Choosing A Name

Like teachers, I have a lot of contact with people and therefore with names. I feel that for the most part parents have the right to name their kids anything they choose. We choose our children's religion, eating habits, entertainment and clothing. All of these things can be rejected once the kid grows up and can choose for themselves. They can't change their name, though, not without going through a lot of red tape. Seems to me this decision ought to be made responsibly, kindly.

We have a patient with the first name VA-Gina. She goes by Gina of course. WTF? What kind of seriously twisted parents does she have?

On a less serious note we also have a patient with the last name Trench-Gak. Now that's just plain funny to me. "Gak" is the perfect onomatopoeia for a cat bringing up a fur ball. And a trench is another word for ditch, so of course every time I hear her name I have this visual image of a cat throwing up a fur ball in a ditch. When Mr. Gak and Miss Trench got married they should have just picked another random last name, don't you think?

Not really a blog worthy topic but I had to get it off my chest, especially that first one.