Name Trends

I know every generation has their favorite names for babies and that trends come and go. However, this particular group of kids seem to all have the same few names. I mean, I have too many kids named: Emily, Emma, Taylor, Kayla, Kylie, Sophia, Sophie, Emilia, Amelia, Isabelle, Isabella. Try learning kids' names when they are all the same. And another trend? The addition of the second name "Grace". Anna Grace. Sally Grace. Alice Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace.

Not that they aren't beautiful names. They are. But, I wonder. Are these kids who all share the same name trending to creative and performing arts kids or is it coincidence?

I have a silly mnemonic device game I use to learn the kids' names. We stand in a circle and make up a song as we go along... "Tying with Taylor, Acting Amelia, Kicking Kayla" ending with "Bump with Ms. Beck" replete with body movements that become silent indicators when I see the kids in the hallway. I will motion "tying" when I see Taylor and she responds with the cabbage patch movement for Bump with Ms. Beck. (okay, yes... this game is from the 90's, but it still works).  Imagine my consternation when there wasn't a single J name for "Jump with...." No J's? So, I assigned a Jump with Emma to break up the hundred million E names. The jump adds variety to the song/dance activity. And how many mnemonic attachments are there to an E name, really?

I looked at the grade book list when the kids were presenting their Author Studies. The teacher conscientiously  wrote for me the names they like to be called on the side. Sophia's "real" name is Nina S. I asked, "Like Nina Simone?" She smiled, "yes". I said, "Well, honey... there are a million Sophia's at this school but only two Nina Simones. You and the original. I think you should claim that name." Call me crazy?

Who am I to comment on names, though. I go by my middle name "Elizabeth". You would, too if your first name was "Barbara". Barb. Barbie. Babs. B. I've been called all of those names. Now, it's Elizabeth. Liz. Eliz. E. or weirdly, Beth. I have never claimed "Beth", but I'll respond to any of the other derivations of Elizabeth.

And... my son's name is Carter. I know he's not the only Carter in his class.

But... this class's names are just so incredibly different from my previous teaching experiences in the classroom full of names like: Aiesha, Jamal (oh! there's my J name already), Tyrone, Kendra, Kiana,  Tomica, Antwan, Antonio, Darrell, Dorian, Shuntella, Sharion, Shanequia and Charnequez.

My goal? To teach many more years to watch generations of name trends.