st: Ordering a dataset by frequency

[jmm50@duke.edu]

I have a dataset of 50,000 names.  I need to order them by frequency so 
that the names that recur the most are at the top of the list, decreasing 
by frequency.  Thus far I have used bigtab to tabulate the results, but I 
don't know how to order such a large dataset by freq. , since many commands 
are refused due to having "too many variables".  The names are listed as 
string variables.  I used encode name, gen(firstname) to create a new 
variable with numerical value, but when I use the sort command it sorts it 
into alphabetical order.  Do you have any idea how I order the data by 
frequency?  Thanks!
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