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Help[Opinions] Obsession with Tennessee?
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I’ll just be the devil’s advocate here but I think the same could be said of just about every state. Take my home state for example. There are lots of towns that have become popular names:
Hayden
Haley
Emmett
Preston
Wilder
Ashton
Troy
Oakley
Paris
Weston
Clark
Eden
Parker
Kendrick
Hope
Spencer
Clayton
These are all towns in my home state that are also names in the US Top 1000.
I think it has more to do with the trend of surname first names rather than an obsession with a single state.
Hayden
Haley
Emmett
Preston
Wilder
Ashton
Troy
Oakley
Paris
Weston
Clark
Eden
Parker
Kendrick
Hope
Spencer
Clayton
These are all towns in my home state that are also names in the US Top 1000.
I think it has more to do with the trend of surname first names rather than an obsession with a single state.
This message was edited 6/3/2025, 10:39 AM
I think it's less about Tennessee and more about the general style of name. Nash and Knox fit in with the surnames-as-first-names trend, as well as the one-syllable trend. Memphis fits in with the place-names thing.
Likewise I think the Austin-Dallas-etc thing was more about the surnames, placenames in general and also a country-western vibe.
Likewise I think the Austin-Dallas-etc thing was more about the surnames, placenames in general and also a country-western vibe.
There's a lot of popular place names. I haven't noticed obsession with Tennessee in particular, although a lot of people do love the state for various reasons.
Nash is a common surname, and surnames are trendy; I think of that (people I know with the surname, then the group Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and the popularity of other surnames like Cash) before I'd associate Nashville. A lot of people associate Nashville with music, so maybe they're going for that, though association with Nash Bridges and a soap opera as mentioned on the BtN name page seems more likely.
Most states have been used as names; Tennessee's one of the older ones, seems woodsy (the Smokies) and literary (Tennessee Williams), has a nice enough etymology (I tend to like names associated with water; Tennessee is a river), and sounds pleasant in my opinion. I thought it would have fit as my name when I was a kid, because my sister's name is Virginia, and my NN began with a T, plus I liked irises and passionflowers, and it probably reminded me of my friend Jesse's name. I think Tenny is cute - sporty and reminds me of Denny. I've met a couple people named Henessy / Hennesey, which I don't like as much because of the drink association, but I still like the sound. The other Tennessee I think of after Tennessee Williams is Tennessee Claflin (a suffragist, Victoria Woodhull's sister), but she's more obscure.
I think Memphis is associated with ancient mythology (so it's kinda exotic and mystical while also sounding appealingly familiar). I heard it that way as a rare girls' name before its current trendiness as a boys' name. I guess it's kind of like Phoenix in that way. Cairo is also popular. I think *s names in general might be trending for boys in the US.
Nash is a common surname, and surnames are trendy; I think of that (people I know with the surname, then the group Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and the popularity of other surnames like Cash) before I'd associate Nashville. A lot of people associate Nashville with music, so maybe they're going for that, though association with Nash Bridges and a soap opera as mentioned on the BtN name page seems more likely.
Most states have been used as names; Tennessee's one of the older ones, seems woodsy (the Smokies) and literary (Tennessee Williams), has a nice enough etymology (I tend to like names associated with water; Tennessee is a river), and sounds pleasant in my opinion. I thought it would have fit as my name when I was a kid, because my sister's name is Virginia, and my NN began with a T, plus I liked irises and passionflowers, and it probably reminded me of my friend Jesse's name. I think Tenny is cute - sporty and reminds me of Denny. I've met a couple people named Henessy / Hennesey, which I don't like as much because of the drink association, but I still like the sound. The other Tennessee I think of after Tennessee Williams is Tennessee Claflin (a suffragist, Victoria Woodhull's sister), but she's more obscure.
I think Memphis is associated with ancient mythology (so it's kinda exotic and mystical while also sounding appealingly familiar). I heard it that way as a rare girls' name before its current trendiness as a boys' name. I guess it's kind of like Phoenix in that way. Cairo is also popular. I think *s names in general might be trending for boys in the US.
This message was edited 6/2/2025, 1:16 PM
I'm pretty sure Knox is part of the surnames-to-first-names trend.
I don't know that Nash and Knox are necessarily after the cities in TN. Memphis, obviously, but could also be an Egypt thing like it is for me. I love that name but I love it for the Egypt connection, not the Tennessee connection.
Also, people tend to read, or at least they used to, Tennessee Williams in school (here in the states at least), so it's a name a lot of people are familiar with, and it's a memorable one as well.
Also, people tend to read, or at least they used to, Tennessee Williams in school (here in the states at least), so it's a name a lot of people are familiar with, and it's a memorable one as well.
This message was edited 6/2/2025, 9:23 AM
I love Memphis as well, but for a girl.
It's odd to see it used as a male name
It's odd to see it used as a male name