Relation of Frequency to Perception of Gender-Appropriateness in Personal Names

Abstract

In a study of the relationship between the frequency of personal names and their perceived gender-appropriateness, 101 college students rated the perceived masculinity of 60 boys' names or femininity of 60 girls' names. The names on each list of 60 were divided equally into common, less common, dated, and rare names. Over-all analyses of variances indicated that the frequency with which a name appeared related to its perceived gender-appropriateness. Subsequent analyses indicated that rare boys' names were perceived as less masculine, and rare girls' names were perceived as less feminine. Also, dated boys' names were perceived as less masculine than were common and less common boys' names. Apparently a simple frequency principle seems to apply to the perception of gender-appropriateness in personal names.