Curious About Names

PODCAST 126: CURIOUS ABOUT NAMES
RELEASE DATE:  FEBRUARY 28TH, 2021

D:  HELLO, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST.  WE LOVE IT WHEN WE GET E-MAILS WITH TOPIC SUGGESTIONS WE PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF ON OUR OWN.  THIS WEEK IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE TOPICS.  

O:  MAILBAG!

D:  MAILBAG!

“HI THERE, MY NAME IS ANNA AND I’M MOM TO 5 YEAR OLD COLIN AND 8 YEAR OLD AVA.  WE LIVE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.  WE LOVE YOUR PODCAST!  AVA WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO AN EPISODE ON BEAVERS, AND COLIN WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO AN EPISODE ON NAMES.  THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OUR IDEAS!

FROM COLIN AND AVA OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON”

O:  THAT’S A GREAT E-MAIL.  WE LOVE YOUR SUGGESTIONS.  THIS WEEK, WE ARE GETTING CURIOUS ABOUT NAMES FOR YOU.

D:  IT’S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE SUGGESTION, AND WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING IT UNTIL WE GOT THIS E-MAIL.  HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW THINGS GOT THEIR NAMES?  WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE THAT THIS WEEK.  ACCORDING TO THE MOST CURRENT DATA FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, THE MOST POPULAR BABY NAMES FOR BABIES IN THE YEAR 2018 WERE LIAM, NOAH, WILLIAM, JAMES, AND OLIVER.  IT WAS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT LIAM WAS THE MOST POPULAR BOYS BABY NAME IN THE UNITED STATES.  

O:  THE 5 MOST POPULAR GIRLS NAMES IN 2018 WERE EMMA, OLIVIA, AVA, ISABELLA, AND SOPHIA.  I KNOW GIRLS WITH ALL OF THOSE NAMES.  

D:  THAT’S RIGHT, YOU DO… AND THAT INCLUDES OUR AWESOME LISTENER AVA FROM SEATTLE.  EMMA HAS BEEN THE MOST POPULAR BABY GIRLS NAME SINCE 2014.  OKAY OLIVIA, WHAT’S THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK?

O:  THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK IS WHICH OF THE 10 MOST POPULAR BABY NAMES TODAY WERE ALSO IN THE 10 MOST POPULAR NAMES 100 YEARS AGO?

D:  OKAY, SO WE JUST GAVE YOU THE 10 MOST POPULAR NAMES FOR BABIES IN THE UNITED STATES… 5 GIRLS NAMES AND 5 BOYS NAMES.  ONLY 2 OF THOSE 10 NAMES WERE IN THE TOP 10 NAMES FROM 100 YEARS AGO IN THE YEAR 1921.  CAN YOU GUESS WHICH 2 NAMES THEY ARE?  LET ME RUN DOWN THE LIST AGAIN.  EMMA, OLIVIA, AVA, ISABELLA, SOPHIA, LIAM, NOAH, WILLIAM, JAMES, AND OLIVER.  WHILE YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT THE ANSWER, LET’S LEARN SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NAMES.

O:  THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS WE SEE ALL THE TIME THAT HAVE NAMES AND WE JUST DON’T KNOW IT.

D:  THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED AN AGLET.  JUST ABOUT EVERYONE LISTENING TO THIS PODCAST HAS SEEN AND TOUCHED AN AGLET BEFORE.  

O:  AN AGLET IS THE PLASTIC PART AT THE END OF A SHOELACE.

D:  IT TURNS OUT THAT AGLETS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.  IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TIE YOUR SHOES IF THOSE LITTLE PLASTIC AGLETS WEREN’T PART OF THE SHOELACE.  

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE.  DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT AN OBELUS IS?  YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN IT BEFORE WHEN DOING MATH.

O:  AN OBELUS IS THE ACTUAL NAME FOR THE DIVISION SIGN.

D:  YOU KNOW THAT DIVISION SIGN.  THE ONE WITH THE HORIZONTAL LINE WITH ONE DOT ABOVE AND ONE DOT BELOW?  WELL, THAT DIVISION SIGN ACTUALLY HAS A PROPER NAME AND IT IS OBELUS.

