C RE A TI V E from the CR I B

story by francesca stamati

NIGHTINGAL E, ISLAND, YODA , Michaelangelo. Oh and Coyote. I have a list of baby names in my notes app. They’re ideas I’ve been curating since elementary school, and those knockouts crown the page. I read it to friends. And guess what? People laugh . They think I’m joking. I’m not.

But I’ll suffer the smirks and snickers if it means inspiring at least one future parent. My mission? Spice up roll call 20 years down the road. That and identity development.

After all, penning uncommon names on birth certificates can promote individuality and selfexpression in kids. Let’s get over judging parents’ choices and consider adding a few offbeat names to our own list of ideas.

Celebrities do it. Patrick Mahomes’ most impressive feat isn’t two rings, but the names of his son and daughter, Sterling and Bronze. Gweneth Paltrow thought Apple and Moses fit her babies best. Kylie Jenner’s strokes of genius were Stormi and Aire — she was clearly annoyed after sharing the letter “K” with her five sisters and mom.

“He’s ruining the baby’s life.” (speaking from experience? @johnsmith29).

What if the parents are just bored? They have reason to be. Rather than knitting baby blankets for Olivia or Liam, some expecting couples prefer names that startle people.

Some may call it cruelty — I call it having a little fun. People take life too seriously, flipping through pages of baby name books and chewing their nails over potential bad nicknames that might haunt their child. Only to bless that chubby cherub face with “Bob.”

PEOPLE TAKE LIFE too seriously, fipping through pages of baby name books and chewing their nails over potential bad nicknames that might haunt their child. Only to bless that chubby cherub face with “Bob.”

Maybe choosing a basic name will make it easier to buy a keychain or tasseled bracelet with your baby’s name on it at the zoo gift shop. But the cost is devastating. Common names can be cursed — Chad, Becky, Karen. When a generation gets into a frenzy and treats names like trends, these words gain notoriety and combust. Chad over there? No thoughts behind those eyes, just surfing and vibes. Becky? Blondie can’t spell to save her life. Karen? Customer service agents pray her lethal bob doesn’t spawn at their 9-5.

Wildly, most don’t applaud these masterpieces like I do. Under every influencer’s Instagram post announcing their newborn’s unique name are comments mocking the parents’ choices.

“You can’t name your child that.” (OK @tom.smith).

“Does she want her kid bullied in school?” (thanks @rob_smith).

It gets sadder. Their poor parents have good intentions — enough to fill a baby shower conversation about their big plans for little Rob. Maybe he won’t get bullied for his name. But by scrambling to protect their child from a life of harassment, they’re really picking a personalitystencil: style, humor, hobbies, hair dye.

Instead, they should choose respectable names like Fleming or Sunbeam. Punchy, mysterious and vague enough to have zero associations when people meet the lucky owner, these names set babies up to be one-of-a-kind rockstars, astronauts, pediatricians or teachers — whatever their fetal heart desires.

If the celebrity endorsements didn’t convince you, the facts will. Rare names are associated with pursuing unusual career paths, like a film director or judge, according to a study by the Beijing Institute of Psychology. Research by Arizona State University found that having a unique name correlates to creativity and open mindedness. Sorry to say it, but little Sam probably isn’t going to ace his AP Art project like his classmate, Jupiter.

And don’t think family names get a pass. What’s captivating about a third Amy? Or Jeff Jr .? I’d rather dip fondue with Sarsaparilla the First — the real deal — over her clone. Coining an eccentric name opens doors and allows kids to define themselves freely.

In fact, it’s our responsibility to push acceptance of uncommon names. In diversity-weak communities like ours, we see yearbook pages stuffed with the same white, Christian names that have been inked in the Bible for thousands of years.

So we grow up. Start families. Search for something special to fit our beloved bundles. Maybe we’re drawn to something like Khaleesi or Anakin, but we settle for Mark because that’s what everyone else does. If you’re sick of the same-old, opt for something that’ll give your kid a little room for self-definition and built-in character growth.

After all, wouldn’t you rather see your kid’s name on the silver screen or a Fortune 500 company than a gift shop fridge magnet?

