Convert a GED file to a list of first and last names - used in looking through a family tree for baby names

ancestornames.py

from gedcom.element.individual import IndividualElement
from gedcom.parser import Parser
import re, string

def valid_name(name):
    if not name:
        return False
    name = name.strip()
    if not name:
        return False
    if len(name) < 3:
        return False
    return True


pattern = re.compile('[\W_]+')

file_path = 'out.ged'
gedcom_parser = Parser()

gedcom_parser.parse_file(file_path)

root_child_elements = gedcom_parser.get_root_child_elements()
first_names = {}
last_names = {}
discarded = {}

# Iterate through all root child elements
for element in root_child_elements:
    # Is the `element` an actual `IndividualElement`? (Allows usage of extra functions such as `surname_match` and `get_name`.)
    if isinstance(element, IndividualElement):
        
        # Unpack the name tuple
        (firsts, last) = element.get_name()

        for first in firsts.split(' '):
            
            first = pattern.sub('', first).capitalize()

            if valid_name(first):
                
                value = 1
                if first in first_names:
                    value = first_names[first] + 1
                first_names[first] = value

        last = pattern.sub('', last).capitalize()

        if valid_name(last):
            value = 1
            if last in last_names:
                value = last_names[last] + 1
            last_names[last] = value

first_names = sorted(first_names.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)
last_names = sorted(last_names.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)

with open('first.txt', 'w') as f:
    for first, num in first_names:
        f.write("{}: {}\n".format(first, num))

with open('last.txt', 'w') as f:
    for last, num in last_names:
        f.write("{}: {}\n".format(last, num))