by Tiffany Huang 

In my birth year of 2004, the name Tiffany was just starting to decline in popularity, recorded at rank 174. It experienced its peak popularity in the 1980s but has since fallen off the charts, ranking at 935 in the 2022 census (SSA). If this trend continues, it won’t be long before the name entirely drops off the top 1000 chart for baby names. The founding of Tiffany & Co in 1837 along with the release of the book Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1958 (movie in 1961) are likely heavy contributors to the growth and sustained popularity of the name Tiffany in the 20th century (Tobias). It’s difficult to correlate a certain event to the name’s declining popularity but it’s safe to say that relative to what it once was, Tiffany is becoming a less and less common choice for baby names. 

Growing up, I liked my name because it was easy to remember and my friends could easily shorten it to “Tiff” as a nickname. The growing popularity of the jewelry brand also gave the name an air of elegance and wealth distinct from some other common names. However, like most kids I occasionally wished my parents had picked a more unique name that would let me stand out among my peers. I knew my Chinese name, 黄嘉琪，had meaningful characters that referenced purity, beauty, and auspiciousness but I never inquired about the meaning of my English name (起名网). 

After doing a bit of research I learned that the name itself is an anglicized version of the Greek name Theophania. It means “revelation of God” and has thus been popular among Christians (Meehan). This discovery made me feel detached from my name because I’ve never been Christian so being a “revelation of God” seems a bit theatrical when I, myself, don’t even believe in God. However, for my parents, the choosing of this name aligns with their Christian background and their regular attendance in church and bible studies. Despite the meaning of my name not being very relevant to my current beliefs or lifestyle, I like being “Tiffany” regardless and am appreciative of the thought put behind the name.