namerology
n.— «“Eighty years from now, the names we choose will be the sound of a generation, the stamp of an era.” The annual list was the brainchild of a Social Security actuary who hoped to bring more citizens to the agency’s Web site. It has fueled a mini-industry that some dub “namerology,” though the academic term is onomatology or onomastics. Like analysts studying the market in search of the next sizzling stock, “namies” scrutinize the rankings and thrive on the thrill of discovering the next big thing or stumbling upon an amusing oddity.» —“Sorry, Gert, not your year again” by Bonnie Miller Rubin Chicago Tribune May 19, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The word budget derives from French bougette, “leather bag.” An old phrase in English to open one’s budget, meant “to speak one’s mind.” The word purse is related to French bourse, a word for the stock market. This is part of a complete episode...
What’s the common bond that links the names Vanessa, Cedric, and Pamela? They’re all names coined by famous authors. Vanessa was invented by Jonathan Swift as a pet name for his lover Esther Van Homrigh.The 16th-century poetSir Phillip Sidney coined...