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The Kyles are Bigger in Texas
A Name Worth Celebrating
The Déjà Digest
May 15, 2024
Background: 🎶Sometimes you wanna go where everybody shares your name…
On May 18th, 2024, the charming town of Kyle, Texas will hold its fifth attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first name.
The idea originated from a playful city festival activity where people with names that sounded like "Kyle" (such as Kylies and Kylers) gathered for a group photo. Over time, this evolved into a focused attempt to set a world record exclusively with people named Kyle. In recent years, Kyle, Texas, has made significant efforts to break this record. The closest they came was during a previous year’s event where 1,490 Kyles participated, falling short by 836 individuals.
The record to beat was set in Kupres, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where 2,325 people named Ivan gathered in 2017.
Besides the record attempt, the Gathering of the Kyles includes various other festivities such as a carnival, live music, and competitions for the best margaritas, fajitas, and ribs. There is also a humorous activity involving "drywall punching," which plays on an internet meme associated with the stereotypical "Kyle" persona.
We’ve all got names, might as well celebrate them, right?
Deja Vu: 🎶And they're always glad you came…
Name day celebrations are a tradition found in most parts of Europe, where they are often considered more important than birthdays.
The origin of name days can be traced back to the Christian liturgical calendar, which associates each day with one or more saints. People would celebrate a Saint’s feast days to honor their memory and virtues. Over time, this evolved into a celebration for all individuals who share the saint’s name.
In cultures where name days are celebrated, these occasions are viewed as an opportunity for social interaction and reinforcement of social bonds. They emphasize familial and community ties over the individualism that birthdays might promote. In many of these countries, knowing someone’s name day is seen as a sign of good manners and cultural knowledge.
Fact: 🎶You want to be where you can see…
In Finland, an official name calendar is published each year by the University of Helsinki Almanac Office. Every day except New Years Day, Christmas Day, and February 29th has an assigned name.
Every five years, the Finnish name day calendar gets a refresh, and a name must be carried by at least 500 children to make the cut. Despite changing trends, some names—like Matti, Juhani, Anna, and Maria—remain ever-popular.
While some of the old customs—like putting up a name day tree hoping for presents—have faded, the essence of name day celebrations persists.
Numbers: 🎶Our troubles are all the same…
Kyle currently ranks as the #416 most popular name in the U.S.
It peaked as the #18 most popular name in 1990.
Over the last 100 years, Kyle ranks as the #60 most popular name, just behind Peter and ahead of Noah.
Word: 🎶You want to be where everybody knows your name.
Onomastics : The study of the history and origin of proper names, especially personal names.
Quote:
"Names are the sweetest and most important sound in any language."
List: All Names Welcome Here
Attempts to break world records through large gatherings are a popular way for communities to gain recognition and celebrate unique aspects of their culture or identity.
Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Witches: In 2013, the town of La Paz in Spain set the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as witches, with 1,607 participants coming together during their annual Witch Festival.
Most People Handwashing Simultaneously: In 2015, a record was set in India for the most people handwashing simultaneously at multiple venues. This event involved 7,021 participants and was organized to promote hygiene and health awareness.
Most People Kissing Simultaneously: In 2007, over 6,980 couples in Hungary shared a kiss to set the record for most people kissing simultaneously. This event was organized on Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love and romance.
Largest Human Peace Sign: In 2009, 5,814 participants in Ithaca, New York, formed the largest human peace sign to promote peace and harmony across communities. This event also marked the anniversary of John Lennon’s birth.
Recommended Reading: What’s in Your Surname? by William Lewis
This book tells the engaging story of when our surnames first came into use, why they were necessary and how people acquired them
What Did You Think of This Issue?How many Kyle's would give us? |