Should the US require baby names to be approved or chosen from a list like other countries do?

[Trixie]

It wouldn't have to be strict, but idiocy like Hashtag and Nevaeh could be eliminated. IMO the name should be required to have a real meaning in at least one real language AND be a name that is traditionally given to humans.
Germany is a democratic country and they regulate baby names. I think the child deserves to have their rights protected here, since they have to live with the name. Even if you legally change your name, the one your parents gave you is still on your birth certificate and you have to provide it for certain documents. You will never be able to shake your birth name completely.

[LadyCatherine]

I like Nevaeh.. but the one actor that named his child Pilot inspector is on drugs..

[happyairplane995]

No--the last thing we need is the government intruding further into our lives. I'm a teacher and I've had lots of girls named Unique (funny story--that name is more common that the word implies), Ocean, Whisper and plenty of names with apostrophes, dashes and randomly capitalized letters--but giving the government the power to dictate what we can and will be named is too much.

[Sarcasticbike889]

No, we have a law that says you can't name a child a name that would be abusive or emotionally degrading (like "little f*cker" or something vulgar), but beyond that it's up to the parents to be smart for their children. Sure, it would be nice if people didn't give their kids dumb names, but forcing everyone to be traditional and taking away the right to make choices for your own family is not the way to go. Besides, who decides what's "dumb" or "cruel"? I know people who think names like Penelope or Judicael are awful and a teasing hazard, but they're legitimate names that have been passed down in my family for generations. What if things got even stricter and the next thing you know you can't even name your kid things like Blaer (a legitimate name a girl in Iceland goes by but can't legally have because of the naming laws).

[Leila.]

Well, I agree with you on the fact that those names are idiotic and awful to give a child. I wish they could just be eliminated. However, it's only good in theory. You couldn't actually put something like that into practice in a democratic country; it's far too invasive, unfortunately. It would never be allowed to go through, as much as I would like something like that.

[ainawgsd]

No. The government can't keep spending under control as it is, they don't need the extra expense of policing a policy that hasn't been necessary in the last 237 years. It wouldn't exactly be free to cross reference every name that someone wants to use to ensure that it is a "real" name.

For example, if I have a daughter I plan to name her Zella. Zella is a REAL name that was used over a century ago by someone else in my family. However, in all my research I have only seen it mentioned twice and there is no consensus on the meaning. It can also be argued that it isn't "traditionally" given to humans since it has never been an overwhelmingly popular name even at the height of it's popularity. I guarantee that 95% or more of people I mention this name to think I made it up by slapping a Z on the name Ella. With the idea that you are suggesting, I would most likely not be able to use this name, or else have to go through an annoying at best process to prove that it is in fact a real name.

Not to mention that a name traditionally given to humans with a real meaning and historical uses can cause just as many problems as a "made up" name. For example, I dare anyone to successfully argue that naming a little boy Gaylord won't make him the target of severe bullying due to his name. Under what you are suggesting, names that are socially accepted like Nevaeh (I agree it's not a good name, but that doesn't give me the right to tell someone else that they can't use it if they genuinely like it) would not be allowed but a child could be named Gaylord and have the tar teased out of him.

We don't need more government involvement in this country. Unless they are doing something that interferes with someone else's rights, citizens should be able to live their lives without the government telling them what they can and can not do. I'll move to another country before I let some bigwig in Washington tell me that I have to prove my child's name is a "real" name.

[Lose Yourself]

Haha I live in Germany
Just wow, people have turned this into a political debate. Anyways to answer the topic, I think they should. I'm sorry, but some Americans give their children really stupid names. Over here, you would get a "ya f*cking idiot" look if you did that here in Germany. I'm not sure whats up w/ some Americans, I'm starting to think they don't think some things through. Names such as Hashtag, Apple, Neveah, Mercedes, and terribly masculine names on girls (Peyton, Drew, Emerson, etc) is just getting insane. Lets say your child gets in the legal profession, I for one would not even consider using them because of their name. Those names lacks maturity and intelligence on the parents' part, and the apple usually does not fall far from the tree so I would be afraid I'm hiring an idiot. People actually have to live w/ the name so anyone opposing this should bear in mind it would be in the best interest of the CHILD. They arent puppies or dogs, but people name them like they are which is pathetic. The government wouldn't be "invading your life" that is an idiotic thing to say. How is it invading your life, invading your life is something like the US government already does. They have probes who could shoot you down dead.

[SoBox]

No, I do not. However, I really wish some parents would use better judgment when naming their children. Having an oddball name will not make a child "spayshel" or "yewneek." It will, however, be a burden for the poor child and set him or her up for ridicule. IPod Hotdogface and Luckycharms Crapnugget may be oh - so - cool to the parents in line at the dole office, but can you imagine putting such a name on a university application or CV?
By the way, the problem is certainly not unique to parents in America. Read:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3070647/.html
I like social networking sites as much as the next person, but one Egyptian couple went a bit overboard: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/21...25934.html
Meanwhile, in Germany:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28...16406.html