Jessica Feathers
Name: Jessica Lynn Feathers
Age: 22
Born: 1994, New York
Jessica was the #1 most popular baby name in 1994, making up 1.6480% of female babies born in the US.
According to Social Security databases, 1,853 Jessicas were born in New York in 1994.
Do you like your name?
"I think I've grown to like it, but there are times still... When I was little, I hated it. I wanted to be a Christina or a Chloe. I have no idea why, but I was obsessed with [the name] Christina. And Chloe was my second love. I still really like those names. But Christina, I think I had this idea that one day I could be feminine and go by Chrissy, and I could be that person. But I was also a huge tomboy growing up, and I liked the idea of being called Chris. That realization didn't come until later, but when I was little I loved that name. It was like a princess name. For me it's just Jess or Jessie or Jesse. Which, technically are also used for male names, but I don't know... I never really thought it was special.
"I mean, it was the number one name the year I was born. It was the most popular. So I was like, 'Thanks, Mom and Dad! For making me real original!' But I still appreciate it because my mom named me after a camper. She was a camp counselor, and she had a camper named Jessica who she absolutely adored. Then, when she was older, she had a guitar that she named after that camper, so I was named after the guitar."
Have you had any experiences in which the popularity of your name has either bothered or helped you?
"Especially in high school, growing up there was always more than one Jessica. Always. I don't think I've ever been in a class, at least elementary through high school, where there weren't several Jessicas. And now that I'm older, in college, there are fewer Jessicas that I come across, but I'm definitely not surprised when there's another Jessica around. And it's kind of weird because I keep saying [in this interview] 'I'm Jessica, but there are Jessicas', as a different entity on its own. It's kinda weird to talk about.
"I've also learned to associate the name Jessica with certain types of people. You can look up on Urban Dictionary, the name Jessica is not very flattering.Basically they're super bratty and bitchy and think the world owes them something, kind of like a gold digger, that kind of stuff. I discovered that in middle school. So, having that in the back of my mind, I try to not be that person. I like to think I'm opposite of what Jessicas are known to be."
Do you agree that society feels a "need for uniqueness"? Have you ever felt this?
"I think it is absolutely dependent on who you are as a person. Because for myself I would absolutely agree with that, but I know people in my life who are okay with mixing in with other people, not really standing out, being part of the norm. I think uniqueness drives certain people, but I don't think that's a universal truth by any means."
Do you ever feel like the popularity of your name threatens your uniqueness?
"I think it used to, but I think now I'm to a point where I've pretty much figured out who I am. I use my name to assert myself: 'Hi, I'm Jessica!' I take that and be who I am through it. I think people know who I am, and that is not threatening anymore. Just because I'm Jessica doesn't mean I can't be unique. I am an individual. I have my certain qualities. I'm different than anyone else."
Collective identity, or "sameness", has been shown to be felt as strongly and be equally as powerful as uniqueness. Do you agree that sameness can be powerful? Have you ever felt it as such?
"Yeah, I definitely agree "sameness" is a huge proponent of movements at large, especially with civil rights or the gay rights movement. But as far as names go, I would say yes, but only to an extent. Because, at least in my experience, when I meet someone names Jessica, I have that moment of recognition, like 'Hey, I'm Jessica too!' Especially as a server, I come across that all the time. And we have like this moment of 'Haha, same names, cool!" and then go on with our daily business. I've never really experienced that kind of sameness drawing us together outside of a quick solidarity check. But, that's just a name, not ideology. I don't think a name can become ideology. It's a different performance of sameness."
Which do you think is more important, uniqueness or sameness?
"I think finding a balance, actually, is the most important. Because it you're trying to be too unique, people can think you're a horrible person. Like, 'Oh, they're so dramatic. They're showing off.' I could come up with a list of things that people could be judgmental about when someone wants to be unique. I think being authentic is important, and that can translate into uniqueness, but that can also translate into sameness, finding solidarity through common relations. So I think finding a balance between being unique and holding that sameness with other people is the most important, rather than one over the other."
