Understanding the Rise of Unique Names: The Emphasis on Uniqueness Matters

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.00954

Abstract

Abstract:

Uncommon personal names have become increasingly popular in many countries and cultures over the past decades. However, little is known about the causes. We propose that the emphasis on uniqueness, manifested both as a cultural value at the macro level and as an individual need at the micro level, may account for the widely observed increase in unique-naming practices. We tested these hypotheses in China. Study 1 found that the increasing cultural emphasis on uniqueness (rather than on independence or competition), as a Granger cause, explained the increasing name uniqueness. Study 2 revealed that the increasing individual need for uniqueness (rather than narcissism or self-esteem) explained the higher preference for unique baby names among younger than older generations. Study 3 showed that, in actual naming practices, younger parents emphasized name uniqueness (rather than modernity, positivity, or other features) more than older cohorts. These findings convergently support our hypotheses, highlighting the importance of identifying specific mechanisms underlying psychological and behavioral changes, rather than assuming the rising individualism as a general explanation.

Key words: cultural change, individualism, uniqueness, name, China

CLC Number:

B848
B849

BAO Han-Wu-Shuang, CAI Huajian, JING Yiming. (2024). Understanding the Rise of Unique Names: The Emphasis on Uniqueness Matters. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 56(7), 954-963.

Figures/Tables 11

References 54

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Lag	F statistics for the hypothesized direction (vs. reverse direction)
Lag	Cultural value of uniqueness	Cultural value of independence	Cultural value of competition
Corpus: People’s Daily
1 year: F(1, 50)	11.62^** (vs. 0.00)	1.00 (vs. 1.62)	0.37 (vs. 0.01)
2 years: F(2, 47)	4.82^* (vs. 1.27)	0.40 (vs. 2.46)	0.13 (vs. 0.10)
3 years: F(3, 44)	3.30^* (vs. 1.15)	0.69 (vs. 1.79)	1.67 (vs. 0.85)
4 years: F(4, 41)	2.27 (vs. 1.03)	0.60 (vs. 1.18)	1.03 (vs. 0.73)
5 years: F(5, 38)	2.03 (vs. 0.84)	0.31 (vs. 1.59)	0.94 (vs. 0.77)
Corpus: Google Books (Version 2)
1 year: F(1, 80)	7.10^** (vs. 0.72)	0.22 (vs. 0.01)	0.61 (vs. 0.05)
2 years: F(2, 77)	2.39 (vs. 0.16)	0.52 (vs. 1.75)	0.93 (vs. 1.79)
3 years: F(3, 74)	1.95 (vs. 0.33)	0.12 (vs. 1.43)	0.67 (vs. 2.03)
4 years: F(4, 71)	1.62 (vs. 0.65)	0.58 (vs. 1.73)	0.40 (vs. 1.19)
5 years: F(5, 68)	1.68 (vs. 0.88)	0.59 (vs. 2.44^*)	0.98 (vs. 0.81)
Corpus: Google Books (Version 3)
1 year: F(1, 81)	5.69^* (vs. 2.65)	0.04 (vs. 0.00)	0.01 (vs. 0.25)
2 years: F(2, 78)	2.31 (vs. 0.76)	0.11 (vs. 0.02)	0.53 (vs. 0.17)
3 years: F(3, 75)	1.30 (vs. 1.14)	0.04 (vs. 0.54)	0.59 (vs. 0.28)
4 years: F(4, 72)	0.86 (vs. 2.09)	0.07 (vs. 0.70)	1.30 (vs. 0.21)
5 years: F(5, 69)	0.93 (vs. 1.40)	0.09 (vs. 0.28)	1.12 (vs. 0.11)

