catinthefunnyhat wrote:<rant>Scooter lost me when he started complaining about "ghetto names." I have the most vanilla name possible -- no, wait, it's not even vanilla; vanilla is a flavour. My name hides in the phonebook like a needle in a needlestack. I think more people should be creative when naming their kids. If my whiter-than-vanilla name gives me an edge on a resume, that's only because the person doing the hiring is prejudiced. </rant>
This has actually been studied extensively.
It turns out that it is better to be remembered for who you are and not what you were named.
This especially applies to people you are just meeting, and even more as a child.
Remember a group of names referred to as "Two strippers and an old lady" ?
I have some very intelligent friends.
He is named John, she is Sherry.
After consideration, they named their kids Jane and Joe.
The same studies suggest that I should change my given name.
The made up name thing is epidemic here.
Teachers complain they can't pronounce or spell names.
It is possible to have a slightly unusual but recognizable name, but it's tough.
I have a friend that apparently has the only first and last name in the world like hers.
Hard to believe.
Particularly condemned is the practice of following the crowd when it comes to trendy names.
Actually worse practice.
How many 'Paris's does one kindergarten class need?
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/