When did we get so obsessed with unique baby names?

[3catwoman3]

4. During a 45 yr career in pediatrics, I saw...

…many names that caused me to roll my eyes (before owing in the exam room, of course) and to want to ask the parents, “Why did you DO that to your child?”

Some of the motivation often seemed like parental ego trips - “Look how clever/unique/imaginative I am!” If a child is saddled with a name that is bizarrely spelled and or pronounced, that child will spend their entire life having to explain it to people.

I think that is mean.

One of the dumbest ones I have seen is parents who named their kids after the sports channel ESPN - pronouncing it Espin. A little girl was named ESPN Ann.

A high school classmate has been married twice. Both husbands were named John. She had. Son with each, and both sons were also named John. If that had been me, husband number 2 would have had to get over himself.