It is common for people to name their kids after characters from their favorite shows, movies, books, etc. A strong example of this is Doctor Who.
A recent article by Thomas Ling of Radio Times discusses the list by the Office of National Statistics of the one hundred most popular baby names in England and Wales for 2015. It was compiled using birth registration data. Considering the scope and duration of Doctor Who, it is understandable that a lot of the names on the list will also be characters on the show. Depending on how currently popular a character is, however, it is debatable just how influential they would be in their name’s position on the list.
There are those names that are most likely overwhelmingly inspired by the Doctor Who fandom. Amelia, which is in the number one position on the list, is from Amelia (Amy) Pond. Rory is from Rory Williams. Clara, which made its top one hundred debut, is from Clara Oswald. Rose and Martha also made the list, and are probably derived from Rose Tyler and Martha Jones, respectively.
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But when we start to examine the popularity of some of the other names, however, the influence of Doctor Who seems to be a bit more far fetched. While Sarah Jane Smith is one of the most popular companions in the show’s history, simply Sarah is not quite the same thing… Not to mention that it has been a popular name around the world for many generations, regardless of the beloved super sleuth. The same could be said about the popularity of Michael. Although, technically, Mickey Smith is a Michael, the connection in this case is something of a stretch. Along those lines is also Jack, although it is probable that Jack Harkness was an inspiration for many people in this case. And then there are Grace and Victoria, who are not only rather removed from the top of the consciousness of fans, but are also associated with other famous figures — like Grace Kelly and… oh, I don’t know… Queen Victoria!
Ling expresses a conviction that there is no other explanation than Doctor Who for the popularity of any of these names, but that could very well be sarcasm.
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