On Female Names in Lit. Stories

In the lower orders, the biggest increases were Didi (+300 to 302nd), Kerri (+273 to 352nd), Corey (+272 to 170th), Nicki (+249 to 234th) Janelle (+232 to 297th) Kira (+229 to 201st), Roxie (+220 to 427th) Stace (+215 to 372) Joanie (+210 to 347), Aubrey (+202 to 332) and Kathryn (+201 to 227). Other names which moved more than 100 places into the top 250 included Shelley, Caitlin, Tessa, Clair, Janie, Haley, Kylie, Ariel, Claudia, Willie, Tracey, Kerry, Trisha and Billie.

4.2.6 Loving Wives

There were some big movers in the top 20. Mary, Lisa and Sarah remained in the top 3, although Lisa and Sarah swapped places. Susan and Julie both moved forward 4 places to 4th and 5th. More substantially moves were Linda (+11 to 6th), Sally (+10 to 11th), Ann (+14 to 13th) and Jill (+15 to 17th). Donna leapt a huge 30 places to end up at 20th.

There were quite a number of other substantial jumps in the top 100 including Debbie (+32 to 31st), Kathy (+30 to 32nd), Betty (+27 to 34th), Brenda (+40 to 40th), Judy (+54 to 49th), Angie (+33 to 53rd), Pam (+26 to 56), Mandy (+32 to 58). Entering from outside the top 100 were Joan (+41 to 65), Cheryl (+56 to 68), Tammy (+32 to 69), Connie (+66 to 72nd), Denise (+35 to 77th), Cathy (+42 to 91) and Gail (+102 to 85), Paula (+44 to 95) and Carla (+30 to 98)

Big drops in the top 100 included Rachel (-20 to 35th), Anna (-20 to 36th) and Emily (-21 to 39th), Samantha (-20 to 50th), Emma (-21 to 55), Ashley (-30 to 71), Lucy (-36 to 76) and Julia (-23 to 79th), Kay (-32 to 83rd), Jess (-39 to 84), Megan (-28 to 87), Stephanie (-34 to 89), and Molly (-21 to 94th) and most notably Lily (-62 to 99). Names dropping out of the top 100 included Ally (-65 to 109), Nicole (-40 to 110), Tiffany (-36 to 115), Belle (-26 to 123), Chloe (-32 to 128), Kat (-55 to 142), Olivia (-57 to 152), Jenna (-67 to 158). Perhaps most substantially Hanna (-113 to 198) and Jade (-131 to 202)

In the lower orders, the biggest mover was Marci (+316 to 275) followed by Keri (+274 to 346th) and Traci (+271 to 177). Other names which moved up more than 200 places included Jolene, Randi, Myra, Ann-Marie/Marie-Ann, Ira, Karin, Adriana, Tricia, Shari, Carol-Jean, Margie, Myrtle, Marla and Jeanne. Names with moved 100 places into the top 250 included, Bev (+197 to 133), Pauline, Darlene, Marge (+150 to 106), Debra, Marcy, Marlene, Eileen, Carolyn, Rachael and Kathleen.

The biggest drop was Luna (-449 to 646) again and other big drops included Lilith (-356 to 607), Anya (-286 to 636), and Bianca (-255 to 611). The other names which dropped by more than 200 were Natasha, Ariel, Buffy, Phoebe, Felicity, Cass, Athena, Felicia, Isabella, Kendra, and Zoe. Names which dropped by more than 100 out of the top 250 included Zoe, Helena, Cassandra, Naomi, Chrissy and Clara.

4.2.7. Mature

While Mary still remained the most common name in this category, there were quite a lot of other movement. Jane became the 2nd most common name (up from 4th). More substantial movements were from Linda (+12 to 5th) and Sally (+15 to 6th) and Ann (+15 to 12th), Anne (+19 to 14th), Alice (+8 to 15th) and Betty (+41 to 20th).

In the top 100, big movers were Barbara (+26 to 32nd), Maggie (+27 to 41st), Brenda (+32 to 48th), Joan (+57 to 49th), Janice (+34 to 56), Margaret (+39 to 57th), Ellen (+40 to 58th) and Angie (+21 to 65th). Entering the top 100 were Gloria (+35 to 76), Ruth (+52 to 78th), Rita (+64 to 79th), Martha (+39 to 81), Sheila (+25 to 85th), Louise (+32 to 86th), Elaine (+70 to 87th), Connie (+46 to 93rd) and Marilyn (+46 to 92). Just outside of the top 100, Shirley jumped 107 places to 102nd.

