This mixed first name, so popular in America, is considered completely archaic in France

Mixed names are gaining popularity at a time when many parents are opting for less conventional choices, often surprising or deviating from gender stereotypes. Among them, one of these first names stands out in America, but does not seem to convince the French public.

American First Names: Their Slow Acceptance in France

American first names, seen as trendy across the Atlantic, face a chilly reception in France. Indeed, although globalization has allowed a certain circulation of first names, cultural differences still greatly influence parental choices. Especially unisex first names, although on the rise, remain a minority in France.

According to Names.org, despite increased interest that sees 17% of American babies receiving gender-neutral names by 2023, only 6% of names are considered mixed. This observation is gradually, but still frighteningly, opening up where first-name traditions are strong in the Old Continent. In France, American first names, mixed or not, are still struggling to find their place among popular first names.

This mixed first name, so popular in America, is struggling to find a place in France

Dylan is expected to top the list of unisex names in the United States for the first time in 2024, with 7,387 births to the name. However, in France, Dylan often evokes an old fashion of the '90s and early 2000s, where he was very fashionable, and many consider it “outdated” today. This reluctance can be explained by the saturation of the first name in these years, as well as specific cultural images, especially boy bands and television series, which no longer resonate with the new generation of parents. Freshness and originality. Despite adopting weird and unisex first names, Dylan has yet to shake off his outdated image on French soil.

So this first name perfectly illustrates the gap between American and French first name trends, highlighting how choices of first names reveal the cultural and social dynamics that shape our world.