The rules are changing in the ‘Name Game’
“The Name Game” It was a basically nonsensical song originally recorded by Shirley Ellis in 1964 and, inexplicably, it made it all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.
Even more inexplicably, the song was re-recorded by a number of other artists, including the late Laura Branigan, in 1986.
It is dangerous to repeat the lyrics, because they will echo in the music chambers of the mind for the rest of the day. But here goes:
The song was originally intended to be a fun ditty. A song that little girls could sing while skipping rope. A playful way to rhyme the names of your friends.
Little did we know that it would start a trend. Or, at least, there is a theory (possibly only held by one person) that this name game started the trend of parents throwing together a bunch of letters and rolling them around on their tongues until they came up with fitting names for their children.
How else can we explain the endless list of mind-boggling names that are being used today?
There was a time when babies were named after revered relatives. Or saints.
Now they are named after fast food signs … or sneakers … or nothing at all.
The wacked-out 1960s rocker Frank Zappa most certainly had drugs to blame, when he named his children Moon Unit and Dweezil.
Not to be outdone, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards named his child Dandelion. And David Bowie named his offspring Zowie Bowie.
By contrast to all of the bizarre names selected by musicians, the names of Michael Jackson’s two children – Prince Michael and Prince Michael II – seem relatively tame. But the craziness escalates as you climb the Jackson family tree. Jermaine Jackson, the brother of much lesser fame, named one of his sons Jermajesty.
The name game gets even more ridiculous when you turn to the world of sports.
Who can ever forget American skier Picabo Street? And what about baseball player Coco Crisp? Or legendary auto racer Dick Trickle?
And there is an endless list of first names of athletes that can only be explained as the result of throwing a bunch of scrabble cubes on the table and tagging a kid with the end result. Dewanna, D’Brickashaw, Quayvon, De’Runnya, Halpoulivaati, Le’Raven and … well, you get the idea.
Imagine the poor child that has to go through life with a name
Shirley! Shirley, Shirley bo-ber-ley, bo-na-na fanna fo-fer-ley, fee fi mo-mer-ley, Shirley! Lincoln! Lincoln, Lincoln. bo-bin-coln bo-na-na fanna, fo-fin-coln fee fi mo-min-coln, Lincoln!
like that. How many times has De’Runnya been asked whether his name is spelled with one or two N’s?
Enough with the name game.
It’s time to go back to some good, old-fashioned American names.
What ever happened to standard names like John (seldom seen anymore), Mary (almost never seen), Jane (getting rarer) or Harry (except for England’s prince)?
And names like Gladys, Blanch, Ethel, Thelma, Theodore, Chester and Rudolph have faded into extinction.
Ethnic names, like the Irish favorite Sean (or Shawn, or Shaun), have made an American comeback in recent years. But what about favorites from other ethnicities? They are still locked away in a time capsule. Americans of German descent don’t name their boy Otto anymore. People of Russian extraction aren’t naming their boys Igor.
And, in like manner, Americans have lost the link to their great heritage. It’s time to bring back some of the nostalgia by unearthing the great names of the past.
Ralph – Ralph Kiner was as home run king, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. But Ralph Kramden was king of the castle in the television classic, The Honeymooners.
Fred – Fred Astaire was one of the great dancers of all-time. But Fred Flinstone also could really move his feet when it was time to propel the Flintmobile.
Wilma – In the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field – 100 and 200 meter dash and the 4 x 100 meter relay. Wilma Flintstone (see above) was hot-looking. Why do you think Fred was always yelling, “Yabba dabba do?”
Gladys – Gladys Knight was one of the great R& B singers in America … the only person in history ever to be surrounded by Pips. Gladys Kravitz was the busy-body neighbor in the sitcom Bewitched.
Rocco – Rocco (Rocky) Colavito was part of the most historic trade in baseball history. The 1959 American League home run champion was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Detroit Tigers for 1959 American League batting champion Harvey (another mothballed name) Kuenn.
For the final stanza in this version of the name game, let’s analyze the most popular names of two very different generations.
In 1950, the height of the Baby Boomer era, the 10 most popular boys’ names were: James, Robert, John, Michael, David, William, Richard, Thomas, Charles and Gary.
The most popular girls’ names from that era were: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan, Nancy, Deborah, Sandra, Carol and Kathleen.
Fast forward to 2016 to see what the Millenials (those few who are having children) are naming their kids.
Most popular boys’ names: Jackson, Aiden, Lucas, Liam, Noah, Ethan, Mason, Caden, Oliver, Elijah.
Most popular girls’ names: Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Ava, Mia, Isabella, Riley, Aria, Zoe, Charlotte.
Not a single repeat name from that bygone era.
It’s not as if nothing else from the previous era has popularity. Peanut butter is still popular. Jeans (formerly known as dungarees) are still popular. Americans still have a love affair with the automobile.
But the name game certainly has changed.
Which leaves us asking, isn’t anyone ever going to name their kid after Milton Berle?
Come on ev’rybody, I say now let’s play a game
I betcha I can make a rhyme
Out of anybody’s name