Sometimes all it takes is one person to ruin a name. Take Adolph.
The name was relatively popular in the 1890s. Not “John” popular, mind you, but always fighting for a spot among America’s top 200.
But once Hitler showed up, it was kaput for Adolph.
By 1970, Adolph was no longer among the top 1,000 names in the United States, and it doesn’t show any signs of coming back.
Hitler spelled his name “Adolf,” but that was a meaningless distinction for parents-to-be.
He wasn’t the first person to ruin a name.
That was Cain.
More recently and more superficially, celebrities have done the most damage in the naming business.
The popularity graph for Britney, which can be seen at the terrific Web site www.babynamewizard.com, looks like a shark fin.
The name was almost non-existent in 1980, rose to prominence on the blond-headed shoulders of bubble-gum princess Britney Spears and has deflated into irrelevance right along with her.
She has dragged the alternative spellings — Brittney and Brittany — along for the fall.
The greatest success story for a pop-culture name is Dylan, which, despite Dylan Thomas, was off the radar until the 1970s.
That’s when baby boomers, startled to find themselves becoming “the Man” instead of rebelling against him, began to name their children after Robert Zimmerman, who, to bring us full circle, took his new last name from one of his favorite poets, Dylan Thomas.
Not even “Beverly Hills, 90210,” which gave us a 30ish teenager named Dylan, could kill its popularity.
The name was among those holding steady among the top 40 in 2006 and has long since outlived its musical origins.
Sometimes a name survives despite those who wear it.
Paris has maintained the middling popularity it gained during the early years of this decade, despite the tartish behavior of Paris Hilton. One can only hope these parents have Shakespeare in mind.
While the ’90s were a giddy time in the naming business, this decade has brought a return to old-school names popular in the 19th century.
Jacob has risen from the low 300s in the 1960s to become the most popular name for a boy, while Emily and Emma have enjoyed similar climbs.
And yet, celebrity retains its pull, especially when it comes to naming daughters after pretty women.
Among the fastest-climbing names this decade are Keira and Scarlett.
Neither name was among the top 1,000 at any time in the 20th century, but Keira was ranked 109 in 2006, and Scarlett was 297 (and it would be higher if you included Scarlet).
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