Parents don't want to name their babies after Hillary, Donald, or Bernie

The trickle-down effect of unpopular candidates.

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

published 11 May 2016

Even the 2016 presidential candidates' names aren't popular. Unlike presidential candidates of years past, who inspired parents to name their kids after them, The New York Times reports the popularity of the names Hillary, Bernie, and Donald have actually declined, rather than grown. In 2015, there were fewer babies named after the current presidential candidates than in decades before.

The trend of presidential candidate baby-naming was particularly booming 60 years ago, with thousands more babies being callled Franklin, Harry, and Dwight at the start of the Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower administrations. The trend was alive and well when President Barack Obama was running for president. Between 2007 and Obama's inauguration in 2009, more than 100 babies were named Barack. Previously, only about five newborns were given that name yearly.

In comparison, the name Bernie (or Bernard) has only continued to fall in popularity since 1924. The name Donald has also continued its disappearance from birth certificates, with only 690 born last year. As for Hillary Clinton's name, babies named Hillary were rarer last year than in years past. Her name hit peak popularity in 1992, when 2,500 Hillarys were born. Last year, only 136 were given the name.