[1stPickSites] (12/13/05) NameVoyager

NameVoyager

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/

Today's site, by author Laura Wattenberg, offers her slick
program on the frequency of use of thousands of first names in
the U.S. from the 1900's to 2003. Readers will discover a
delightful way to consume an
inordinate amount of time checking out the information provided
by this presentation's attention-grabbing interface.

"Explore the sea of names, letter by letter... watch trends rise
and fall, and dive in deeper to see your favorite name's place in
the historical tides. The Baby Name Wizard's NameVoyager is an
interactive portrait of America's name choices. Start with a
"sea" of nearly 5000 names. Type a letter, and you'll zoom in to
focus on how that initial has been used over the past century.
Then type a few more letters, or a name. Each stripe is a
timeline of one name, its width reflecting the name's changing
popularity.
If a name intrigues you, click on its stripe for a closer look."
- from the website

The java software, using names compiled by the Social Security
Administration, ranks usage, not mere popularity and ranks a name
in terms of its use per 1,000,000 babies. Displaying each name as
a stripe, which varies in thickness according to the frequency of
its use, visitors can track its record over the past century,
with mouseovers. Alphabetical positioning points to the
interesting feature of sound clusters during specific periods. An
FAQ is available to clear up any queries about the program and
data, while the author's blog brims with brief but noteworthy
articles on naming trends. 

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