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Religion prof speculates about popularity of Biblical names

Amy Gage
October 1, 2002

In 2001, 18 of the top 50 boys' names were from the Old Testament, out of 25 Biblical names. Compare that with four in the 1900s and five in the 1950s. The pattern holds much the same for girls. Is it a sign of growing spirituality, or simply a harkening back to earlier times? DeAne Lagerquist, who chairs the Department of Religion at St. Olaf, speculates for the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.