IF YOU LIKE FRUITS LIKE I DO, YOU’VE PROBABLY EATEN YOUR FAIR SHARE OF DRUPULETS BEFORE.  ANY GUESS WHAT DRUPULETS MIGHT BE?

O:  DRUPULETS ARE THE BUMPS YOU CAN FIND ON SOME BERRIES.

D:  THERE ARE BERRIES, LIKE BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES, THAT HAVE SMALL BUMPS ON THEM.  WELL, THOSE BUMPS HAVE A NAME, AND THEY ARE CALLED DRUPULETS.  THAT’S A FUN WORD.  

SPEAKING OF FRUITS, IF YOU’VE EVER ENJOYED DELICIOUS BANANAS, THEN YOU’VE PROBABLY COME ACROSS A PHLOEM OR TWO BEFORE.  THE WORD PHLOEM SOUNDS KIND OF GROSS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE PHLEGM.  IT’S NOT QUITE AS GROSS AS IT SOUNDS THOUGH.

O:  PHLOEMS ARE THOSE STRINGS THAT YOU PEEL OFF OF THE BANANA AFTER YOU OPEN IT UP.  THEY ACTUALLY SERVE A PURPOSE.  THE PHLOEM ON A BANANA HELPS PROVIDE IT WITH NUTRIENTS AS IT RIPENS.  

D:  HERE’S ANOTHER FUN WORD.  THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A NURDLE THAT WE’VE ALL SEEN BEFORE.  NURDLES HELP KEEP YOUR TEETH NICE AND CLEAN.  ANY GUESSES?

O:  A NURDLE IS THE NAME FOR THAT LITTLE BIT OF TOOTHPASTE YOU USE TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH.

D:  IN OUR HOUSE, WE’VE BEEN USING THE WORD GLOB TO DESCRIBE THE TOOTHPASTE YOU SQUEEZE ONTO THE TOOTHBRUSH TO CLEAN YOUR TEETH.  IT TURNS OUT, WE’VE HAD IT WRONG ALL ALONG.  THE CORRECT WORD IS NURDLE.  

HERE’S ANOTHER WORD THAT SOUNDS A BIT TOO MUCH LIKE SOMETHING GROSS, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT’S NOT GROSS AT ALL.  THE WORD IS ZARF.  A ZARF IS SOMETHING THE KIDS LISTENING TO THE PODCAST ARE PROBABLY LESS FAMILIAR WITH THAN THE GROWN UPS THAT ARE LISTENING.

O:  A ZARF IS A SLEEVE THAT IS PUT AROUND A HOT DRINK TO MAKE IT EASIER TO HOLD SO YOU DON’T BURN YOUR FINGERS.

D:  IT’S USUALLY MADE OF CARDBOARD WHEN YOU FIND IT AROUND A DISPOSABLE CUP, AND IT’S USED WITH HOT DRINKS LIKE COFFEE AND HOT CHOCOLATE. 

NOW, LET’S PIVOT AND TALK A BIT ABOUT THINGS THAT MANY PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE WERE NAMED AFTER PEOPLE.

O:  LIKE THE GRAHAM CRACKER THAT WAS NAMED AFTER A MINISTER NAMED SYLVESTER GRAHAM.

D:  HE WANTED TO INVENT A SNACK THAT WAS HEALTHY BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT UNHEALTHY FOODS LEAD TO SIN, SO ABOUT 200 YEARS AGO, HE INTRODUCED THE GRAHAM CRACKER.

O:  HE PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE HAPPY THAT WE PUT GRAHAM CRACKERS ON OUR ICE CREAM OR USE THEM FOR SMORES.

D:  HAHA… YOU’RE PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT.  THERE IS ANOTHER FUN FOOD THAT WAS NAMED AFTER SOMEONE.

O:  NACHOS WERE NAMED AFTER IGNACIO ANAYA.

