Sunday, Honor, Knox...baby names gone wild

Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008 5:30 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under: Pop culture, Celebrities

Nothing's as personal as your first name. Mine is short, which is nice, but it also saddles me with an unusual (Irish) spelling. So I went through childhood unable to find anything personalized, and having to correct people who spelled my name GAIL, GALE, GAYLE or with any other variant. But the more I read about celebrity baby names, the less I have to complain about.

The latest names, of course, are Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, the son and daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I think Vivienne is quite pretty, and of course Marcheline was the first name of Angelina's late mother. Nothing wrong with honoring your mom.

It's "Knox" that makes me giggle. I always want to follow it up with "Blox," as in "Knox Blox," the cubed JELL-O treat we made as kids. I guess the family wanted all their sons' names to end with "X" -- witness brothers Maddox and Pax. And he continues the never-ending trend of giving babies first names that were commonly used only as last names. (Since my last name is Cooper, I'm amazed at how many little-kid Coopers I meet. Guess we should be flattered.)

This latest batch of star baby names hasn't been that bad. I'll admit it: I kind of like Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, the name Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban gave their baby. "Sunday Rose" has an elegant sound to it. Unfortunately, "Sunday Urban" sounds like a new section in the weekend newspaper. And you just know for the rest of her life, she'll be asked if she was born on a Sunday (she wasn't -- it was a Monday). My niece April, born in June, can relate.

Jessica Alba's daughter is Honor Marie Warren. I like that, too. "Honor" makes me think of Honor Blackman the Bond girl, and names that espouse virtues (Honor, Faith, Hope, Charity) are underused in our world. Marie, though, was the go-to middle name when I was a kid -- every girl I knew had it.

I don't really mind Maddie Briann, although the Madeline/Madeleine/Madison name trend really should run its course. These girls are to their generation what Lisa, Kim and Amy are to mine. You know all their lunches will say "Maddie A." or whatever their last initial is.

And I even like Nicole Richie's choice, Harlow Winter Kate Madden. Harlow makes me think of Jean Harlow and old movie glamour, and Winter is just a pretty word.

I am not so charitable about other celeb choices. I will never warm to Apple -- sorry, Gwyneth. I'm not really a fan of Suri or Shiloh. I always find myself humming that Neil Diamond song about his imaginary friend.

I recently spent some time updating our celebrity baby-name application, and some of the other celebrity baby names still flummox me. Quick, Easton August Anthony, is that a boy or girl? What about Ever Gabo Anderson? BZZZ, time's up, they're both girls, daughters of Elisabeth Rohm and Milla Jovovich, respectively.

I've written about baby names, before, and I can't close without linking to the most hilarious Web resource for baby-name snarking, Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing. I defy you to start reading it and not find a laugh.

Share your thoughts about celeb baby names in the comments.

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Comments

Celebrities don't have a monopoly on weird/unfortunate names. My neighbor's daughter named her son Juke. The baby's father's last name was Box. I went to school with a girl named Blueberry Sunshine.

Christine, Frederick MD (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:06 AM)

i also grew up with a difficult name "Shea" which peope pronounced She-a. it was embarrassing as a kid but now i love it. it's nice to know that when people yell my name from far away that they're talking to me, as opposed to the 5 other people standing near me if my name was Sara or something else common.
i totally lurve Knox. i'm definitely adding it to my list of potential baby names.

shea andover, ma (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:31 AM)

What are they thinking? Saddling children with strange names is cruel - do their parents even think of reactions to them in school and or in public? Most names are beautiful in their simplicity, Jane, Linda, Susan, Elizabeth, James, Michael. Using one of those names might even be more unusual than some of the latest dreamed up by celebrities.

Nancy Case, Atlanta, Georgia (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:35 AM)

"...some of the other celebrity baby names still flummox me."

Flummox - hmm, sounds like a good name for the next Jolie-Pitt male.

Sue, Hollywood FL (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:39 AM)

Gael, that is my absolute favorite link you've ever given us. "Baby's Named a Bad Bad Thing" is a website I show to every expectant mom and dad when they're trying to choose their baby's name. I just wish someone would update the site - I don't think it's been touched in ages. But who cares, it's always good for quick laugh. I don't get why people insist on utilizing such bizarre names...but at least we can still get a good giggle out of them.

