Name Tags Optional! The Surprising – and Growing – World of Name Gatherings

Some people love sharing their name with strangers. Others find it annoying or surreal. For every name-twin proudly posing for a group photo in a Texas park, there’s someone wishing her parents had been just a little less on trend.

Still, there’s something undeniably wild and weird about the random moments when people with the same name come together accidentally – and amazing about the times when they come together on purpose! Sometimes it’s a party, sometimes it’s a power move, and sometimes it’s even a world record. Check out these twelve inspiring examples from the surprising, spirited world of name solidarity:

A Convening of Kyles

Every year, the city of Kyle, Texas, transforms into a hub swarming with friendly people named Kyle. They’ve been pursuing a Guinness World Record for largest same-name gathering for years, topping out last year with 1,490 Kyles in 2024. There’s “Kyle-fare” on offer, a “Most Average Kyle” contest, and lots of beaming group photos. They haven’t broken the record yet—but by now, breaking the record might be beside the point.

A Rally of Ryans

Texas was also the site of the Ryan Rodeo, just one of the official monthly gatherings percolating around the country thanks to the Ryan Meetup founded in 2023. With over 2000 members of all genders and a presence on Youtube, Instagram, Discord, plus an extensive line of personalized merch, people might be excused for wanting to change their name to Ryan just to join the fun.

A League of Lindas

Then there is the L.I.N.D.A Club, thirty plus years and going strong! Officially “Lindas Involved in Network Development Association,” the club was founded by two women who bonded over their moniker at an Iowa party in 1987. These Lindas don’t just socialize, they nurture. Members around the world enjoy an annual gathering, service events, and an annual scholarship for one lucky Linda or Lynda.

The Ivan Invasion

In 2017, a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina pulled off something huge: a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first name. 2,325 Ivans showed up in Kupres, drawn by a shared name and a shared sense of purpose. The event doubled as a regional revitalization campaign, timed to honor the anniversary of the beloved Croatian song “My Ivan” (Moj Ivan).

A Murmuration of Mohammeds and Marias

Dethroned by the Ivans were 1,096 Mohammeds who previously held the record set in Dubai in 2005, after they claimed it from 375 women named Maria who previously won in Spain. That may seem like an impressive number of folks named Mohammed, but it’s a mere drop in the bucket compared to the 20,000+ people by that name reported to have gathered in Zawia, Libya in 2008! Mohammed is perhaps the world’s most common name, but 20,000 in one place is still mindboggling.

An Abundance of Katherines

Not all name gatherings are literal. Between 2016 and 2019, a parody tech conference called KatieConf quietly made waves online. The twist? Every speaker was named Katie (or some diminutive of Katherine). The site deadpanned:

"If a conference is organised by two Katies,

and Katie is the most frequent non-male-gendered first name of attendees,

is it a KatieConf?"

The clever presentation aimed to spark a conversation. KatieConf started as a joke and morphed into something more—highlighting real technical presenters named Katie and encouraging event organizers to bring more women to the mic. It was witty. It was subversive. And it got results.

Meanwhile, eight researchers named Katherine and Catherine got together at Cornell to publish a tongue-in-cheek study called “An Abundance of Katherines – The Game Theory of Baby Names” (its title a nod to the John Green novel by the same name.) It proceeds convincingly enough – complete with squid- and dinosaur-shaped graphs – until you get to the researchers’ perhaps inevitable conclusion that the winning name is Katherine.

A Comfort of Karens

Karen, of course, is also a diminutive of Katherine, but it’s been carrying a heavier load lately. As the name gained traction as a meme, more than 2,000 people named Karen formed an online support group to offer one another solidarity and understanding. Sometimes a name gathering isn’t about celebration – it’s about survival, humor, and shared humanity in the face of stereotype. Empathizing with real Karens doesn’t mean endorsing cartoon ones.

Double the Fun

What’s rarer than a name twin? A name clone. In 2022, 178 people named Hirokazu Tanaka convened in Tokyo to set the record for the largest group with the same first and last name - breaking the record previously held by 164 Martha Stewarts who the doyenne of domesticity herself recruited to a 2005 Martha Stewart show. The organizer—Hirokazu Tanaka—founded the Tanaka Hirokazu Association in 1994 after seeing someone with his name drafted into pro baseball, and worked for decades to achieve that triumph.

“We have, just by being here, been able to become number one in the world at something,” he told a reporter.

But their reign was brief. Just 98 days later, 256 Milica Jovanovićs assembled in a Belgrade shopping mall and claimed the record for Serbia. Rather than sulk, Tanaka reached out—and together they founded the International Same Name Association to promote global connection through name-based solidarity.

Now Starring: Name Twins

Finding community through your name isn’t a new idea. In the 1950s, a popular TV show called The Name’s The Same featured guests who shared names with famous figures, puzzling out each other’s monikers in game show fashion.

And in our ever more connected world, it’s increasingly easier to discover and connect with name-doppelgängers. Comedian Dave Gorman purveyed a drunken bet about the ubiquity of his name into global travels, the book Are You Dave Gorman?, and a stage show that was named Time Out New York’s Best Comedy Show of 2001. That same year, filmmaker Alan Berliner released The Sweetest Sound, a documentary featuring a dinner party where all 13 attendees were named Alan Berliner.

So have you Googled YOUR name twins lately?

(No shame—we call that being a Namiac. Welcome to the club!)

Whether it’s a goofy bet turned life-defining moment, a quiet act of solidarity, a record-setting event, it’s clear that shared names have a special ability to fascinate, motivate, and do surprising work in the world. Today’s trends may see more and more parents and name-changers reaching for unusual monikers, but sometimes sharing a name can be a way to feel less alone.

UPDATE: Another name has literally fought its way into this post. The first Josh Fight took place in Nebraska in 2021, pitting Josh against Josh with pool noodles and rock/paper/scissors. Organized by a man named Josh Swain who playfully challenged others to duel for "the right to keep the name," the event raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity and was repeated in 2022.

In contrast, all was sweet harmony when four strangers on different continents, all named Paul O'Sullivan, came together virtually to record music as the Paul O'Sullivan Band. Just as the pandemic hit, they released their first music video, Namesake, which The Atlantic dubbed "an anthem for anyone who's ever Googled their name."

• - updated 4/21/25.