A third of kids now want to be YouTubers instead of astronauts and half of those kids will probably be named after firearms rather than grandparents. This is either a damning indictment of modern culture or just kids being realistic about which career path actually pays.
Baby names have become a political statement that reveals more about parents than their children. Blue state families in the USA lean toward traditional, religiously significant names like Rachel, Muhammad, and Santino. Red state parents are flinging tradition to the wind with names like Gunner and Baylor, often with creative spelling variations that will forever be the bain of their existence. It’s similar to what happened during the French Revolution, where parents abandoned traditional names for dramatic alternatives like "La Grenade" or "Mort aux Aristocrats" (Death to Aristocrats).
And you know that metal foot-measuring device you see in shoe stores? Charles Brannock invented it in the early 1900s and he was so committed to quality that he refused to sell his company during his lifetime. The Brannock device is possibly the most boring invention ever created. It’s a metal contraption that measures feet (yawn) yet Brannock was so passionate about it that he refused every buyout offer for decades. Maybe he had the psychological traits required to become a famous YouTuber.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Brannock Device: A Boring Invention?
02:02 The Evolution of Shoe Measurement
06:15 The Rise of YouTubers and Influencers
07:58 Personality Traits of Aspiring Influencers
13:30 Culture Wars and Baby Names
15:31 Homogenisation of Names in the 20th Century
17:26 Red State vs. Blue State Baby Names
25:10 International Names are the New Trend
SOURCES:
https://www.nancy.cc/2011/09/09/revolution-france-baby-names/
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russias-revolutionary-names-live-on-100-years-later-121547
https://nameberry.com/blog/the-reddest-and-bluest-baby-names#google_vignette
https://web.archive.org/web/20030302052852/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/brannock.htm
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_F._Brannock
https://theharrispoll.com/briefs/lego-group-kicks-off-global-program-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-space-explorers-as-nasa-celebrates-50-years-of-moon-landing/
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