In America, how you spell your name says a lot about when you were born. Take “Ashley,” for instance. Ashly, Ashley and Ashleigh each mark distinct eras – not just for the Ashleys of the world, but also for the various spellings themselves.

What is it about how we spell a name – specifically, how we choose to spell the end of a name – that makes for a trend? Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Names Wizard and creator of Namerology.com, a website devoted to the art and science of names, has been examining that question.

Washington Post