Amanda, Oklahoma City, OK (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:40 AM)

I could see criticizing people were mistreating their children, but this whole subject is so ridiculous. What are we basing the idea of "bad" names on, anyway? What about widening your perspective to include different time periods, cultures, etc? Get over it. It's a big world out there and people differ. I have a friend with Chinese parents whose name is Sunday and I've never thought twice about it. You can name your child Rose, which grows on a bush, but not Apple, which grows on a tree? Really, what's the difference? Plus, it's been reported that Brad Pitt's grandfather's name was Knox. Mine was Nunzio. So what? Perhaps it would please the masses if we were all named Jennifer and Michael.

W, Pennsylvania (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:46 AM)

I feel sorry for the kids that might be made fun of because of their names (Apple, Audio Science) or that will forever be hearing "Oh, that's my dog's name." (Coco, Max). Then there are the names that just don't sound right (Bailey Baio).

Laurah in NY (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:56 AM)

I don't particularly care for these "fad" names. I still prefer the old fashioned ones like, Elizabeth, Katherine, Victoria, Sarah, Rachel, Michael, Mark, John, Joseph, Matthew, etc. If my mother had named me Shiloh or Apple I think I would have divorced her at birth. Maybe this will turn around again after they run out of these "off the wall" names.

Camille Warring, Beltsville, Maryland (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 9:56 AM)

there's nothing wrong with Knox. It was my maternal grandfather's middle name. It was on my short list of boy's names for my child, but we had a girl.

barb, atlanta, ga (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:23 AM)

I feel bad that these children are going to grow up with such stupid names. I never minded my name, Robin, when I was little but it's not a name that ages. I'm in my 50s and Robin sounds just too "cute".

Gwenyth Paltrow has Apple and Moses. Isn't there an actress who's son is named Banjo? Banjo???? Can you see this boy during school role call?

I wouldn't have minded Nicole Kidman's name for her daughter if the first name was Rose. It reminds me of Jennifer Garner's little girl Violet.

Oh well, these aren't our children but I do wish people would consider the future before they stick these ridiculous names on their children.

Robin, Las Vegas NV (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:24 AM)

I believe that Knox is the middle name of Brad Pitt's maternal grandfather, so it's a family name...

Lisa K, Sherwood Park, AB (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:28 AM)

Knox doesn't bother me or conjure up anything, except that I knew someone with that as last name. And maybe it's because I'm from the South, but we have LOTS of last names as first names; often, like mine, it is the mother's maiden name. Vivienne is just okay for me. Actually, what I like most about these names is that they are actually NAMES, not made up or a noun (or series of nouns) that the kid was saddled with i.e. Pilot Inspektor, Audio Science, Moxie Crimefighter, Apple, etc. (Geez, Apple actually sounds normal compared to those others).

I don't really have a problem with Harlow, just the fact that she has 4 names -- if you were trying to name her after family, I can kinda get having three first names, but if you're just picking out names you like, that seems a bit much.

I agree that there are a lot of Maddies out there, but my biggest problem with it is that I always thought "Maddie" was a nickname for "Madeleine" (or even Madison) not a full name -- I don't know maybe Jamie Lyn just couldn't be bothered to write the whole thing out.

Mo, Columbia, SC (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:32 AM)

I don't have a problem with Knox. I had a friend with that first name over 30 years ago.

sybil grey, chapala, jalisco, mexico (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:33 AM)

http://www.dwanollah.com/blather/092103/index.html

To the author: you may like this one, too...

Kate, Snoqualmie, Washington (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:40 AM)

I think the celebs (and private folks) have taken the trend of funky baby names because it is somehow "glamorous or unique". I'm all for traditional names like John, James, Ben, etc.. For Pete's sake...when they are in preschool they have to spell this stuff!!!!

