Historical Changes in Given Names in France: Insights from Research on Cultural Change

Based on previous research on names and cultural changes, I propose six suggestions regarding Mignot (2022), which investigated historical changes in given names in France. The study analyzed two different datasets on names and reported that the number of distinctive first names increased from the 1950s to the 2010s. Moreover, the author demonstrated that the proportion of the top 10 most popular names decreased. These two findings were interpreted as reflecting an increase in individualization (individualism). However, six points remain unclear. The first and second comments suggest excluding possible alternative explanations. The third and fourth comments recommend using previous studies that have provided valuable findings, on which new insights could be further added. The fifth and sixth comments ask the author to clarify the data used by adding more information. Addressing these comments would contribute to a better understanding of the historical changes in given names and their underlying psychological and cultural trends in France.