Big drops included Amy (-11 to 16th), Kelly (-8 to 20th), Anna (-8 to 24th), Rachel (-13 to 28), Emily (-11 to 29th), Jessica (-22 to 34th), Michelle (-25 to 50th), Samantha (-25 to 55th) and Melissa (-20 to 69th),Ashley (-43 to 84th), Rebecca (-37 to 89th), Megan (-32 to 91) and Charlotte (-26 to 98th).

In the lower ranks, the larges movers were Marjorie (+294 to 169), Doreen (+292 to 283), Gillian (+261 to 215), Bernice (+261 to 391), Flo (+242 to 314) Colette (+228 to 396), Randi (+223 to 162), Madeline (+219 to 432), Edna (+214 to 306th), Ethel (+209 to 429), Babs (+205 to 356) and Loren (+204 to 321). Names which moved more than 100 places to enter the top 100 included Ally (-105 to 149), Margie (+197 to 220), Caitlin (+190 to 237), Jeannie (+189 to 195) Phyllis (+187 to 250), Maureen (+170 to 107), Eileen (+174 to 207), Lois (+158 to 155), Doris (+152 to 119), Debra (+151 to 144), Polly (+144 to 226), Judith (+142 to 249), Darlene (+115 to 239), Kerry (+107 to 236), Marsha (+102 to 201) and Alma (+101 to 172nd).

Names which dropped a large number of places included Lina again (-365 to 616), Luna (-353 to 551st), Annabelle (-345 to 639), Anya (-287 to 637), Nadia (-251 to 591), Natasha (-241 to 427), Buffy (-240 to 651), Sasha (-240 to 400), Lara (-229 to 474), Kira (-220 to 650), Felicia (-220 to 571) Roxy (-216 to 590th), Cara (-216 to 501), Tasha (-211 to 557th) and Sabrina (-206 to 473). Names which lost more than 100 places to drop out of the top 250 included Katrina (-186 to 374), Alyssa (-186 to 436th), Isabella (-185 to 428th), Kristen (-151 to 387th), Britney (-148 to 355), Tanya (-142 to 273), Alexandra (-131 to 381st), Rosa (-127 to 368)

4.2.8. Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Big gainers in the top 20 included Rachel (+12 to 3rd), Jessica (+8 to 4th), Maria (+16 to 6th), Anna (+8 to 8th), Alice (+11 to 12th), Elizabeth (+22 to 13th), Sara (+17 to 14th) and Samantha (+10 to 20th). Most noticeably Aphrodite jumped 153 places to 19th.

In the top 100, gains were made by Lilith (+223 to 28th) and Luna (+169 to 29th) as well as Eva (+123 to 33), Selene (+441 to 39th), Athena (+321 to 41), Lydia (+153 to 48th), Sasha (+110 to 50), Abigail (+125 to 54th), Fiona (+104 to 55th), Clara (+121 to 57th), Alyssa (+189 to 60), Cassandra (+122 to 63rd), Helena (+149 to 72nd), Mara (+313 to 74) and Natasha (+109 to 77), Dana (+91 to 46th), Anna (+112 to 98) and Amelia (+101 to 99)

The following names had biggish drops within the top 20: Lisa (-6 to 9th), Jennifer (-6 to 11th), Victoria (-10 to 16th), Susan (-9 to 17th) and Jenny (-11 to 18th)

A large number of names dropped places within the top 100, the biggest ones being Julie (-55 to 64th), Laura (-47 to 71st), Jess (-33 to 78th), Jill (-48 to 80th). Names dropping out of the top 100 included Nicole, Betty, Barbie, Katie, Jenna, Mel and Brenda, Tracy, Pam, Sharon, Janice.

In the lower ranks the following names had the biggest gains: Lina (+403 to 228th), Kali (+403 to 228), Mina (+401 to 154th), Lulu (+345 to 191), Sonja (+343 to 226), Talia (+341 to 178), Tatiana (+328 to 286), Lynette (+320 to 321), Antoinette (+316 to 232), Eloise (+316 to 324th), Giselle (+314 to 244), Silvia (+314 to 298) and Tilly (+302 to 248).

