The Name Game

What's in a name?   Someone famous asked that once and I never really thought much of it until I saw a list of the most popular baby names for 2007.   Many of the usual suspects were there, Emily, Emma, Jacob, Joshua, Isabella and of course Michael.   Michael has always hung tough on the most popular baby names list.  For decades it was always the most popular and this year it was number two.  Kind of a self fulfilling thing really, it was always so popular that just the number of Michael Junior's every year gives it a head start over the rest.  It's funny when it comes to naming a child because names have impressions for all of us.  Pick a name and throw it around and you quickly find out that some people might have fond feelings of someone they once knew by that name and they love it.  Likewise, you may run into a friend who was once beaten up by a guy by that name and he hates it.  Certain names just carrying an impression with all of us. Then there are the dreaded nicknames.  Before you can name a child you really have to consider all the possibilities.  From the initials of their full name to the short forms that will no doubt come about.  Trust me, as much as parents want it, you can be heading for quite a battle if you think you can force everyone to use your child's full name.  Elizabeth is a beautiful name but it's big and quickly becomes everything from Liz to Liza to Beth to Eli to Liddabit to just E.  There are a lot of variables to take into account.  Keep in mind, the longer the name the more variables there are.  The thing I find most interesting when it comes to names is the way that names come in and go out of vogue.  Go into any classroom now and you'll find groups of kids with the same name so their peers are forced to call them something else to separate them.  There's Sarah N. and Sarah J. and over there is Sarah L.   Sometimes they use last name initials or maybe they'll go with red-headed Jacob and dark haired Jacob and blue eyed Jacob.  Before any parents decide to name their kids with one of the "hot" names they should consider what other kids may be forced to call them.  Sure you can live with Madison P. and Madison J.  But you might not like the name game too much if suddenly there's a dumb Ethan and a smart Ethan in the class and the other kids have decided yours isn't the smart one.  Kids can be cruel, new parents should always remember that.  Asking themselves what's better for my kid?  There aren't a lot of Henry's or Robert's these days but maybe Henry or Robert is better then having to explain to your child why they have to be Fat Michael and can't be called Skinny Michael like the other Michael in class. Until We Type Again, Take It Ease !