Tuesday, May 27, 2025. In Chile, being named Cristóbal, Isidora, Agustín, or Florencia is not just a family or aesthetic decision—it is also a social marker. The study, "Trickle-Down Names: How Social Class Shapes Naming Patterns," led by sociologist Mauricio Bucca (Pontificia Universidad Católica and Millennium Nucleus LM²C²), along with researchers Roberto Cantillan, Mario D. Molina, and Luca Maria Pesando (New York University Abu Dhabi).

Based on over 100 years of Civil Registry data (1920–2020), census information since 1960, and statistical modeling tools, the study demonstrates how the choice of names—an act that is both free and costless—reproduces social hierarchies with surprising precision.

An Unequal Naming Cascade

One of the study's key findings is what the authors refer to as the "onomastic trickle-down effect": names that emerge in the elite tend to spread to middle sectors gradually but with a time lag of up to two decades. The pattern is clear:

• A name that succeeds in the highest income quintile (Q5) takes approximately 10 years to appear in Q4, 20 years to appear in Q3, and even longer to appear in Q2.
• In the lowest quintile (Q1), many of these names remain relatively unknown, highlighting a persistent disconnection between social extremes.

"A name may seem like an intimate decision, but it is loaded with social meaning. What this study shows is that the upper classes not only create trends but also actively abandon names that become widespread to preserve their symbolic distinction," says Mauricio Bucca.

Innovate to Distinguish, Recycle to Belong

The study also reveals that when their names become widespread, the elite respond actively with two strategies:

• Innovation: adopting new or very uncommon names (e.g., Isidora, Florencia, Vicente, Matilde) that either didn't previously appear in records or had historically low frequency.
• Recycling: reintroducing old, out-of-use names as a form of retro distinction (e.g., Dominga, Raimundo, Eloísa).

Interestingly, these two strategies are also observed in the lowest quintile. Still, for different reasons: while the elite aim to stand out, the excluded classes resort to inherited or less visible names as a way to maintain symbolic continuity.

In contrast, middle-class quintiles tend to be more cautious: they adopt elite trends with delay but innovate and recycle less—thus reinforcing their role as "followers" in the symbolic class system.

Chile: A Natural Laboratory for Studying Class

Unlike countries like the United States or Germany, where race, language, or migration significantly influence naming patterns, Chile allows for a more precise observation of the impact of social class on naming patterns. Without significant internal ethnic divides, class strongly structures Chilean culture.

"Chile is an exceptional case. In other countries, what is explained by race or language is here explained by social inequality. And names—as a universal cultural practice—make that visible," says Bucca.

Diffusion, Contagion, and Invisible Barriers

The study draws from theories of cultural diffusion and complex contagion. For a trend to spread, a single exposure is not enough—it requires repeated exposure within homogeneous networks. This reinforces segmentation: lower-income groups are socially distant from elites, so names do not readily cross that boundary.

Data show that name diffusion follows patterns similar to those of other complex social phenomena, such as the adoption of new norms, the use of technology, or the spread of disease.

A Powerful Tool for Rethinking Inequality

What makes this study unique is that it touches on something familiar and intimate—the name we carry or give—to explore social hierarchies, aspiration, belonging, and exclusion. "Names act like a sociological microscope: they allow us to observe how ideas circulate, how cultural practices are consolidated, and how social meanings are negotiated in everyday life," says Bucca.

📅 Workshop

The study's findings will be presented at the public workshop, "Trickle-Down Names," this Tuesday, May 27, at 10:00 AM, online.

Workshop | Trickle-Down Names
📅 Tuesday, May 27 – 10:00 AM
📍 Hybrid format (in-person & online)
🔗 Register at lm2c2.cl

Press contact:
Carla Barros V.
+56996454259

The Millennium Nucleus LM²C² is an interdisciplinary research center that examines the mismatch between individuals' skills and the jobs they hold—its causes and the economic and social consequences. Formed by academics from Pontificia Universidad Católica (UC), Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB), and Universidad Diego Portales (UDP), it provides rigorous evidence to inform more effective public policies. It was created in 2022 and is part of the Millennium Science Initiative of ANID. Felipe Balmaceda leads the team and includes leading researchers in economics, sociology, and data analysis.