D:  IGNACIO ANAYA WORKED AS THE MAITRE D’ AT A RESTAURANT IN MEXICO.  THE MAITRE D’ IS THE PERSON THAT USUALLY MANAGES MANY OF THE RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES AND HANDLES RESERVATIONS… THEY DON’T USUALLY DO ANY COOKING AT ALL.  WELL, ONE DAY IGNACIO WAS WORKING AND A FEW WOMEN CAME IN LOOKING TO EAT, AND IGNACIO COULDN’T FIND THE COOK.  HE DECIDED TO THROW SOME TORTILLA CHIPS, CHEESE, AND JALAPENO PEPPERS TOGETHER AND SERVE IT TO THEM.  IGNACIO’S NICKNAME WAS NACHO AND HE IS THE CREATOR OF THE WILDLY POPULAR NACHOS.  I LOVE NACHOS.  

O:  TUPPERWARE WAS NAMED AFTER EARL SILAS TUPPER.

D:  IF YOU’VE EATEN LEFTOVERS, YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN TUPPERWARE BEFORE.  IT’S THOSE STRONG PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH COVERS THAT MAKE IT EASY TO STORE FOOD AND HELPS TO KEEP THEM FRESH FOR LONGER.  WELL, THOSE CONTAINERS WERE CREATED BY EARL SILAS TUPPER, WHO WORKED IN THE PLASTICS DIVISION AT DUPONT, BEFORE STARTING HIS OWN COMPANY AND INVENTING THE PLASTIC CONTAINERS THAT WE STILL USE TO STORE FOOD TODAY, MORE THAN 80 YEARS AFTER THEY WERE INVENTED.    

HOW ABOUT WE LEARN HOW SOME OF THE COMPANIES WE KNOW AND LOVE GOT THEIR NAMES?  YOU MAY FIND SOME OF THE EXPLANATIONS BEHIND THEIR NAMES SURPRISING. 

O:  AMAZON WAS NAMED FOR THE BIGGEST RIVER IN THE WORLD, THE AMAZON RIVER.

D:  JEFF BEZOS WANTED HIS COMPANY’S NAME TO START WITH AN “A” SO IT WOULD APPEAR AT THE TOP OF MANY ALPHABETICAL LISTS.  HE ALSO WANTED HIS COMPANY TO BE HUGE, JUST LIKE THE AMAZON RIVER.  IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE AMAZON LOGO, YOU WILL NOTICE THE SMILE LOGO GOES FROM THE LETTER A TO THE LETTER Z IN THE WORD AMAZON.  THAT’S BECAUSE AMAZON SELLS EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE, FROM A TO Z.  THAT’S PRETTY NEAT.  

O:  ADIDAS WAS NAMED AFTER IT’S FOUNDER, ADOLF DASSLER.

D:  HIS NICKNAME WAS ADI AND HIS LAST NAME WAS DASSLER, ADI DASSLER, OR ADIDAS FOR SHORT.  I REMEMBER HEARING THAT ADIDAS STANDS FOR “ALL DAY I DREAM ABOUT SOCCER”, AND AS A SOCCER LOVER, THAT EXPLANATION SEEMED WONDERFUL TO ME, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT’S NOT TRUE AT ALL.  
O:  COCA-COLA IS NAMED FOR COCA LEAVES AND KOLA NUTS.

D:  IT’S THE COCA LEAVES AND KOLA NUTS THAT WERE USED TO FLAVOR THE SODA.  OF COURSE, THE KOLA IN KOLA NUTS ACTUALLY STARTS WITH A K, BUT THE FOUNDER OF COCA-COLA CHANGED IT TO A “C” SO THAT THE LOGO WOULD LOOK BETTER.

O:  AND PEPSI IS NAMED AFTER THE DIGESTIVE ENZYME PEPSIN.

D:  THE CREATOR OF PEPSI STUDIED TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND THOUGHT THAT PEPSI WAS HELPFUL IN TREATING DYSPEPSIA, OR UPSET STOMACH.  PEPSIN IS THE NAME OF THE ENZYME THAT HELPS DIGEST FOOD, AND HE BELIEVED THAT PEPSI HELPED WITH DIGESTION.  THAT’S WHY THE SODA WAS GIVEN THE NAME PEPSI.    

O:  GOOGLE GETS ITS NAME FROM THE NUMBER GOOGOL. 

