New Navy Ship Will Be Named After Civil Rights Icon John Lewis

3777815580_603b539744_mSecretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced that the U.S. fleet will soon be receiving an historic new addition: “the USNS John Lewis”. In an NBCNews interview, Mabus explained the reason why Georgia Congressman and Civil Rights leader John Lewis was chosen for this special honor. “Naming this ship after John Lewis” Mabus stated, “is a fitting tribute to a man who has, from his youth, been at the forefront of progressive, social, and human rights movements in the U.S., directly shaping both the past and future of our nation.”

The Gap Band Fight Over Name Goes Public with Lawsuit

6789896727_d5cb570c7a_mMusically, things have been relatively quiet around the masters of funk, The Gap Band. But legally, the band has continued to make the news. In 2015, the group received a massive settlement from singer Bruno Mars for treading too close to their 1979 “Oops Upside the Head.” Now, in 2016, The Gap Band is making juristic news again over an onomastic family fight. Charlie Wilson has sued his brother Ronnie Wilson over which one owns the rights to the group’s name.

New Zealand’s Mt Parihaka celebrated in Whangarei

16587677187_1ac9cb90a9_mThroughout most of the past century, countless unsuspecting visitors to Whangarei, New Zealand have stopped by one of the city’s most famous landmarks, Mount Parihaka. Unbeknownst to the masses, the name of the sacred space was not “Parahaki” but “Parihaka.” Finally, in 2005, the NZ Geographic Board officially corrected the mistake.

In a moving ceremony this month, hundreds gathered at the summit for a special ceremony: the unveiling of a “kohatu,” a sacred carved rock symbolizing the spirit of the mountain. As Sheryl Mai, Whangarei’s mayor, explained in a Radio New Zealand interview: “…now we’ve got the public coming to meet our beautiful kohatu […] and the name Parihaka has been returned…”

How Fashion Labels Shape Baby-Naming Trends

2000px-CK_Calvin_Klein_logo.svgFashion labels are increasingly inspiring baby names. Labels such as Armani and Cartier are on the rise as baby names and more traditional names such as Calvin have been recently boosted by a corresponding fashion label. This article in Vocative graphs the rise of particular fashion labels are baby names.