Though... the social pariah beast will always exist.

I expect no matter what name the child is given... someone will find a way to make fun.

You're absolutely right -- a name is just a shortcut. I just like to get a feel for what the "low-hanging fruit" is gonna look like. I mean, you have to wonder what the parents of Dick Boyles were thinking. (He owns a car dealership here in Bremerton.) Also I'm sort of sensitized to the process since in the Submarine Service there is a long tradition of giving newbies an appropriately "fine sounding name". (We usually did this *before* we set their clothes on fire) The one I liked the best that I was given was "Gildo". Just kinda makes you proud to be a Submariner... ;-)

"Kids found plenty of other ways to make fun of me though. A name is just a shortcut."

Yeah... People never made fun of me about my name, so I don't speak from experience here. But I've always been under the impression by the way people talk about it that name-ridicule has a special staying power that eventually develops into quite the sore spot.

'Sides... no need to make it easy for the little bastards!

Why is it that the world never remembered the name of Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm?