Most common first names of presidential campaign donors (and whom they're supporting)
This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Most common first names of presidential campaign donors (and whom they're supporting)
It's generally frowned upon to judge a book by its cover, but what if names can give you an idea of whom someone is supporting for president?
Spokeo examined Federal Election Commission data to find the most common first names of presidential campaign donors and whom they support. The data includes all donations from individuals this election cycle who gave at least $200 through August 2024. Federal contribution limits dictate that individuals can donate up to $3,300 to a primary campaign plus another $3,300 for the general election; donations can be spread out over multiple payments.
So far this cycle, presidential candidates for the 2024 election have raised nearly $2 billion in campaign funds. Before dropping out of the race, President Joe Biden had received the most donations this cycle. After announcing her candidacy in late July, Vice President Kamala Harris has raised about $679 million in campaign donations. Former President Donald Trump has raised less than half of that at $313 million. Candidates so far have raised less than half of what 2020 presidential candidates raised throughout the election cycle. With just weeks until the general election, donations to both candidates may continue evolving.
The Harris campaign has built its war chest off a flurry of excitement at key moments, including her late-stage candidacy, the Democratic National Convention, and the Sept. 10 presidential debate. Over 309,000 people donated at least $200 to the Harris and Trump presidential campaigns through August. More than 264,000 unique donors gave to Harris' campaign, five times more than those who donated to Trump's. While Trump has seen success among frequent, small-dollar donors, that number appears to be waning.
The race between Harris and Trump is dead even as of early October, according to Pew Research Center polling. Though the electorate doesn't always vote based on identity, Pew's survey shows each candidate is winning greater support within their own demographic groups.
Trump leads with voters who are older, white, and male—trends that are reflected directly in the names of his most generous donors. Harris is the first woman of color to become a presidential nominee for a major U.S. political party, and if elected, she would be the first woman president in the country's history. She leads with women, Black, and Asian voters.
Read on to learn more about who has donated so far during this cycle, and whose support these candidates are winning.
Most common first names among campaign donors
The top five most common names of campaign donors are traditionally men's. Indeed, OpenSecrets data shows that men are more common among donors, comprising nearly 57% of campaign donors in the 2024 cycle. Men also tend to donate more money, constituting 69% of funds donated by individuals in this cycle.
James, Michael, and Robert are among the five most common men's names of the past century, contributing to their popularity among donors. John is the most common donor name for both candidates, but overall, Harris has the most variety. People with over 17,000 unique first names donated to the Harris campaign, compared to just 4,000 that donated to the Trump campaign.
William, Richard top list of Trump donors
Looking at Trump donors, we get similar results. Once again, popular traditional male names top the list, with all five showing up in the top 10 most common male names of the past century. Pew's poll shows that Trump leads with male voters; it tracks that the leading names of his donors typically belong to men.
Trump is also favored among older voters who are more likely to have some of these long-established names. For instance, according to the Social Security Administration, Richard was most popular in the 1930s and '40s. Trump donors are also more likely to be named Donald, which peaked as the sixth-most-popular name in 1934.
Harris is popular among women across generations
Research from Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics shows that women are less likely to donate to political campaigns. But when they do, they are more likely to donate to Democratic ones. Women of all ages lean Democrat, and polls show that women's support for Harris may drive a record gap between male and female voters.
While names like Elizabeth have long been common, top-ranking names among Harris donors don't rank quite as highly among the American populace. Just three of the leading names for Harris donors—Susan, Lisa, and Jennifer—are among the top 10 women's names of the past century.
"Susan" peaked in popularity between 1945 and 1968, so most "Susans" in the world are between 56 and 79. Older women, especially, are hopeful of seeing a female president within their lifetimes, spurring them to support the Harris campaign. Meanwhile, "Lisa" was most common in the '60s to mid-'70s, and "Jennifer" soared among girls born between the mid-'60s and the early '90s.
Lisa just missed the cut at #11, and Laura comes in at #28. Harris' first name, Kamala, is fairly unique in the U.S. Still, she received donations from five individuals sharing her name.
The impact of campaign donations
Donations fund campaign operations, including staffers, ads, and research. Presidential campaigns are increasingly expensive, with the 2020 election costing the most on record.
Winners in presidential races often have a fundraising advantage, but not always. Notably, the last time a woman held one of the major party nominations and out-raised her opponent was former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, and ultimately, Trump defeated her. The narrative surrounding the 2024 election, though, is much different. Harris is just now entering the spotlight and stepping beyond Biden's shadow, and her campaign has spent heavily on defining her image to U.S. voters. Trump's campaign is also investing heavily in paid media now after spending campaign funds on lawyers early on in the election cycle.
Whether these funds—and the people donating them—make a difference in this deadlocked race is to be seen.
Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire.
