The Economic Incentives of Cultural Transmission: Spatial Evidence from Naming Patterns across France

Pré-publication, Document de travail: This paper studies how economic incentives influence cultural transmission, using a crucial expression of cultural identity: Child naming decisions. Our focus is on Arabic versus Non-Arabic names given in France over the 2003-2007 period. Our model of cultural transmission features three determinants: (i) vertical (parental) cultural transmission culture; (ii) horizontal (neighborhood) influence; (iii) information on the economic penalty associated with Arabic names. We find that economic incentives largely influence naming choices: Would the parental expectation on the economic penalty be zero, the annual number of babies born with an Arabic name would be more than 50 percent larger.

Auteur(s)

Yann Algan, Clément Malgouyres, Thierry Mayer, Mathias Thoenig

Date de publication
  • 2021
Mots-clés JEL
J3 Z1
Mots-clés
  • Cultural Economics
  • Cultural Transmission
  • First Names
  • Social Interactions
Référence interne
  • PSE Working Papers n°2021-01
Version
  • 1