Why did the Brajans and Dżesiki disappear? Names, fashion and social meanings of parents' choices

The fashion for names does not disappear, but changes its nature – says sociologist Dr. Paweł Tomanek. In an interview with PAP, he explains why foreign-sounding names have become the object of ridicule, how the class nature of names works and why parents are increasingly choosing well-known, but not popular, forms.

PAP: Data published on government websites show that parents are increasingly choosing names that are considered classic – mothers Zofie, Janów, Hanny and Antoni. Are we really turning towards tradition today? They say names are a barometer of an era…

Dr. Paweł Tomanek, sociologist and cultural anthropologist from the University of Warsaw: It depends on what we mean by classics. In fact, many of the names that top the rankings today are not new. This especially applies to boys' names, which have a centuries-long history of presence in Polish culture. However, it must be clearly emphasized that this is not a new trend – we have been observing a similar arrangement for at least a dozen years.

PAP: So the current rankings are not groundbreaking?

PT: No. If we look at the data since the beginning of the 21st century, we will see that the top ten boys' names were almost always dominated by classic names. Among girls, this classicity is weaker because female names respond much faster to changes in fashion.

PAP: So how can we interpret the fact that Zofia is the leader among girls today, but Maja and Laura are also very high?

PT: Zofia, Hanna and Maria are clearly classic names. Maja, Laura or Pola, on the other hand, have been names present in Poland for at least a century, but until recently were rarely given. They are often literary and bookish in nature. They are neither completely new nor deeply embedded in the traditional Christian repertoire of names.

PAP: What is the difference between the reasons for giving names to boys and girls?

PT: This is a pattern known from international research. Boys' names are less susceptible to current fashion and more closely associated with conveying status. Boys are stereotypically perceived as those who “carry on” the family name and position. Girls' names more often have an aesthetic function and respond more quickly to changes in trends.

PAP: A question often arises in public space: what happened to the Brajans and Dżesics?

PT: First of all, it must be clearly stated that they have never been broadcast en masse. Even during the period of greatest popularity, 400-500 children were given the name Brajan a year, and Dżesika – no more than a hundred. Today, these names have virtually disappeared as they have become objects of memes and social mockery. Many parents are aware that such a name may mark the child's class.

PAP: So a name can have a class dimension?

PT: Maybe, although in Poland this effect is relatively weak. It was more pronounced in the 1990s, as confirmed by my research comparing the names of today's medical students born then with the names of their peers. Today, the differences are much less pronounced and often statistically insignificant. Classism is more often manifested in avoiding certain names than in explicitly choosing them.

PAP: Where does the tendency for some parents, especially those lower in the social hierarchy, to give foreign-sounding names come from?

PT: It is most often explained by differences in cultural capital. Parents with fewer cultural resources sometimes try to distinguish their child with a name associated with globality or pop culture. In their opinion, it is supposed to be an advantage, although socially it is sometimes perceived the other way around.

PAP: Well, what role does pop culture play in this?

PT: Rather limited. A name from a movie or series gains popularity only when it fits a broader trend, for example the fashion for short names. The classic exception was Amelia, which became very fashionable in the early 2000s when a French film with that title appeared, but most such impulses are short-lived and quickly fade away. That's what happened with Isaura – when the series titled “Isaura the Slave” triumphed on the small screen, this name began to be given to girls in Poland, but it remained a niche name.

PAP: You mentioned the length of names.

PT: This is a very important, although often unconscious, factor. Today, short names are fashionable among girls, most often with two syllables, such as Maja, Pola or Iga. In the 1990s, longer names dominated, such as Weronika or Patrycja. This is a classic fashion mechanism – it is about differentiating yourself from the previous generation, not about the “spirit of the era”.

PAP: Are parents increasingly running away from fashion?

PT: Yes. The most popular names today constitute a much smaller percentage of names than they did 20-30 years ago. Parents are increasingly choosing names that are moderately popular – known, but not common. This is the result of individualization of choices.

PAP: Does the meaning of the name, its etymology, matter today?

