Pennsylvania Can’t Stop Naming Their Babies ‘Carson’
Since being drafted in 2016, it's no secret that Carson Wentz has become a fan favorite with Philadelphia Eagles fans. Thanks to his popularity, 'Carson' is now a more popular baby name than ever in Pennsylvania.
We all know how beloved Carson Wentz is in his home state of North Dakota, and from the looks of it, he's reaching those same levels throughout the Philadelphia Eagles fan base.
Prior to Wentz being drafted by the Eagles, in 2015, 'Carson' was the 81st most popular baby name in Pennsylvania. The year he was drafted (2016), Carson was the 59th most popular baby name in that state with 247 babies in Pennsylvania taking the name. In 2017, that number climbed to 301 babies and climbed to the 39th most popular baby name in that state. More importantly, for the first time, it surpassed Philadelphia's other most popular superstar athlete that many were quick to take the name of, which is Chase, as in former Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley.
Granted, Chase Utley's no longer in Philadelphia. He plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, there was an era when Chase was the most popular athlete in Philadelphia. From his Major League debut in 2003 through 2009 (the second straight year the Phillies were in the World Series), the name Chase climbed from 71st in popularity in the state to 9th (668 babies named Chase in 2009). But since then, the name has been on the decline and according to the Social Security Database, in 2017, for the first time in the past decade, there were more babies named Carson (301) than Chase (299).
Now, after the Eagles have won the Super Bowl, despite his season-ending injury and with Wentz now as one of the likely preseason favorites to win the MVP, we can only imagine that within Pennsylvania, 'Carson' will continue its steady popularity climb through this season and hopefully through several more after.