Peyton Becoming a Popular Name as Parents Want Their Kids to Be Like Manning

Fifteen years ago, the name Peyton was unusual -- birth certificate data indicates that it wasn't even one of the 500 most popular boys' names in America.

But then a freshman named Peyton Manning enrolled at the University of Tennessee, and things started to change. By 1997 -- Manning's senior football season -- Peyton had become the 51st most popular boys' name in the state of Tennessee. And it didn't stop there.

Andrea Adelson of the Orlando Sentinel reports:

as Peyton became the best quarterback in the NFL, the name started rising up the U.S. charts -- for boys and girls. In 2007, the name ranked No. 125 for boys and No. 121 for girls. Compare that to his freshman year at UT in 1994, when the name ranked No. 431 for girls and 546 for boys in the country.

"Peyton is going through what a friend of mine calls a name wave, where a particular person is in the news for a long period of time and they have positive things attributed to them, good values, good morals, highly successful," said Frank Nuessel, a professor of modern languages at the University of Louisville and editor of NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics. "Peyton Manning seems to fit into this model."

Manning is far from the only athlete whose name has become more popular as he has become more famous. Similar phenomena have been noted with names like Jordan and even Shaquille. If you call your father today, you might want to ask him if you share a name with his favorite athlete from the year you were born.

Latest NFL Photos

Archie Manning, center, is flanked by his NFL football quarterback sons Peyton, left, of the Indianapolis Colts, and Eli, of the New York Giants, during a Nerf Father's Day promo Saturday, June 14, 2008, in New York. Archie Manning used to play a game with his sons called "Amazing Catches," where he'd throw the ball just out of their reach and they'd have to make a diving grab. Peyton and Eli have had a lot of amazing passes lately in winning the last two Super Bowl MVP awards. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin)

Buffalo Bills' Marshawn Lynch makes a catch during football minicamp at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Thursday, June 12, 2008. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

New York Giants safety James Butler, left, races cornerback R.W. McQuarters off the field at the end of the morning practice at the NFL football team's minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Darcy Johnson, right, catches a pass as rookie cornerback Terrell Thomas looks on during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress stretches during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants defensive back Geoffrey Pope smiles as he walks out to the afternoon practice session at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss attempts to catch the ball as safety Sammy Knight, rear, and cornerback R.W. McQuarters (25) defend during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants rookie tight end Eric Butler leaves the morning practice session with his helmet on backwards at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin smiles as he heads out to afternoon practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants center Shaun O'Hara walks out to the afternoon practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)