Name Game: Step 1 - Simple Measures

Lloyd Tabb, Founder & CTO

Jan 15, 2016

Step 1: Adding Simple Measures

In LookML, a measure is a summary or aggregate computation. The model below is really simple. We've just added a couple of measures: name count and total population. Now we should be able to answer lots of pretty basic questions about names.

Note: The code added in each step could be added to the view in Step 0. For this series of articles, we will instead use Looker's extend functionality to extend the prior step's view and then add new dimensions and measures. This enables us to just focus on the new functionality added for the current step.

#
# Add some very basic computations to
#  calculate the number of different names
#  the total size of the population

# make a new view, names_step_1
view: names_step_1 {
  # use all the fields in names_step_0
  #  and add or change the following fields
  extends: [names_step_0]
  # number of Different Names
  measure: name_count {
    type: count_distinct
    sql: ${name} ;;
    drill_fields: [name, total_population]
  }

  # sum the populations
  measure: total_population {
    type: sum
    sql: ${number} ;;
  }
}

Explore!

All of the queries below can be created by Exploring From Here. Select dimensions and measures, add filters and bonk the 'Run Button'.

Most Common Names

Notice that we have to go down to the 6th name to find a common female name.

Explore From Here

Most Common Female Names

Explore From Here

Most Common Female Names in Recent Years (In 2000 or Later)

Explore From Here

Population By State

Explore From Here

Population By State for Mary

Explore From Here

Population By State for Mary before 1920

Explore From Here

Are there more names now, than in the past?

Yes, and you can see the baby boom too.

Explore From Here

Are there more boy or girl names?

Girl names, by a wide margin.

Explore From Here

Let's Compare Lisa, Elijah, Emily, Lloyd and Frank over Time.

Explore From Here

Simple Widget that Lets You Compare Names

Here is a simple widget that lets you compare names. CHANGE the Filters and see what you can learn about names.

Here's a list of all of the steps:

• Name Game Overview
• Step 1: Simple Measures
• Step 2: Computed Dimensions
• Step 3: Filtered Measures
• Step 4: Normalizing Population with Cohorts
• Step 5: Using Rank to Figure out Name Density and Popularity

Go to the next Name Game page, Step 2: Computed Dimensions