Names
Names, names, what's in a name? How much does a name really define us? How much of anyone's identity wraps itself up in their name? Or the labels they apply to themselves? How does changing the word change the person? It can if you let it, but it doesn't change the fundamental core of anyone. At least, I would think that it wouldn't. But I've never changed my name, so I wouldn't know.
Anyway, that wasn't my main thought.
Kermit is an actual name. Kermit Roosevelt (Jr) for example. It's Scottish, meaning son of Dhiarmaid (of various spellings). Kermit is an awesome name, but you can't name a child that - all anyone will ever think of is Kermit the Frog. Same with Adolf, but in a negative fashion - that name is ruined forever. Then you have names like Carol, initially a masculine name. Who would name a boy that now?
Like how most assassins are identified by their entire name. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Mark David Chapman. Because you know some unlucky person had the same first name/last name combination.
It's interesting to watch names grow and change. The Social Security Administration keeps track of names. In 1908, the most popular baby names were (in order)
Mary/John
Helen/William
Margaret/James
Ruth/George
Anna/Robert
In 2007 it was:
Emily/Jacob
Isabella/Michael
Emma/Ethan
Ava/Joshua
Madison/Daniel
Not a single repeat. And Mary was the most popular girls name for almost 50 years.
Nowadays is seems like people are all about being individuals - can't have the same name as somebody else! So people make up names. Weird.
Anyway, that wasn't my main thought.
Kermit is an actual name. Kermit Roosevelt (Jr) for example. It's Scottish, meaning son of Dhiarmaid (of various spellings). Kermit is an awesome name, but you can't name a child that - all anyone will ever think of is Kermit the Frog. Same with Adolf, but in a negative fashion - that name is ruined forever. Then you have names like Carol, initially a masculine name. Who would name a boy that now?
Like how most assassins are identified by their entire name. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Mark David Chapman. Because you know some unlucky person had the same first name/last name combination.
It's interesting to watch names grow and change. The Social Security Administration keeps track of names. In 1908, the most popular baby names were (in order)
Mary/John
Helen/William
Margaret/James
Ruth/George
Anna/Robert
In 2007 it was:
Emily/Jacob
Isabella/Michael
Emma/Ethan
Ava/Joshua
Madison/Daniel
Not a single repeat. And Mary was the most popular girls name for almost 50 years.
Nowadays is seems like people are all about being individuals - can't have the same name as somebody else! So people make up names. Weird.