Callings

Students with unique names explain how it has affected their lives

I LIKE MY name. It’s not rare, but it’s also not a name you hear a lot. According to my parents, my dad insisted that I had the same initials as him, so he had to fnd a good name that started with the letter D because his name is David, and apparently one day they came across the water bottle, and he decided that was the name for me.

SOME PEOPLE CALL me Summer Moon. My sister was initially supposed to be named Autumn, but she was born early August and they didn’t want to name her Autumn. So when I was born in October, they thought it would be the perfect name.

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YOU’RE SO FUN TO BE AROUND OPINION 10 THE HARBINGER

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I quickly dodged the mortifying conversation with an awkward laugh and a quick topic change, but it stuck with me for the rest of the day. Am I really getting skinnier? It’s a compliment, right? Doesn’t everyone want to be complimented on a thinner physique? That must be good. Maybe I should stay skinny.

And so the mental spiral began.

My well-meaning co-worker didn’t know I’d been overcoming eating issues for a year. She didn’t know “getting skinnier” was what I was trying to do the exact opposite of. And she didn’t know I’d replay that comment for the rest of the week when I woke up to look in the mirror or went for a snack.

But she couldn’t have known. And that’s the point — when you comment on someone’s appearance, you have no idea what nerve you’ll strike, or what they deal with in private. Take the safe and far more meaningful route: strive for compliments that go beyond surface-level looks.

Appearance-focused compliments come with an unspoken pressure to maintain that

OU JUST GET skinnier every time I see you! What’s your secret?”appreciated look. Say you get a compliment on your hair one day, and don’t the next. Queue the flood of overthinking: Does my hair look worse today? Why didn’t they say anything this time? Something’s wrong. When it comes to something like weight loss or gain, a quick remark may contribute to an unhealthy obsession.

In fact, a 2009 study by Psychology of Women Quarterly found that women who responded positively to receiving compliments on their appearance also reported increased body self-consciousness and overall appearance dissatisfaction as a result.

Our appearance hinges on many factors out of our control, unlike our personality traits. Maybe you’ll have a bad hair day or a morning without time for your 10-step makeup routine. It’s all temporary anyway. But qualities like a quirky sense of humor or giving thoughtful advice are more permanent than any physical trait can be — let’s uplift those instead.

Think about it: when was the last time someone complimented your physical appearance or something you were wearing? Probably recently. And sure, maybe it gave

CLAIRE SCHUDY

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[ABI LIMBARD] was like “Claire, your smile is contagious,“ cause she was editing our Hauberk applicaiton video... and she told me that and I was really fattered by it you a boost of confidence in the moment, but when was the last time you got a compliment about your bravery, creativity or passion? That one may be harder to recall.

It seems that people — myself included — rarely point out positive personality traits. Appearance is an easy go-to, and often superficial, but we have to search deeper. So instead of commenting on someone’s body or how much better their hair looks straightened than natural, channel that desire to compliment who they actually are, not what they look like.

BY COMPLIMENTING

the contagiousness of someone’s laugh, for example, you’re

Considering compliments result in an instant boost of dopamine and serotonin for both the giver and receiver, it makes sense that it would result in a sense of positive reinforcement. By complimenting the contagiousness of someone’s laugh, for example, you’re simply encouraging them to continue expressing their laughter and happiness.

I’m right in line with everyone who loves getting compliments on a carefully-selected outfit or fresh set of nails. And it’s certainly true that receiving any compliment is better than none at all. But if we’re consistently complimented on appearance alone, we may begin to form a subconscious idea that we’re something to simply be evaluated, rather than a person with qualities that go beyond just how we look on a given day. Traits like genuinity and honesty aren’t quantifiably comparable to anyone else, like the length of each other’s eyelashes could be.

So this isn’t to say stop giving compliments altogether — any compliment is key to building confidence and making those around you feel valued. If someone looks amazing in their new favorite top, tell them. But also think of how you can focus on the character of friends and strangers and what makes them unique as people, not the definition of their abs or the fun color of their leggings.

NORA HILL

TEACHER

BRETT KRAMER JUNIOR

“YOU’RE A LIGHT IN MY LIFE“

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