Counterfactual
The Parallel Lives of Shirley and Reagan
In 133 girls, Shirley found its level. 50 years earlier, Reagan occupied that same statistical address.
1880–2025
Shirley
Peak year
1935
Peak births
42,366
Latest count
133
Status
Endangered
Peak generation
Silent Generation
1956–2025
Reagan
Peak year
2016
Peak births
3,097
Latest count
1,244
Status
Declining
Peak generation
Gen Alpha
In 133 girls, Shirley found its level. 50 years earlier, Reagan occupied that same address. One peaked in the Gen Alpha era; the other in the Silent Generation world. They never met. But the data remembers them both.