Lag	F statistics for the hypothesized direction (vs. reverse direction)
Lag	Cultural value of uniqueness	Cultural value of independence	Cultural value of competition
Corpus: People’s Daily
1 year: F(1, 50)	11.62^** (vs. 0.00)	1.00 (vs. 1.62)	0.37 (vs. 0.01)
2 years: F(2, 47)	4.82^* (vs. 1.27)	0.40 (vs. 2.46)	0.13 (vs. 0.10)
3 years: F(3, 44)	3.30^* (vs. 1.15)	0.69 (vs. 1.79)	1.67 (vs. 0.85)
4 years: F(4, 41)	2.27 (vs. 1.03)	0.60 (vs. 1.18)	1.03 (vs. 0.73)
5 years: F(5, 38)	2.03 (vs. 0.84)	0.31 (vs. 1.59)	0.94 (vs. 0.77)
Corpus: Google Books (Version 2)
1 year: F(1, 80)	7.10^** (vs. 0.72)	0.22 (vs. 0.01)	0.61 (vs. 0.05)
2 years: F(2, 77)	2.39 (vs. 0.16)	0.52 (vs. 1.75)	0.93 (vs. 1.79)
3 years: F(3, 74)	1.95 (vs. 0.33)	0.12 (vs. 1.43)	0.67 (vs. 2.03)
4 years: F(4, 71)	1.62 (vs. 0.65)	0.58 (vs. 1.73)	0.40 (vs. 1.19)
5 years: F(5, 68)	1.68 (vs. 0.88)	0.59 (vs. 2.44^*)	0.98 (vs. 0.81)
Corpus: Google Books (Version 3)
1 year: F(1, 81)	5.69^* (vs. 2.65)	0.04 (vs. 0.00)	0.01 (vs. 0.25)
2 years: F(2, 78)	2.31 (vs. 0.76)	0.11 (vs. 0.02)	0.53 (vs. 0.17)
3 years: F(3, 75)	1.30 (vs. 1.14)	0.04 (vs. 0.54)	0.59 (vs. 0.28)
4 years: F(4, 72)	0.86 (vs. 2.09)	0.07 (vs. 0.70)	1.30 (vs. 0.21)
5 years: F(5, 69)	0.93 (vs. 1.40)	0.09 (vs. 0.28)	1.12 (vs. 0.11)

Variable	M	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Baby-naming uniqueness	3.89	0.76	—
2. Birth year	1981.59	11.77	0.32^***	—
3. Gender	0.32	0.47	?0.11^*	?0.20^***	—
4. Education level	2.45	0.91	0.12^*	0.06	0.11^*	—
5. Need for uniqueness (NFU)	0.00	0.76	0.19^***	0.22^***	?0.05	?0.07	—
6. Narcissism	3.24	0.65	?0.03	0.10	0.03	?0.07	0.50^***	—
7. Self-esteem	2.92	0.47	?0.10	?0.01	?0.06	0.16^**	?0.27^***	0.07

Variable	M	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Baby-naming uniqueness	3.89	0.76	—
2. Birth year	1981.59	11.77	0.32^***	—
3. Gender	0.32	0.47	?0.11^*	?0.20^***	—
4. Education level	2.45	0.91	0.12^*	0.06	0.11^*	—
5. Need for uniqueness (NFU)	0.00	0.76	0.19^***	0.22^***	?0.05	?0.07	—
6. Narcissism	3.24	0.65	?0.03	0.10	0.03	?0.07	0.50^***	—
7. Self-esteem	2.92	0.47	?0.10	?0.01	?0.06	0.16^**	?0.27^***	0.07

Predictor	Need for uniqueness	Baby-naming uniqueness	Baby-naming uniqueness
Birth year	0.226^*** (0.055)	0.300^*** (0.053)	0.269^*** (0.054)
Gender	0.006 (0.055)	?0.065 (0.053)	?0.066 (0.053)
Education level	?0.089 (0.054)	0.114^* (0.052)	0.127^* (0.052)
Need for uniqueness	—	—	0.140^** (0.053)
R²	0.056	0.118	0.136
Adjusted R²	0.047	0.110	0.126