Naming The Kid

I am having a "what's in a name" moment because I was thinking the other day about how first names in the United States have changed so much. What was most popular then is now not even on the radar. Female names seem to vary wildly in popularity, while many of the most popular male names over the years stand the test of time. Why is that? Obviously, people do not name themselves. Mom and dad are giving out the names. Names Like Mildred, Ethel, Dorothy and Florence are rarely given to female babies now. But the names of trendy social media favorites from pop singers or other entertainers are the rage.

Hey! Maybe that's it. Maybe we name our kids something "new" or "modern" now because the age in which we live is so fast changing. Perhaps in the first part of the 20th century when names were traditional, parents of newborns never thought much about a different kind of name for their baby. Instead, they were traditional and followed the tradition of the older names. Now we get "Beyonce". Sigh. The kid named that may get stares of "what is that" when she is an old lady of 70 on 2087 and Beyonce' the entertainer is long forgotten.  I am almost certain no one will remember Beyonce' in 2087 (And that's a good thing).

I have a common name "James" and my brother was also named the common "Bill". I never gave my name much thought because I had no control over it. Besides, in my youth, James was common, a sense of belonging was attached to it. It's legally possible to change my name, but I would still be my common self if I changed to an uncommon name now. I surely won't rename myself  Bevonce'. Psychologists say that your name is a crucial factor in developing your sense of self, because it helps propel you forward on various paths of life and career. I once remember a kid who was cruelly named "Sterling" by his parents. It was cruel because the kid's last name was "Silver". 

Being named Sterling Silver will definitely make you a conversation piece. Sterling got plenty of snickers when the teacher in school called out his name when checking class attendance. Sterling was screwed up badly, perhaps partly because his parents named him a name that sounded like a joke. One time there was a fire in a trash can outside our classroom. Sterling's reaction was to toss his books into the fire. He did not want to be with the normally named peers of our class. I wish he would have thrown his parents into the fire with his books.

Our given first names name can have leave a long-lasting imprint on our lives, for better or worse. One's name holds the power to shape a child's self esteem and his identity and influence how he's seen and treated by others. Names do stereotype us and create images of us for people who are just meeting or who know us. People who particularly dislike their name or who think it's an odd and unlike able name, can develop some problems from their naming.

I think I shall stay with  the name James for the time being., but you can call me Beyonce' if you want.....