Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
Did Madison rise because of a film?
Splash (1984) is a well-known English-language case where a mermaid’s name coincided with a later given-name climb in U.S. files. Treat it as a historical illustration, and still check the SSA years.
What about Khaleesi / Daenerys?
Game of Thrones produced a documented spike in some English-language files in the 2010s — a dated media event, not a standing recommendation.
Do athletes move names more than actors?
It depends on the market and the year. Always go file-first, anecdote-second.
Why is Lieberson sceptical?
Because many “celebrity” names were already rising, and similar-sounding names rise without a star.
Should I avoid a celebrity name?
Only if you dislike the association or the spike. There is no moral rule. Fashion will move anyway.
Do K-pop or K-drama names show up in KOSTAT?
Media can influence, but Korean frequencies still need a KOSTAT year. Do not assume a global K-wave #1.
Lieberson plus the statistical offices. Entertainment journalists if they quote a year.
Read these voices as maps of a time and place — not as a fortune for Celebrity influence.
People
- Stanley Lieberson 1933–2018 · United States — Sceptic-in-chief
The control group for celebrity stories.
- SSA researchers / publishers ongoing · United States — The U.S. curve
Where a Splash-like story must show up.
- ONS Vital Statistics ongoing · England & Wales — UK-jurisdiction curves
Royal and screen claims go here first.
- Statistics Korea ongoing · Korea — Domestic vs export
The file that K-wave claims must face.
- Cleveland Kent Evans b. 1953 · United States — Public myth-busting
Which star stories survive the chart.
- Richard Dyer b. 1945 · United Kingdom — Celebrity studies
What fame is, before it becomes a baby name.
If the only source is a recap, you have culture, not a trend.