A cautionary name tale...

[Clary]

I met some people today with small children (hope she isn't a MN-er) and wanted to share this cautionary tale.

Greeted oldest child - what's yr name? I'm Alex, he says. Very nice.

What's yr sister called?
Mum: Oh, this is Minka.

Me: Eh? Sorry what did you say her name was?

Mum: Minka.

Me: Oh that's nice, how unusual, errm what a pretty skirt!

It was Minka, I checked later, not Minca or Mincker or Mincer or Minger. {sorry}

But really, I just wanted to say that that is that child's destiny for the rest of her life, to repeat her name to everyone she tells it to.

So when you name your lovely baby, pick something less commonly used if you want (yes I did) but please pick something that people actually recognise as a name!

"ds has a four-letter Welsh name that is common as a surname in England but STILL sometimes people get confused. Unless you call your child Kate, Rebecca, Peter or Sam, there is no guarantee that people will understand straight off.

Actually if you called children Peter or Jane these days they would really stand out - definitely be the only ones in their class."

My new ds (10 days) is called Samuel Peter Paul. I don't care at all that these are all "normal" names - or biblical names that have stood the test of time! They are all names that mean something to us personally and I also think they scan nicely in that order.