Karen Holmes (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:49 AM)

I have to say that I named my baby Knox Hayden. He was born March of this year. I obviously love the name because it is masculine and different. However, now that Angelina and Brad have used this name there will probably be 5 more kids in my son's kindergarten class with the same name! :(

Mrs. Fabulous, Central Georgia (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 10:49 AM)

I named my daughter Chloe almost 17 years ago. Not many Chloe's around then, and nobody EVER pronounced her name correctly. Sh-low, Chl-ow-ee and the ever popular Cleo. And I thought I was doing her a favor by not putting an accent gravé or an umlaut in her name (saddled with the name of Chloe-Marie [her name hypenated with my sisters] Thomas [my father's middle name and my grandmother's maiden name] was bad enough!), saving her one step in the "no that's not how you said it" game. Although she's endured years of getting birthday cards from grandma and grandpa with every spelling imaginable EXCEPT the correct one, she has managed to get a sense of humor about it, especially at the ripe old age of 16. I wouldn't change it for the world ... she was born Chloe. I knew that when I looked at her. So whether you're an Apple, a Shiloh, a Catherine or a Missy ... be as unique as your name and remember, you can always change it later!

Pam Turner, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:05 AM)

I don't find anything wrong with those names. I love the name apple and the reasons why she named her in that manner. Knox is a very old name and it's not a funky fad (like the author of this post thinks...) common traditional names are well and good, but sometimes, those common names can seem too common. My name isn't too common and I learned how to spell it just fine. People just think it's a bad thing because they're jealous that they have to be traditional and the same like everyone else!

not so plain jane doe, irmo, south carolina (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:06 AM)

To Kate from Snoqualmie: I've read that, and I love it!

My parents went to school with a Ken Tuckey, and I went to school with a Justin Case. I've heard no shortage of uncommon names in my lifetime, and I don't care...name your kid whatever you want. I work with children, though...and the only problem I have with names I don't hear often is really from the parents. I don't care if you're a Raja, Sky, Jedediah, or John. I will repeat your name to make sure I have it right, and I will ask how to spell it. When I do this, I am not making any judgments that you chose to name your child Evergreen. I am not displaying cultural bias when I ask how to spell Kumiko...I just need to fill out some forms and make some name tags. Seriously. Calm down. Knock off the snorts and eye rolls if I don't automatically know to spell your daughter's name as "Charitea".

Elizabeth, Bethesda, Maryland (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:19 AM)

The mayor of Greenville, South Carolina is Knox White. May be Angelian and Brad were inspired by him... some how I doubt it.

To way in on the unusual name topic, when I was a substitute teacher frequently I would not call on a student with an unsual name, simply because I couldn't remember how to say. Call them something easy for them and their friends to learn to write and spell! Come Valentine's Day in kindergarten you don't want your kid to be the one who didn't get any cards because the others couldn't spell his/her name!

Lesley, Greenvill, South Carolina (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:46 AM)

Okay, you had me until you grouped Madeleine and Madeline with MADISON!! Madeleine is a classic, timeless french name and it being americanized to Madeline was bad enough....grouping it with Madison is just adding insult to injury!

Kristin in Bennington Vermont (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:47 AM)

Odd, I ALSO happen to work with a girl named April that was ACTUALLAY born in June. To set things straight, myself and another person have started calling her June instead. She's grown used to it, but I still always wonder -- what's with the helmet?

Derek Death, St. Paul, Minnesota (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 11:49 AM)

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the name Knox or Sunday. While they are unique, they are certainly not as odd as Pilot Inspektor or Audio Science. They wouldn't be my choice, but it's not my business. It doesn't lessen that child's worth as a human being/soul on this earth.

In another bad celebrity baby name list, Sage Moonblood is mentioned. I do not quite understand the problem with Sylvester Stallone naming his daughter "Sage Moonblood". It is a Native American name. Perhaps he has ancestral roots and Moonblood is a family name? I am Cherokee and we have many interesting (possibly interpreted as strange) family names. Sage is very, very sacred to Native Americans; whether it is ceremonially burned or a clairavoyant being. No mysteries there.

Naming children is a difficult and personal choice. I don't think parents should feel the need to ever expalin why their children were given specific names. It doesn't matter if outside people like them or not. Children grow into their names and if they end up not liking them later in life they can opt to change it. In the end, they usually wear it proudly and truly own it throughout their lives.