D:  A GOOGOL IS A VERY LARGE NUMBER.  IT’S THE NUMBER 1 FOLLOWED BY 100 ZEROS… THAT’S A BIG NUMBER.  THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE NUMBER GOOGOL IS SPELLED G-O-O-G-O-L.  AS THE STORY GOES, WHEN THEY WERE NAMING THE COMPANY GOOGLE, THEY DID A SEARCH TO SEE IF THERE ALREADY WAS A WEBSITE UNDER THAT NAME, BUT THEY SPELLED IT INCORRECTLY.  THEY SPELLED IT GOOGLE.  OF COURSE, THERE WAS NO WEBSITE UNDER THAT NAME, BUT NOW THERE IS, AND IT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST BRANDS IN THE WORLD.  

ALRIGHT, LET’S TRY SOMETHING FUN BEFORE WE GET TO THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.  I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE SUPER SILLY WORDS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY, AND YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THEY MEAN.  THEN I’LL REVEAL WHAT THEY ACTUALLY MEAN.  

YOUR FIRST WORD IS FLIBBERTIGIBBET.  DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS?

O: —————————————————————————————.
D:  OH, I’M SORRY… A FLIBBERTIGIBBET IS SOMEONE WHO IS ACTING SILLY AND TALKS A LOT.  HERE’S ANOTHER FUN ONE FOR YOU… NUDIUSTERTIAN.  WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THAT MEANS?

O:  —————————————————————————————.

D:  GREAT GUESS, BUT I’M SORRY TO TELL YOU THAT IT MEANS SOMETHING ELSE.  NUDIUSTERTIAN MEANS THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.  YOU MIGHT BE BETTER OFF JUST SAYING THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, BECAUSE SAYING NUDIUSTERTIAN IS GOING TO REALLY CONFUSE PEOPLE.  LET’S TRY ONE MORE.  HOW ABOUT THE WORD BORBORYGM.  WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WORD MEANS?

O:  —————————————————————————————.

D:  NO, BUT ANOTHER GOOD TRY.  I THINK WE’VE ALL FELT BORBORGYM BEFORE.  IT’S THAT RUMBLING YOUR STOMACH DOES WHEN YOU’RE REALLY HUNGRY.  

ALRIGHT OLIVIA, LET’S ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.  WHICH 2 BABY NAMES THAT ARE IN THE 10 MOST POPULAR NAMES TODAY WERE ALSO IN THE TOP 10 NAMES 100 YEARS AGO?

O:  WILLIAM AND JAMES ARE TOP 10 BABY NAMES TODAY AND WERE ALSO TOP 10 BABY NAMES 100 YEARS AGO.

D:  DID ANYONE OUT THERE GUESS THE RIGHT ANSWERS?  THE REST OF THE TOP 10 FROM 100 YEARS AGO INCLUDE MARY, DOROTHY, HELEN, MARGARET, RUTH, JOHN, ROBERT, AND CHARLES.  WELL, THAT’S A WRAP FOR THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.

O:  126 - NAMES.

D:  GREAT JOB, OLIVIA, AND GREAT JOB COLIN AND AVA FOR THE AWESOME E-MAIL AND FANTASTIC SUGGESTIONS.  BEFORE WE GO, I JUST WANTED TO READ A REVIEW WE RECEIVED THIS WEEK FROM INDIA.  THE REVIEW WAS LEFT BY USERNAME ALEXIS206 AND IT SAYS “FUN, INFORMATIVE, AND ADORABLE.  LOVE THIS SHOW AND IT’S HOSTS.  IT’S A GREAT LEARNING TOOL FOR KIDS AND A FUN ACTIVITY FOR PARENTS.”  THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALEXIS FROM INDIA, FOR THE OUTSTANDING REVIEW.  IF YOU LOVE CURIOUS KID PODCAST, THERE’S ALMOST NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP US MORE THAN TO LEAVE US A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS.  REVIEWS HELP NEW LISTENERS FIND THE PODCAST, AND WE LOVE NEW LISTENERS.  WE ARE JUST 4 WEEKS AWAY FROM OUR SEASON 5 FINALE EPISODE.  WE CAN’T WAIT TO RECAP THIS INCREDIBLE SEASON AND SHARE OUR FAVORITE MOMENTS OF THE SEASON WITH YOU AND ALSO MAKE SOME BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS.  SEASON 5 ROLLS ON NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE GET CURIOUS ABOUT ROADS FOR A LISTENER IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA.  AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND GETTING CURIOUS WITH US.