Other names which gained more than two hundred places into the top 250 included, Astrid, Helga, Jeanette, Fatmina, Fay, Mira, Anastasia, Delila, Kira, Alanaa, Lea, Anya,Tabitha, Esther, Elsa, Eliza, Celeste, Greta. Names which gained more than a hundred places into the top 250 included: Bianca, Lilian, Cass, Maya, Daphne, Selena, Annabelle, Tessa, Elena, Beatrice, Kendra, Nadia, Annetta, Maddy, Elle, Vera, Ariel, Ella and Gretchen.

The biggest drops were Joanne (-327 to 520th), Carole (-300 to 600), Deb (-295 to 475), Suzy (-268 to 464), Suzanne (-261 to 486th), and Susie (-257 to 427th). Other names which dropped more than 250 places were Shirley, Peggy, Patti, Bev, Katy, Paige, Michele, Randi, Joyce, Carly, Darlene, Debra, Yvonne, Denise and Gail. Names which dropped more than 100 paces and out of the top 250 included Trish, Meg, Becca, Rita, Bonnie, Patty, Marilyn, Alison, Carrie, Cheryl, Jessie, Audrey, Courtney, Suzie, Beverly, Vicki, Cathy, Brittany, Christina, and Terri.

4.2.9. Non-Consent/Reluctance

For this category the top three remained unchanged but Susan jumped 4 places to 4th. Other big movers in the top 20 included Emily (+9 to 9th), Anna (+6 to 10th) and Sara (+19 to 12th) and Laura (+7 to 17th). Victoria dropped 10 places to 16th.

In the top 100 the main movers were Melissa (+23 to 26th), Debbie (+25 to 38th), Tiffany (+27 to 52nd), Barbie (+20 to 55th), Chloe (+36 to 58th), Olivia (+36 to 59th), Hannah (+25 to 60th), Sophie (+39 to 61th), Jenna (+20 to 71st)

Entering the top 100 from outside were Mia (+48 to 57th), Cassie (+52 to 67th), Tammy (+32 to 69th), Louise (+40 to 78th), Nikki (+30 to 91st), Cheryl (+30 to 91st), Alison (+33 to 93rd), Bella (+54 to 94th), Vanessa (+22 to 95th) and Danielle (+42 to 100th)

Big drops within the top 100 included Kay (-33 to 84th) and Barbara (-32 to 90th)

The names dropping out of the top 100 included Betty (-40 to 101st), Mel (-31 to 115th) and Jo (-42 to 131st)

The biggest overall moves were Shawna (+283 to 264th) and Shauna (+270 to 315th)

5. Conclusion

We all have our own personal feelings, resonances, and stereotypes about names. Perhaps then, it is better not to comment too directly on any particular name in any particular category, but to let the reader find for themselves what is interesting (if anything) about the results. Why does the name Alice turn up so much more often in the BDSM category than others? Do the writers have an appreciation for the works (and aesthetics) of Lewis Caroll or is it a subliminal hang-over from listening to too muchAlice in Chains during their teenage years? Who knows and it would be dangerous to leap to conclusions. What sounds reasonable to me may be different for you.

Still, some general comments might be in order. It is perhaps a positive thing that the Lesbian list, for example, was so similar to the general list. Authors are not perhaps, pulling out super-butch or super-feminine names for their characters. On the other hand, the Transgender and Cross-Dressing list was one of the most non-standard of those studied, suggesting that authors and characters are choosing more highly individual characters for those transitioning. Mature, as might be expected, focused more on names that suggested an older generation, as did Loving Wives to some extent. This wasn't reflected so much in Incest - perhaps because for every mother seducing a son, that category has a father getting it on with a daughter and everything evens out. Sci-Fi and Fantasy showed an expected swing towards Sci-Fi and Fantasy sounding names (as well as more clearly Greek, French and Germanic origin names), although the initial list not being geared for this maybe affected the results.

So, how is an author to use this information?

Well if your succubus is about to do your main character to death, remember that the name Lilith has been done to death in fantasy.

If you want infidelity to come as a complete shock to your male main characters, don't call the wife Linda -- everyone knows they're trouble! Call her Clara and he'll never see the bull coming -- at least until the plot requires it.

And I hate to break it to you, but, despite what you've written, it seems unlikely that your sweet Jenny is actually still a virgin. Its not so much defloration as it is desertification by this point.

On the other hand, double down! Readers have expectations and who are we to disappoint them? We all know where we stand with Betsy, the busty lusty neighbour from next door. Or call your character Dominique and your reader will be able to feel the whip and candle-wax before she's finished zipping up the latex.

Hopefully, whichever strategy you're going for, I hope there's a name somewhere here that helps you.