FROM THE REGISTER — STURDY GHOSTS
REPORTED EVERY YEAR SINCE 1880 — NEVER BELOW THE FEDERAL LINE
Never left; Scooby-Doo notwithstanding, never surged either. Reported in every single file from 1880 through 2025 — 146 consecutive years — peaking at 2,606 in 1921. In 2025: 21 births — a 124-fold fade managed without a single year below the line.
| First reported | 1880 |
|---|---|
| Last reported | 2025 — 21 births |
| Peak | 1921 — 2,606 births |
| Total recorded, 1880–2025 | 86,752 |
| 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