Petition to Establish a Baby-Name Approval Committee

I just discovered an old church bulletin folded up in my desk drawer. These usually find their way to trash, but this one was worth keeping because of the notes I wrote on the back of it. Although I've been known to jot down key sermon phrases and insights of my own, this particular Sunday I was completely distracted by all the crazy names I found in the hymnal. (I know, slap my hand for not paying attention. It happens.) There were some real gems in there, and I spent nearly the whole service writing them down so I could share them with others. Here are just a few of the first names of people who contributed to the hymns in that book: Ethelbert, Horatius, Adoniram, Baynard, Judson, Elvina, Almeda, Folliott, Rigdon, and Sylvanus.

Recently my sister showed me a page from the newspaper with the names of all the babies born in the local hospital in 2007. It seems that unusual names are not just a thing of the past, but they're here to stay. Some of my favorites from the 2007 baby names were: Paradise, Dreamy, Fabiola, Fabian, Seraphina, Jericho, Tennessee, Gozlyn, and Heydy.

If any of these names belong to you or a relative, please do not take offense. Parents have the privilege of choosing any name for their baby, and I have some respect for people who stick to a name they like even after negative feedback from family and friends. Anyways, I named my pets oddly (Suki and Avee) so I might be the one someday who wants to name a child Ethelbert. But if that happens, please ambush me with an intervention for the sake of the child.

And I really hope that this "Dreamy" kid is a girl.