Theoretical frameworks from S. Lieberson's first name studies, and its applicability to Japan

S. Lieberson ノ コジンメイ ケンキュウ ト ニホン ニ オケル ハッテン カノウセイ

クヤマ, ケンタ

Kuyama, Kenta

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ シャカイガク ニンゲンガク ジンルイガク ケンキュウシツ

Sociology, Anthropology and Philosophy, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

テイスト

流行

文化資本

集合行為論

This paper attempts to examine the theoretical frameworks of first name studies that have been revealed by Stanley Lieberson, and to discuss their applicability to Japanese society. The main theoretical consequences introduced by Lieberson’s studies are as follows: first, naming is one of the best subjects in which to vividly observe the dynamism of fashion trends and social tastes. Second, the processes by which naming patterns diffuse conform to the “class difference model”, accounting for the fact that social subgroups have different naming tastes for each group. Third, though a fashion is affected by various factors, internal effects have independent mechanisms to change the fashion which work even in cases where there is no external (social) incident. In addition to these consequences, Lieberson insists that conventional assertions have overestimated its external effects. To study first name systematically in Japan with Lieberson’s framework, various problems will be indicated: the difficulties in obtaining a large data set when taking into consideration differences in cultural, historical, and linguistic background, and how to account for social attributes as information attached to first names. However, it also should be emphasized that we Japanese sociologists can remodel a first name study in a theoretical and methodological dimension.