The one thing that is certain, is that Knox and Sunday will crack the Top 100 any time now.

RHR, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:10 PM)

Listen, I went to Catholic school with a girl named Happy. Talk about pressure!

Joan, Northern Kentucky (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:16 PM)

I had a neighbor...a sweet, tiny lady who was named Hortense Aurealis..I just kept wondering what her mother was thinking when she looked at this tiny little newborn ...did she think "she looks like a Hortense!"? Poor little thing. My grandfather was attorney who had a client named Female Jones...the parents thought the hospital had named her..because on the birth certificate it said "Female" Jones ! They pronounced it Feemolly. hilarious.

Alice in Ohio (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:27 PM)

I can see both sides, although, I must admit I like the less traditional names myself. That is the beauty though.... your child your choice! We decided to name our daughter with a combination of my mother's name, Sharyn & my father's name, Nelson & came up with Shaylen (Shay'-len) Kelsey. We get many compliments & I am happy to give them the reasons on where her name came from...
Our son has an easy name but I don't feel it to be an overused one, which was important for me Caleb Joshua. As you saw my mother now 65 grew up with an unusual spelling of her name & she gave me an unusual name as well... Jeananne (for those who don't get the pronunciation, & many don't... it is simply Jean & Anne put together into one name.) Perhaps that's why I like unique names.... I have one of my own... & not a cookie cutter one that many will have.... not that there's anything wrong with that! ;-D

Jeananne, Ma. (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:28 PM)

I have to second the person who said that in the South the last-names-as-first names thing is a lot more common. Particularly with boys. Heck, my son's first name is Reeve (mostly as an homage to my wife's maiden name). And that doesn't even get into the boomlet of the popularity of the name Jackson as a first name. Of course, this might all be a subconscious rebellion against the fact that I have the most common boy's name of the 100 years, and my wife has one of the most common girl's names....

Michael T., Greenville, SC (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:32 PM)

I don't mind unusal names but the nicknames have to go. I also named my daughter chloe 12 years ago and now her peers and coaches call her clo...as if the name isn't short enuf!!! I tell her to correct them but to correct an adult can be imtimidating. People should be asked if they want their name to be shortened. People assume it's okay to shorten a name...well, I feel it's not. She will always be my Chloe Renee!!

Janine, Boston Ma (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:33 PM)

I hated my name as a kid because of Anita Bryant. Everyone always asked if I'd had my orange juice that day. I like it now because it's not too common. I love uncommon names that have a story behind them. Apple, Knox, Harlow -- I like them all. It's when someone names a kid something weird just to be weird (i.e., Pilot Inspektor) that I find odd. Let's be honest, kids will find a way to make fun of any name, whether it's Jane or Banjo, anyway.

Anita, East Coast, USA (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:38 PM)

A relative of mine named Mary got remarried to a gentleman with the last name of Christmas--and she took the name! Three of their daughters are Haphelia (nicknamed Hapi), Noelle, and Candice (yup, she calls herself Candy). Candice married a man named John Jarre (pronounced Har-e, but looks like Jar). Her name is now Candy Christmas-Jarre and their son is named Mason.

We had a set of family friends, who named their daughters Seven, Five, and Three (perhaps a throwback from the days of Blossom and her friend Six?)

Cas (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:40 PM)

My sons name is Maverick, he was born in 1992, I had him young and always liked that name from the Movie "Top Gun." We use variations Rick, Mav, or Maverick. Always wanted him to have a brother but neither "Iceman" or "Goose" sounded very good.

Ken, Cadiz KY (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:40 PM)

I only think it is funny coming from the same people who crave anonimity for their children. When they go to school won't everyone know who they are because of their unique names? If I wanted my kids to go about their lives without photographers following them evrywhere, I might make it easier for them to blend in.

Margaret (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:46 PM)

My Mom worked in Labor and Delivery and would tell us some of the unusual names that she heard the mom's give their children...I am not making these up!!! Teflon Velveeta, twins Tish and Tosh, Monday Morning, Remember September,Dinette, and the extremely unfortunate Syphillis. I learned from the laughter we had at those childrens expense - my children and Kathryn and Michael...

