Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Baby Names


A generation ago they laughed when rock star Frank Zappa of the group Mother's of Invention named his daughter "Moon Unit" and his son, "Dweezil." Grace Slick, lead singer of Jefferson Airplane called her daughter "China" while David Bowie bestowed upon his daughter the name, "Zowie," causing school mates to call her by the humorous moniker, "Zowie Bowie."

Still today, people give their children weird, strange, and even laughable names. Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf call their son, "Pilot Inspektor," and Penn Gillette of the magic team Penn and Teller crowned his daughter, "Moxie Crimefighter."

I have to wonder if anyone gave consideration to the children who will have to wear the names they were given until they're old enough to change them. Will their friends think their parents were really cool, or just idiots? How will it sound when the teacher takes attendance each morning?

We gave our children the traditional names of Christine and Robert, because it was about them, and not us. And, because we wanted their friends, family, and people who they would meet later on in life to like them, not laugh at them.

No comments: