You are naming your child what?

So recently I have been casually looking at baby names again and I have to admit I am appalled at what people are naming their children these days. Do they not realize that the child has to live with that name? My goodness, if I was named something I couldn't pronounce I would quickly change my name the moment I turned 18.

I guess I am one for more traditional names, which are becoming more and more uncommon. I do like some of the more 'modern' sounding names as well, but as long as they are mostly normal. Here are some reasons for rethinking the name of your child:

1. Your child has to live with it for a very long time.
2. Other people writing down the child's name will have trouble spelling it, especially if it is one of 4 new and unique ways of spelling that particular name.
3. The child will have to repeat himself when asked what his name is.
4. Can you picture yourself yelling that name in a crowded public place?
5. Your child has to learn how to spell it. Adding random letters and symbols to a name are going to hurt the child when it comes to learning how to sound words out. (Ex. $ instead of an 'S')
6. Their teachers have to learn how to pronounce it. If I were a teacher these days I would go insane looking at the student list. I bet I wouldn't know how to pronounce at least 1/3rd of the names.
7. Teachers will have a  more difficult time remembering your child's unusual name. Not only teachers, but anyone who meets your child will not remember the child's name.
8. When your child becomes an adult they have to put that name on a resume. Who wants to hire someone with a strange name that sounds unprofessional?
9. Other children and adults might make fun of the child. Well, actually I wouldn't personally make fun of the child, I would actually question the intelligence of the parent.

That was a short list, but I am sure there are more reasons. What names do I like? I like strong names. I like a name that the child could be proud of having. I like names with meaning to them, but are also normal like Sarah, Katie, Samuel, Elizabeth, Aaron, and Chris. I also prefer using full names (with a few exceptions). You won't hear me calling my husband 'Dan' or 'Danny' but you will hear me call him Daniel.

Anyways...these are just my thoughts and I know I don't have many examples for odd and unusual names, but I do invite you to enter a baby name website or just visit Utah. If you do this you will quickly see what I mean.