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Category: Serendipity | Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:08 pm

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A dear friend had signed up to help register new Kindergarten students at a local school. She broke her wrist, and was unable to type, or write. I got the feeling that some people would do about anything to get out of registering Kindergarteners and their proud parents. I was drafted to replace her. Next year I'll break my wrist, all ten fingers, and anyone's neck that suggests that I go through that again!
What happened to good old names for children—Sarah, George, Ann, Ralph, etc.?
After working for two hours registering children, I realized that short, easily-spelled names were out of fashion. Sixty years from now the nursing homes are going to be filled with (sic) Tiffanees, Ashlees, Anthonees, and Phoelixias (Felicias in previous times). Some of the names I had to ask the parents to repeat, and they seemed a little huffy that I didn't immediately know how to spell Antwon or D'lite.
I got the distinct impression that the new Kindergarten class was a gathering of Indian tribes (Shawnee, Cherokee, Cheyenne) or a mixed hardwood forest (Aspen, Willow, Birch). There was even a river thrown in—Shenandoah. I'm not sure where Savannah came in—city or misspelled veldt.
I am so out of touch with today's culture.
Next year the registration can proceed without me. I'll be in front of the local hospital, picketing for new mothers to name their babies Robert or Barbara. Cathy is out—can be spelled with a K or a C, and I don't want to have to deal with that in five years!



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cherylad wrote on Sat Aug 17, 2013 9:22 pm:

I know how you feel Jane. At the newspaper, we do the birth announcements... and most of those names... oh my!who would do that to a kid? Imagine having to go through life always spelling or pronouncing your name for others?

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eileen wrote on Sat Aug 17, 2013 9:57 pm:

Oh boy am I glad I named my three Duncan, David and Laura!!
Don't our 'modern' parents realise that some of the names nowadays are going to be a real embarrassment to the children when they grow up. In saying that I once worked with a man who's name was Crawford Crawford - his parents certainly lacked imagination.

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Frank wrote on Sat Aug 17, 2013 10:28 pm:

I wholeheartedly agree MG!

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carolyn keiper wrote on Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:24 pm:

jane, this is so funny! I totally understand, but this isn't new...no way, I have an older neighbor who is retired now (and for quite some years, too) who's name is gunder gunderson. huh? I asked him if his mother thought that all up on her own (oops, sometimes I just forget to keep my mouth shut!)

We were downright old fashioned when naming our children. Seth, Kyle, Adrian and Caitlin. But everyone spells Adrian's as if he were a girl and caitlin's is often as caitlyn, kaitlyn, katelyn...etc.

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Netty wrote on Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:58 pm:

There sure are a lot of different names out there these days. I like names that are short and sweet ... my kids are Amy, Andy, and Ivy. All three were the first ones in their kindergarten class to learn to spell their names!!

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mart wrote on Sun Aug 18, 2013 2:20 am:

LOL !! I hate to read our local paper because they don`t put phonetic spelling beside the birth certificate spelling. And did you hear that the hottest name for a boy is Messiah ??

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Mrs. Galeassi wrote on Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:02 am:

I think we picked pretty normal names with the exception that Kaitlynns name is long and with a K. We have a Madison and a Chelsea also...... I taught kids over summer and there was some wild names for sure. I read an article about strange kid names and some of the celebrities childrens names topped the list. But the one ladys name was Pepsi Marijuana! Kid you not!! Imagine going through life and trying to be taken seriously with that name. Poor girl!

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