The Name Game

The other day when I was in the state-run liquor store (you gotta love Montana), the checker mentioned that she has a two year old son and is pregnant.  I asked if she had any names picked out and she said she would probably make one up, like she did with her son Jusson.  OK.

I have to say, the naming of a child is a fascinating process.  I had a much more difficult time with boy names than I did with girls.  I, like many parents, wanted something not-too-crazy but also not run of the mill.  I agonized over it for months and only when I uttered it after he was born did his name really stick for me.  I still think it's a great name for him, so no regrets.  When it comes to some other names I have heard, however, not so much the case.  There are some, in my opinion, pretty harsh names for kids out there.  Sadly, like me, EVERYONE has an opinion.  I have one poor friend whose mother in law pretty much responded with "ick" upon hearing the child-to-be's name.  I have another friend whose MOTHER refuses to call her granddaughter by her given name.  She calls her something else entirely.  Like, say the little girl's name is "Jody," she calls her "Beth."  The name game is serious stuff in many families.

What has really surprised me, though, is the difference in names by geographic location.  Given today's technology and the nomadic nature of people, I would think names would generally be the same no matter where you live.  But I'm finding that not to be the case.  There are still the popular names here that there were in Chicago, but some of the more unusual ones are REALLY unusual. Some are terrific.  Others, not so much.  But it's very strange to me that it is noticable.

I do have to wonder how much influence family has on the issue.  As mentioned above, friends have dealt with family imput all over the place.  But the friends I mentioned weren't swayed by the pressure.  Others, I'm not so certain.  For example, my cousin recently had a baby boy.  She named him a great name.  But the first name is the town where our grandparents lived and the middle name is my grandpa's (very old-fashioned) name.  Like I said, it's a great name.  But her motivations for choosing it, I can't fathom.  It really seemed like she was trying to get the attention of our many, many aunts and uncles.  Very interesting to me.

I absolutely do not advocate making fun of a kid for his or her name.  At least not in front of him or her.  But take a gander at the names around you of little ones, and the next time you travel do the same.  Are there a billion Isabellas?  Or is it something different that creeps up?  If the former, be certain to burn all of the town's copies of Twilight.  In fact, do that anyway.  But my point is that I think you'll be surprised.  And if you are naming a child, I recommend staking out his or her college, doing an informal poll of what names will be accepted there in 18 years, then go home and have a drink because you are way too uptight.