PT: Several percent of parents are consciously interested in this. Most often, the aesthetics and sound of the name are decisive. The meaning is sometimes important mainly in the context of religion or personal associations.

PAP: Does numerology, which many people are interested in today, influence the choice of a name for a child?

PT: Rarely – in my research, only a few respondents out of almost two thousand mentioned it. It is more of a curiosity than a real force shaping trends. Importantly, people who refer to numerology treat the name as a carrier of a certain energy, and not as an element of tradition or fashion.

PAP: So, according to them, the name is supposed to influence fate?

PT: That's true, although it must be emphasized that this thinking has a very long history. Already in ancient times, names were assigned symbolic and magical value. Modern numerology is a continuation of these old beliefs rather than a new phenomenon.

PAP: Does a name really say anything about a person's character?

PT: From a scientific point of view – not directly. There is no evidence that name determines personality traits. However, a name may influence how a given person is perceived and, therefore, indirectly, its social experiences. If someone is exposed to certain expectations or stereotypes related to their name throughout their life, it may affect their biography.

PAP: A mechanism that is more social than psychological?

PT: Exactly. This is more the result of labeling and social associations than the “magic of the name”.

PAP: Let's go back to the meanings of names – e.g. biblical ones, because many people idealize them. What do they actually mean?

PT: Often something very prosaic. Deborah means a bee, Leah – according to some interpretations – a cow or a tired person, Rachel is a sheep. These meanings are almost completely absent from public consciousness today. People choose these names for their religious or cultural connotations rather than literal etymology.

PAP: Does this mean that the meaning of names is “detaching” from the original meaning?

PT: Definitely yes. Meaning lives in culture, not in the etymological dictionary. Most people associate Lea with a lion or the Bible, not with a farm animal. This shows that names function as symbols rather than literal messages.

PAP: I would also like to ask about middle names. They are broadcast more and more often, but do they always mean something?

PT: Historically, middle names have been a clear distinguishing feature of elites. It appeared relatively late, first among the clergy and nobility, and then among the bourgeoisie. It often combined a Christian name with a name of a classical or ancient nature – Stanisław August Poniatowski or Jan Ursyn Niemcewicz. It was a signal of status and education.

PAP: And today?

PT: Today, the functions of middle names are very different. Sometimes it is a tribute to grandparents, sometimes a compromise between parents, sometimes “security” for the future – parents give their child a classic second name, even if the first one is more modern. It also happens that a middle name has a symbolic, religious or sentimental function, and in everyday life it is not used at all.

PAP: Can a middle name change the way a person is perceived?

PT: Maybe, especially in formal situations. The signature reads “Anna Lena Kowalska” and “Anna Maria Kowalska” differently. A middle name can be an image-building tool, even if it remains in the shadow on a daily basis.

PAP: So can we say that names – including the latter ones – are today a form of stories about parents?

PT: Definitely yes. The name increasingly speaks not only about the child, but also about the values, aspirations and identity of the parents. This is one of the first and most lasting messages they send to the world.

PAP: How were names chosen historically in Poland?

PT: For centuries, the liturgical calendar dominated. There was also a division of estates – the nobility had their own name traditions, and the peasants used the general pool of Christian names, and it was only in the second half of the 20th century that they began to give middle names en masse.

PAP: Do migrations affect name calling?

PT: Statistics show an increase in names given from beyond the eastern border, which is related to migration from Ukraine. For now, it is mainly an administrative effect, but in the long run it may also influence the choices of Polish families.

PAP: You announce research on the names of transgender and non-binary people.

PT: This is a very interesting area because the Polish language is highly gendered and does not offer neutral names. Non-binary people often use borrowings, like Alex, or create intermediate forms – abbreviations and variants that weaken gender unambiguity.

PAP: Is this just a symbolic matter?

PT: No. The name must function in documents, offices, work and social relations. It is a real compromise between identity and the limitations of language and law.

PAP: So what do names say about society today?

PT: They show the tension between tradition and individuality. Classics are coming back, but not as the only norm. The name has become a conscious tool for placing the child in the social world.

Interview by: Mira Suchodolska (PAP)

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