do Peter, John, and Barbra tell us about names that outlast their moments?
By Ivy Hung
Analysis·10 min
Ella Langley Just Won 7 ACM Awards: The Country-Music Pipeline of Baby Names
Ella Langley swept the ACMs with 7 wins. The name Ella has been a top-10 fixture for a decade — and country music is a big reason why.
By Ivy Hung