FROM THE REGISTER — STURDY GHOSTS
REPORTED EVERY YEAR SINCE 1880 — NEVER BELOW THE FEDERAL LINE
Never common, never absent — a hundred and forty-six years of flat line. Reported in every single file from 1880 through 2025 — 146 consecutive years — peaking at 93 in 1921. In 2025: 80 births — 86 percent of a peak set in 1921, with not one absent year between.
| First reported | 1880 |
|---|---|
| Last reported | 2025 — 80 births |
| Peak | 1921 — 93 births |
| Total recorded, 1880–2025 | 5,660 |
| Years above the line | 146 of a possible 146 |
| Longest absence | None — never below the line since debut |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration national names file (1880–2025). Names below 5 occurrences in a year are not reported.
Somewhere, a grandmother is unsurprised.
A collection of THE MUSEUM OF HOPEFUL MACHINES