In a recent investigation published in Slate, Demetria Glace explores the names of action heroes, asking the question, “Why is every action hero named Jack, John, James, or, occasionally, Jason?” While data demonstrate that not every action hero has a J name, many indeed do have a name beginning with a J. Included is a consultation with ANS member Jennifer Moss:
“Jennifer Moss, from BabyNames.com, told me over email, “When I sit down to watch a new show and hear that the protagonist is named Jack, I think ‘Isn’t that over, yet?’ ” Going back to the data, I wanted to see how the trend has changed over time and whether we are seeing an end to it. From the data dating back to 1962, J-named action stars overtake all other names a few times, in the early 1970s, for a moment in 1984, and last in 2002. It’s already been more than two decades since the J’s reigned supreme.”