Does anybody else find it interesting that the first black president and probably the first woman president, have very

[wnylib]

43. Kamala and Barack might be "unique" names

in the US, but Kamala is common enough in India, meaning Lotus Flower and related to a Hindu goddess. Barack is derived from Semitic languages like Arabic and Hebrew, a common name meaning "Blessed." Barack is the Arabic form. In Hebrew, it is Baruch or Baruk.

Singling them out as unique sounds a bit like "othering."

Looking over past presidents' names, I suspect that there were not many boys or men with the first name of Ulysses in Grant's lifetime.

Then there is the first name of President Rutherford Hayes. Wonder if kids called him "Ruth" when he was young.

I have not heard of Lyndon as a popular male name in the US.

Even Dwight (Eisenhower) and Millard (Fillmore) were not common names, although not unheard of.