Remember the reviewer that had a go at one of my books recently for the excessive use of silly names?

Well, I have now decided excessive use of silly names is merely art imitating life.

You see, Gwen Stafani and Gavin Rossdale just named their second son Zuma Nesta Rock. Clearly they expect him to have a future as an evil overlord's chief minion. But he won't be alone...

• John Mellencamp's daughter is Speck Wildhorse
• Penn Jillette's daughter is Moxie CrimeFighter. What do they call her at school? Mox? Crim?
• Jermaine Jackson's son is Jermajesty
• General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher called his son Peanut
• Shannyn Sossamon's son is named Audio Science
• Michael Jackson's son is named Blanket, although, to be fair, that's a nickname for Prince Michael II (as opposed to his brother Prince Michael 1) which is sooo much better.
• Jason Lee's poor son is called Pilot Inspektor
• Frank Zappa's kids are Dweezil, Ahmet and Moon Unit
• And Nicolas Cage's son is Kal-el

I think this is actually child abuse. Can't we stop them? Isn't there a law?

Actually, now I think about it, there might be a law against stupid names in some places. I believe Brazil enacted such a law a few years ago after some birdbrain tried to name his kids Paragraph and Full Stop.

And then, of course, there's the kid who recently won a court case to have her name changed from Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii...

Parents should be licensed, dontcha think?

Yes they should have a licensed. if they fail, manutory sielize...(ok today I cant spell...sorry getting sick from kiddos at preschool...)

especially some of these parents: http://www.notwithoutmyhandbag.com/babynames/12.html

Well I know there are rules which prevent you from calling your child anything ehm... rude or actual curse words. But other than that I guess it's pretty much whatever you want. Luckily names can be changed (at least, I hope that's true for most countries.)

With regard to whacky names in books - I just love them. They can aid atmoshere and evoke and/or accentuate alternative realities.

I've worked in industries that required me to see hundreds of names on a daily basis. The ones that worry me the most are the 'fad' or 'cult' names like Aragorn (LOTR) or Trinity (Matrix)...and one little girl whose parents called Indiana Jones. No, really. Then again, I had an octagenarian whose name was Daisy Garden.

There's a kid living here in Alice named Yoda:)

Now Now...my Uncles middle name is thorin and it fits (its probably not a bad thing that his first name is patrick rather than some other LOtR name). I give more credit to the people picking names from characters that resonated with them in books then things like Audio Science. There was a girl from my high school named Reality...it those names I truly worry for the kid given how many studies are out there about how a name shapes a person.

I too, used to worry about how a name may shape a person. A young relative of mind is call Jude Thadaeus. In fact, it sounds better if you run it together - Jude-Thadaeus. But ... 'What's in a name? That which is called a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. I think I can only accept the sage advice from Romeo & Juliet by a certain Mr W Shakespeare.

www.namenerds.com

They have a very, very, extremely long list of insane names parts have given their children.

I, personally, love unusual names but there is definitely a line between trying to distinguish your child by not giving them a common name, and as you said, abuse.