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On Demand

Don’t Call Me Shirley

Friday, November 09, 2007

Alleen Nilsen, professor of English at Arizona State University and co-president of the American Name Society, talks about gender and names.

Baby Name Wizard


Comments

  • [1] Mike from Rockefeller Center November 09, 2007 - 10:52AM

    Besides the Census website, people should consult the Social Security Administration who have a great name database: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/.


  • [2] Emily from Manhattan November 09, 2007 - 10:54AM

    I wonder what Ms. Nilsen has to say about names from other languages/cultures adopted by Americans to name children of the opposite gender, e.g. Kristen, Andrea, etc. That seems interesting to me.


  • [3] Joe Boucher from NY, NY November 09, 2007 - 10:54AM

    I wrote a crossword a couple years ago called "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" featuring "crossover" names like Joyce Cary, Shirley Povich, and Evelyn Waugh. It's still online at http://www.thehighhat.com/Detritus/005/xword.html .


  • [4] FREDERIC November 09, 2007 - 10:56AM

    If I recall correctly..

    wasn't King Arthur's Sister named Morgan?

    Morgen Le Fea.


  • [5] JT from New Rochelle NY November 09, 2007 - 10:59AM

    Evan Rachel Wood.

    The reason for the girls named Evan in the early 21st century.

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0939697/


  • [6] David from Brooklyn November 09, 2007 - 11:28AM

    I was almost named Shirley, but my parents played it safe. My maternal grandfather was named Shirley--friends called him Shirl--and he was, by all accounts, a "man's man." I think I would have had a "Boy Named Sue" kind of childhood if I had been named Shirley, but now that I'm older (37) I sometimes wish I hadn't missed out on a unique name. After all, how many "David"s are there in my generation? (Answer: many.)


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