On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 2:10 PM, LeVan,Ralph <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> That would be amusing to build.
>
> Many VIAF records have a gender specified in them.  We could aggregate
> counts for each name and report back those counts.  You'd have to decide
> whether being male 9 times out of 10 is a high enough confidence level
> for you.
>
> Not saying that service exists, just that it would be amusing to build.
>

It would be.

A function predicting the gender should ideally know about the nationality
of the person. One thing that confuses the heck out of me is that there are
a bunch of names associated with the opposite gender in English as they are
in the languages where those names are more common (I still smile when
people who cold call my dad expect a woman).

Also, we need to pass a law that no one is allowed to have a gender neutral
name like Chris, Toni, Pat, Ray, Kai, Dylan, and a slew of
others (naturally, exceptions would be made for anyone I know because they
already have wonderful names) . Since people tend to meet online first
nowadays, it's disorienting when you realize you were assuming the gender
of the person without and got it wrong.

In defense of thinking knowing the gender of someone you're communicating
with online is even relevant, I rely on the observations in library themed
Kathryn Hepburn classic, Desk Set...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEoFFYH_m0Q#t=3m1s

But then again, no one having a clue about gender could be a good thing if
it rendered some hot button issues moot...

kyle