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HelpRe: Cosette
in reply to a message by Fionnghuala
It took Harper only 11 years to go from not being in the top 1000 to the top 10.
But I agree with you that unless something happened pop culture-wise with Cosette, it is a real long shot!
But I agree with you that unless something happened pop culture-wise with Cosette, it is a real long shot!
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Harper
Did anything pop culture happen with Harper? Aside from author Harper Lee (who became famous 60 years ago) I can’t think of any famous associations with that name.
BTW I didn’t realize Harper wasn’t in the top 1000 before recently. I grew up with a few and I’m in my early 30s. I also know someone named Harper who is older than me.
Did anything pop culture happen with Harper? Aside from author Harper Lee (who became famous 60 years ago) I can’t think of any famous associations with that name.
BTW I didn’t realize Harper wasn’t in the top 1000 before recently. I grew up with a few and I’m in my early 30s. I also know someone named Harper who is older than me.
This message was edited 4/24/2018, 5:06 PM
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Several celebrities used it for their babies from 2008-2012 (http://www.namecandy.com/celebrity-baby-names/search/baby/harper). While none of them probably *made* it popular, the more of them that used it, the more people heard it (on that page I linked, only Shonda Rimes had a baby Harper before it charted [not counting the one born in 1972 obviously]).
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Atticus also charted and started its huge increase around the same time as Harper (2004). I think that was also partially helped along by celebrities but I also wonder if it was that the generations that all basically read 'To Kill A Mockingbird' in school were starting to have kids?
Like my Dad who went to was in high school in Australia in the 70s didn't read TKAM in school (he read it himself later) but my Mum, who graduated in 88 did read it and by then it was just a staple in high schools. Some celebrities use it and then people familiar with the book and its message are like, "Oh, that's a great namesake- I'm totally naming my kid this because TKAM is my *favorite* book," even if it isn't...and maybe just because it is one of the few books they actually read but it totally makes them look so "woke" and "anti-racism". Add in that Harper is similar to a name like Taylor but seems fresh and not dated and it was a perfect storm for an exponential rise.
Like my Dad who went to was in high school in Australia in the 70s didn't read TKAM in school (he read it himself later) but my Mum, who graduated in 88 did read it and by then it was just a staple in high schools. Some celebrities use it and then people familiar with the book and its message are like, "Oh, that's a great namesake- I'm totally naming my kid this because TKAM is my *favorite* book," even if it isn't...and maybe just because it is one of the few books they actually read but it totally makes them look so "woke" and "anti-racism". Add in that Harper is similar to a name like Taylor but seems fresh and not dated and it was a perfect storm for an exponential rise.
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I think you could be right. I read somewhere that Emma surged in Britain in the 70s a few years after Emma by Jane Austen was a set text for A-Levels. Although Emma was probably due a comeback around then anyway, so maybe it's not as easy to prove as with something unusual like Harper, but it could be a factor.
We did Frankenstein for A-Levels. Not sure that has influenced many names! We also did I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and that could be one of the influences on the popularity of Maya.
We did Frankenstein for A-Levels. Not sure that has influenced many names! We also did I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and that could be one of the influences on the popularity of Maya.
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I had no idea there were so many celebrity child Harpers! The only one I was aware of is Harper Beckham (born 2011) which probably explains why the name became popular here in 2012 and is now in the top 50 (when surnames as first names for girls is generally pretty rare).
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And the thing is that Harper Lee chose to publish "To Kill A Mockingbird" using her middle name and last name, eliminating her first, only because she was afraid that her first name, Nelle, would be continually mispronounced as NELL-ee, when it was actually NELL. It wasn't some endorsement of the use of Harper on girls! Ugh.
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