Forrest Gump Killed the Name Forrest
Before I continue I need to inform my readers that a number in brackets after any name mentioned in this article is its ranking according to the Social Security Administration's webpage Top 10 Baby Names for 2012. So, for example, Liam [#6] means that Liam is the 6th most popular name for male babies in 2012.
So what's this all about? I am an expectant grandfather of a baby boy (due date: end of this summer) and thus our home (there are 11 of us living here) is abuzz with name suggestions. My expectant daughter-in-law is favoring Noah [#4] or Hunter [#45]; my expectant son would prefer Logan [#21] or Mason [#2]; my wife voted for Aiden [#10] or Ethan [#3]; my #2 daughter-in-law is hoping they'll name him Cash [#270] or Cade [#370]; my younger son says he'd wait a few days until after the boy is born before picking a name to see what he looks like, how he acts, before giving him a name.
Naming a child after his birth based on what the child does during or shortly after birth is recorded in the Old Testament:
Jacob
In the Old Testament, Jacob [#1] (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter." See Genesis 25:24-26.
And again here:
Perez
In the Old Testament, Perez [Not in top 1000] is the son of Judah and Tamar and said to be the ancestor of King David. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Perez is the ancestor of Jesus.
When Tamar gives birth to her twins, Perez and his brother Zerah, Zerah sticks his hand out and is on the way out first but Perez shoves him aside and becomes the first-born. Tamar then calls him Perez, from the Hebrew Peretz, meaning "to break through." See Genesis 38:29
As well, although my sons are Atheists, as I am, we follow the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition of not naming our children after a living relative or after an evil-doer, so Mohammed [#555] is obviously out of the question.
As for me, my preference is either for Lucas [#27] or Joshua [#17].
My older son also humorously offered the names Rorschach [not in top 100 million] or 'Logan-Tiberius' [not in top 6 billion] on the ground that with either such name no one would ever dare mess with him: "Logan-Tiberius, report to the Principal's Office."
But whatever we ultimately name our precious little grandchild, he will be adored, hugged, kissed, treasured, and loved with all our might. Little Noah, Joshua, Ethan, Lucas, Logan, ... will be brought up to respect life, value liberty, and support the American way of life. I wish for him a world where American culture is the norm; a world free of wars and devoid of the followers of a savage, ignorant and backward cult.
Related: In looking over the popularity of various names I noticed that the name 'Forrest,' ever since the release of the film Forrest Gump
Popularity of the male name Forrest:
| Year of birth | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 878 |
| 2002 | 856 |
| 2001 | 809 |
| 2000 | 697 |
| 1999 | 660 |
| 1998 | 619 |
| 1997 | 536 |
| 1996 | 489 |
| 1995 | 308 |
| 1994 | 217 |
| 1993 | 292 |
After the year 2003, the name 'Forrest' never again ranked in the top 1,000 names.
