Women are more likely to say their name is uncommon

Jamie BallardData Journalist
September 26, 2018, 2:00 PM GMT+0

Millennials are the age group most likely to say that their name is uncommon

When it comes to choosing a name for a child, some parents stick with tradition, while some like to give their child a unique or uncommon name. Nearly one-third (31%) of Americans say they have a somewhat uncommon or very uncommon name, according to new data from YouGov Plan & Track.

Women are significantly more likely than men to say that they have an uncommon name. More than one-third (35%) of women say their name is uncommon, compared to only one-quarter (25%) of men who chose the same option.

More than two-thirds (68%) of men say that their name is common, with the most popular response for men being “very common” – 38% chose this. A majority (58%) of women also say their name is somewhat (31%) or very (27%) common.

A person’s ethnic background may also affect how common or uncommon they consider their name to be. White people in the US were the least likely to say that their name is uncommon, with 29% choosing this answer. Similarly, 30% of Black people and 33% of Hispanic people consider their name to be uncommon. Asian people living in the US were the most likely to say that they have an uncommon name, with 36% of people saying their first name is “somewhat uncommon” or “very uncommon.”

Millennials (33%) are the age group most likely to say their name is uncommon. Gen X’ers and baby boomers are slightly less likely to say they have uncommon names, with 28% of both groups choosing “somewhat uncommon” or “very uncommon.” A large number (69%) of baby boomers say their names are common, along with 64% of Gen X’ers and 59% of millennials.

Learn more about YouGov Plan & Track.

Image: Getty