Don't Hate on the Name

Admit it. When you heard that Kayne and Kim named their daughter North you thought, “North. Kind of cute.” Then you thought, “North West. Really?!”

I did, and I have vowed to NEVER question people’s baby names. Ever. Why, you ask? Let me tell you.

I have two boys named Harlan (Did you say Harley, like Davidson? Is it Harland, like rhymes with Garland) and Taylor (That’s a girl’s name.) I also have a nephew named Jhett, one named Jace, one named Byson and one named Slade. I also have two other nephews and a niece whose names are a little more mainstream – Aidan, Brady and Ava. They can all read so I wanted to mention them too because I also adore them and I don’t want them feel left out! 

My point is, I happen to love these off-the-beaten-path names, and love those five boys to death, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that each named spurred a spirited conversation … or 50.

One such conversation almost ended in bloodshed. (Tip – don’t say something insensitive to a woman who is seven months pregnant on Thanksgiving when you’ve had two martinis and she hasn’t eaten.)

The lesson my extended family learned from all of these conversations – especially from the Thanksgiving Day near-massacre – is first, keep your freaking mouth shut. And second, a name is just a name. Kids define themselves in a million other ways. True, their name may be fodder for some teasing, but that will happen no matter what your name is. I would give you a great example from my husband – very innocuously named Jim Owens – but it was teenage boys who made up the name, so probably not appropriate for this venue.

So, name your kid Bob or name your kid Seven – he or she will be remembered more by what they do than by what they answer to!