What makes first names become more or less popular? And why has it become fashionable for parents to give children unusual names, asks author Neil Burdess.
Last week a Ukrainian man made global headlines for changing his name to iPhone 7. It's doubtful this will catch on, but for the last two centuries we've seen names rise and fall in popularity.
But it hasn't always been like this. For centuries, name giving was determined by custom, with most babies being given one of only a few names that were handed down from one generation to the next.
Even in the late 18th Century, more than half of all boys in Britain were baptised William, John or Thomas, and more than half of all girls were baptised Elizabeth, Mary or Anne.