Story of a Name is an independent research project of mine about names and naming. I use U.S. popularity data as a starting point, then follow the questions a name raises—its history, origins, changing use, cultural associations, and place in the larger naming landscape.

My fascination with names began as I began the process of choosing a name for my first daughter and quickly grew into something I could spend hours and hours researching and thinking about. (I have now named 4 of my own children!)

My goal here isn’t to build the biggest name database. It’s to research a growing collection of names and naming questions carefully enough to make each piece worth reading.

And if I help someone else naviagte the naming process, all the better!