| Re: the quality of the UK vs. the US list:
If one considers the ideal name to be a full name (not a nickname), a first name (not a surname or place name), a name not recently created & lacking history, and a name traditionally spelled, the lists come out as follows: The US list is composed of 56% full first names correctly spelled. The UK list is composed of 64% full first names correctly spelled. So one's preference might be based on what naming "sins" one finds most egregious. If you hate nicknames-as-full-names, the UK list is much more of a disaster than the UK one. If you hate surnames-as-first-names, newly-coined names, and gender-bending, the US list is much worse.
I find the US list more flawed overall, but each has some awful, awful clonkers. (See: The shudder-worthy Nevaeh & the awful Scarlett.) |