What’s in a Name?
I’m getting sick of researchers.
I read this article the other day about how people are giving their babies more unusual names. I’d agree with that seeing as my wife and I have chosen to go with “unusual” baby names and several other parents we know have done the same. Because I noticed that, I guess I should get a lab coat and call myself a researcher.
Now comes the inserting of opinion into an otherwise unimportant story to make it sensational. All the researchers really found is unusual baby names are on the rise. Since that’s not exciting enough, the researcher here suggest that it’s a sign that we are becoming more narcissistic.
What’s the evidence? Oh, you don’t have any. Weird, so I suppose you shouldn’t insert opinion into research then?
My wife and I both have two of the most common names ourselves and we (I sort of pushed for it, but she agreed) wanted to give our kids names that did stand out. It’s not out of narcissism like this article suggests though. It’s because I know how much I hate hearing someone saying “Josh! Josh!” and I turn around only to see it’s some mother calling her child. When you have a top five name, it happens all the time.
Knowing when people are talking to you and an inflated ego are two different things.
Now I’d like to address the researcher here, Twenge. What a weird name, “Twenge”.
I know that you chose a boring thing to research, who’s fault is that? Do you have to take your boring topic and spin it? Is that just what you’re taught in school?
Remember, no one cares about the results of a boring study. So go with an attention grabber like, “Researchers suggest trimming toenails too short means you’re an asshole!” That gets you grant money.
In the article, Twenge says, “There’s been this cultural shift toward focusing on the individual, toward standing out and being unique as opposed to fitting in with the group and following the rules.”
Cultural shift? I think I remember “just one person can make a difference” type stuff all of my life. In fact, the power and importance of the individual is one of the principles this country was founded on. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit.
Standing out is what made Jeff Bezos start Amazon. Believing you can be unique is why Brad Pitt is an actor. Not being a part of the collective is why Chuck Liddell can be wealthy from punching people in the face.
Believing that you can be special and you can make your own path used to be seen as a good quality, not narcissism.
“It remains to be seen whether having a unique name necessarily leads to narcissism later in life,” Twenge said. “If that unique name is part of a parent’s overall philosophy that their child is special and needs to stand out and that fitting in is a bad thing, then that could lead to those personality traits.”
I’m guessing, and this is just me using my brain, which is something that is foreign to researchers, that it’s the parenting of these kids that leads to any narcissistic tendencies. Perhaps the parent who gives their little on an odd name are also the kind of parent who’ll make parenting decisions that can lead to a bad attitude or narcissism.
It’s not that the kid is named Flipflop that is the problem. It’s the parent that asks the teachers:
Why are you failing Flipflop.
Because he is lazy and doesn’t turn in his assignments.
Nuh-uh, not my Flipflop.
Maybe if you helped him with his homework…
Oh no you do not tell me how to raise my child!
Of course, it’s possible I’m being defensive about the choices in naming my children. ‘Cause you do not tell me how to raise my child. No you do not. *snap-snap-head sway*
