 What
positives and negatives come to mind? My mother wanted me to be named Ellen,
but my Dad really didn't like the name because he associated it with a
teacher who had made his life miserable. Consequently, I became Nancy Ellen.
On the other hand, there are certainly parents who choose to name their
child after the teacher who made the biggest impact in his/her life.
Are you named after....? Over the years, Hollywood, the music business and
popular culture have become increasingly influential in naming babies.
Consider Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Dustin Hoffman, Cher, Madonna,
Chelsea Clinton, Shania Twain, Princess Diana. Personally, this doesn't
hold much interest for me, but for some it does. Just remember that if you
choose a name associated with a famous person, you and your child have to
live with the history and sometimes the baggage that goes with it.
While new given names are constantly being used,
traditional names rarely
disappear entirely. Elizabeth, Michael, David, Katherine, Mary and William
are all great traditional names that have endured for thousands of years.
There's a certain beauty in these choices. |
