Detection of Local Interactions from the Spatial Pattern of Names in France

No 6340, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: Using data on name distributions in 95 French departments observed from 1946 to 2002, we investigate spatial and social mechanisms behind the transmission of parental preferences. Drawing inspiration from recent work on social interactions, we develop a simple discrete choice model that predicts a linear relationship between choices by agents in one location and the choices made in neighbouring areas. We explain the shares of parents that give their children Saint, Arabic, and American-type names. In a second exercise we examine the effect of distance between locations on differences in name-type shares. In our last exercise we consider dissimilarity in actual names rather than name-types. Using Manhattan Distances as our metric, we find a steady and substantial decline in the importance of geographic distance. Meanwhile, differences in class and national origins have increasing explanatory power.

Keywords: Conformity; Cultural transmission; Diffusion; Geography; Neighbourhood effects; Social economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D19 F15 R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dcm, nep-geo, nep-soc and nep-ure
Date: Written 2007-06
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Related works:
Working Paper: Detection of local interactions from the spatial pattern of names in France (2008)
Working Paper: Detection of local interactions from the spatial pattern of names in France (2008)
Journal Article: DETECTION OF LOCAL INTERACTIONS FROM THE SPATIAL PATTERN OF NAMES IN FRANCE (2008)
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