Research chronicle

In the past, the choice of children's names was closely linked to life trajectories. This paper investigates the connection between children's names and child mortality during the demographic transition. Analysing data from the Veneto region (Northern Italy) and the Venetian parish of San Marco between 1816 and 1869, we find that traditional names are associated with higher neonatal mortality, particularly among girls. In contrast, children with unconventional names-those not named after grandparents or godparents or given the most frequent traditional names-face a lower risk of dying within the first month of life. Our findings underscore the importance of names in historical demography as predictors of demographic trajectories. Moreover, they suggest that naming practices may mirror varying levels of parental attention or a shift towards more modern concepts of childcare.

In examining Italy's low fertility, recent studies have emphasized the role played by socio-economic factors, uncertainty, and the welfare state. Meanwhile, emerging research is highlighting a potential downward revision of fertility ideals among more recent generations. Our study analyses trends in fertility desires and expectations among young adults in Italy from 2012 to 2022. Findings reveal growing tendencies to: (1) not desire children, among more recent cohorts; and (2) to not expect to have children during the lifetime, in more recent years. Specifically, this indicates a nuanced demographic gradient: we observe a decline in fertility desires and expectations with age and a significant increase in the likelihood of not desiring children for women across birth cohorts. Our study highlights the need for robust, harmonized cross-national surveys to better understand new fertility ideals across different socio-demographic contexts.