Mumcat, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:50 PM)

For all the comments about kids with unusual names getting teased - bullies can get creative with plain names just as easily as exotic ones. When my mom named me she thought I'd be impervious to bullying but "Leslie" easily turned to "Lesbi" (ahh, those creative little scamps!) My stepdaughters have pretty straight forward, traditional names that you wouldn't think someone could tease you with, and I was still amazed with some of the ways kids twisted their names to torment them.
Whether you get fancy with your kid's name or not, jerks will be jerks. :-P

Leslie, Albuquerque (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:51 PM)

I am firmly of the opinion that parents should be REQUIRED to be called by whatever name they're considering for their child for at least a month.

ESPECIALLY if they're considering something 'cute'.

Don't these parents realize that other kids will tease them?

Tom, CT (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 12:53 PM)

Personally, I think that it is a parent's right to have creative freedom with their children's names. You and I may not agree with (or even understand) some people's name choices, but the fact that we have the freedom to be original and creative is what makes being American wonderful.

PS: I think Knox is an awesome name. I wish I'd thought of it first!! HA!

Megan Eagle Mtn., UT (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:00 PM)

Right I understand kids not being able to spell their names while growing up; but it's not impossible, they'll learn. Who knows, maybe it'll be that much smarter in the end! I think the idea of calling the students nicknames that you pick out is RIDICULOUS. Names are special; isn't that why we're having this debate? Names are personal and given to us by our parents-yes some of them are hilarious but they're still unique to that person. I think it's slightly offensive to call a child by a nick name because you don't want to learn how to spell it or pronounce it. Its understandable for an adult/young adult to have a nick name if they choose; but otherwise, why can't change and being different be respected and welcomed?

Audrey Smith, Ireland (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:06 PM)

I named my daughter Emma in 2002. I named her after my great grandmother and I thought the name was beautiful and didn't know anyone else with the name. Then Rachel on Friends had a baby and it was suddenly the most popular name of the year. Emma is going to be Emma O for the rest of her life and even her best friend's name is Emma. I was very disappointed when I discovered the name I picked was so popular all because of an episode of Friends.

Leslie, Edmonton, Alberta (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:07 PM)

I've got to say, this latest batch of celeb baby names, while not exactly every-day names, really aren't all that off the wall. When I think of Knox, two things come to mind - the character of Knox Overstreet from "Dead Poets Society" (played by the cute Josh Charles!) and a line from Dr.Seuss' "Fox in Socks"..."Knox on blocks!" At least they aren't named Kal-El, Spec Wildhorse, Moon Unit, or Reignbeau!!

DB, Killingworth, CT (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:07 PM)

My mother named me Charley Beth because she felt Charlotte, her mother's name, was too old, and Charlene, the name my father wanted, sounded like an even older lady's name. As a kid, I recieved a lot of criticism for my name (seeing as I am a girl)... But now, more and more, I appreciate it. Even if it sounds like a nickname.

Charley Beth, Tennessee (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:08 PM)

What about poor Kyd Duchovny (David Duchovny & Tea Leoni's child)...will he have to change his (her?) name to Teen and then Adult as he grows?

Deb, CT (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:14 PM)

There are "odd" names in every generation and chosen by regular people. My sister and I are researching our family history. We have Quaker ancestors from the 1600's and 1700's named Freelove and Desire.

I have one of the most common names from the 1950's. No one is naming their daughters Susie, Patty, Nancy, or Debbie anymore. Good names come and go just like the "bad" ones. Choose a name you like for your child and say it with love. How can that be bad?

Sue S, Grand Forks, ND (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:22 PM)

Two women I work with have named their daughters "Sorrow" and "Envy". I feel so sorry for those two little girls! How could anyone even THINK of naming their child "Sorrow"?!

Brown-eyed Girl, Hot Springs, AR (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:27 PM)

One of my neighbors when we lived in Detroit introduced herself to me as "Debbie". Then she told me her real name was pronounced "Debriss", but her mother spelled it "Debris". Hence, Debbie.

Cas--did your friends love Seinfeld a bit too much? Didn't George want to name one of his kids "Seven", after Mickey Mantle? And don't forget "Soda"!)

