What did you name your kid?

My name is Laylan, and I have always gotten compliments on my unique- and original- name. My name stems from the Eric Clapton song "Layla", but my parents thought that lots of people would name their kid Layla, so they added an "n" to the end and it has a very pleasant, roll of the tongue sort of sound to it. My father got to name me, and he has always expressed that because he had a generic, overused name, (David), that he wanted me to be different. My middle name is a family name. Alas, Laylan Leola was born.

We live in a society that encourages individuality, so it is no wonder that so many parents want their child to stand out- but why would you want to give your child a name that no one can pronounce? I once met a woman named Shawntreneisha. Her name did not fit on her social security card. it just said Shawntrene. What a poor child to have to spell that name as a kindergartner!

Celebrities have always named their children crazy names, partially because they are attention whores. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon had twins and named them Moroccan & Monroe. Moroccan. As in, the nationality. As in, "This is my child, Swedish. This is my child Canadian." You can read more about wacky names here:  Celebrity Baby Names

Also, sometimes when you name your child a name that you think is unique, many other people think it's unique too. Which is where this list came from: Most Hated Baby Names. Names like Jayden, Brayden, Peyton, any Mc name- McKenna, Mackenzie, etc. apparently make people "bristle" when they hear them.

All of this being said, you can name your child whatever you want- but don't go overboard and sling a bunch of consonants together and call it "a name". I really feel that a child's character starts with the name that they are given. I really feel that people with solid names, with names that come from deep thought and meaning, help shape the person your child becomes. Would I have grown up to be outspoken and quirky with a name like Jessica? Probably not, because I learned from a very young age to explain my name. It helped me come out of my shell, and it's always an icebreaker. On the other hand, it's not too complex and people rarely pronounce it wrong (other than Adam's grandfather, who insists my name is Leland)

Give your child a name with purpose- something with meaning-  a name that he or she can be proud of.