What’s in a Name?

In close to 20 years, the rankings of the most popular student surnames have changed, reflecting the growing diversity of Rutgers.

1990

1. Smith
2. Patel
3. Lee
4. Johnson
5. Brown
6. Jones
7. Miller
8. Kim
9. Chen
10. Davis

2009

1. Patel
2. Lee
3. Kim
4. Shah
5. Smith
6. Chen
7. Wang
8. Rodriguez
9. Brown
10. Johnson

— Office of the University Registrar

The Patels are overtaking the corner offices and boardrooms of the top engineering, finance and technology firms. Lacking the gumption and education, the Smiths are being relegated to McDonald's managers, car salesmen and landscapers. But the Smiths are going away without fury. The Smiths, like the teabaggers, rage over their promised large slice of the pie that was never delivered, and hope that myspace.com will someday become the dominate social networking again, as it once was, as the Patels, Lees, Kims, Shahs, Chens silently assume their jobs.

The U.S. of A. is changing fast. It's becoming more ethnically integrated, international and diverse everyday. Ignore it or invest in it.