VEH, Metro Detroit (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:33 PM)

I agree with the gaggle of horrific baby names. At first I thought Shiloh was bad for poor baby Pitt. For these two, the girl fared far better than the boy. I pity him--he's going to get beaten up in school, I just know it.

Izzy, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:35 PM)

Gael said, "It's "Knox" that makes me giggle. I always want to follow it up with "Blox," as in "Knox Blox," the cubed JELL-O treat we made as kids. I guess the family wanted all their sons' names to end with "X" -- witness brothers Maddox and Pax. And he continues the never-ending trend of giving babies first names that were commonly used only as last names."

Hey Gael, you did some research on Angie's family, but do some on Brad's before you poke fun. Knox is his grandfather's name!! So just as Angie has honored her mother, so has Brad honored his grandfather.

Dawn, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:39 PM)

It doesn't matter what the name is, as long as the child is shown the unconditional love they deserve, life is good! My two kids have normal names with unusual spellings, a girl, Jordyne (Jordan), and a boy, Kaleb. I always wanted an unusual name because when I was born, variations of Christina were popular and Christopher so there were always 6 of us in my elementary and high school classes. We had to use nicknames or last initials on all our assignments. My kids don't have to worry, they are the only ones in their classes with not only those names, but those spellings. They both like having different names and spellings from all their friends who are Maddie or John.

K H. Imperial California (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:47 PM)

So if it's a "family name," criticism is off-limits...? Tell that to the middle-schoolers the kid will go to school with. Or to the employers reading their resumes coming out of college. A name doesn't need to be common, but it definitely is selfish to attach a name to a child that's downright embarrassing. And watch out, too: see how a kid feels about great-grandpa Chadwick or great-grandma Frankilene after living with his/her name for a while.... Way to inspire love for heritage....

A. Williams, San Diego, CA (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:48 PM)

I agree that people should call their kids what they want, but they should consider how their child will grow up with the name (which is where formal names and nicknames can work well). My niece was originally going to be named Abby, but they named her Abigail instead and mostly called her Abby to give her the option of a more formal name for use as an adult. Also they should try to pick something that isn't too hard for their child to spell, but really all kinds of names are mispronounced or misspelled. I had a teacher insist that my name was Julia because she claimed Julie was ALWAYS short for Julia, and another claimed I must be spelling my last name wrong (since she spelled it another way). Now that I have an easy last name, I still spell it out (just habit, I suppose).

Speaking of number names, I have a second or third cousin who is called "Four" by the family because he is Augustin (last name) IV, and his father is called Gus. I guess they couldn't think of another nickname. I don't know what he goes by with friends and in professional circles (he does have a PhD), but to his relatives, he has always been Four (even though he is now in his 30s).

Julie, Nashville, TN (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:51 PM)

I grew up with one of the more common names of my generation (Amy). I believe there were five of us in my 8th grade math class. When my husband and I first started trying for a baby six years ago, we picked names we loved but that weren't too popular. By the time we conceived in 2006, both of our original name choices had breached the top ten. I had to scrap them both because I didn't want to put my child through the same thing I went through in school. We like traditional names and old-fashioned but unusual names, so we went with William Duncan. Until last year, William was waaay down the top 100 list and not popular at all around here. It ended up #8 for the year 2007! Dangit...

I am pretty much a do-what-you-want kind of girl, but you do have to think about your children's lives when naming them. I am a teacher, so I can see the effects of the unusual names/spellings. By the time the kids reach my 10th grade class, they are fed up with having to spell and/or pronounce their names for people. You also have to think of how the name will sound when your child is 80. It's the inverse situation of the post earlier about the baby Hortense. In 60 years or so, the nursing homes will be full of grandparents named Kyleigh, McKenzie, Prince, and Destinee.

Amy, Texas (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 1:51 PM)

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Sunday, Honor, Knox...baby names gone wild

Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008 5:30 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under: Pop culture, Celebrities

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Sunday, Honor, Knox...baby names gone wild

Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008 5:30 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper Filed Under: Pop culture, Celebrities

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Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008 5:30 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under: Pop culture, Celebrities