Germanic Kevins

French researchers cannot find an explanation for the sudden popularity of the name Kevin in France (THES, June 16). They have not used much imagination, having restricted their search to American soaps on TV.

Kevin also became one of the most popular names for German boys in the early 1990s. This was attributed to the huge popularity of Kevin Costner there. I cannot imagine that French cinema audiences have been less susceptible to the appeal of this film actor than German ones. Indeed, the ascendancy of the name Kevin in both France and Germany is probably a timely reminder that there are few things which unite Europeans more effectively than a dose of Hollywood.

David Head

Department of German University of Bath