Warning: Mom blogger named Maricel who loves Harry Potter and thinks her kids have the most amazing names in the world is writing the content below, thereby, the probability of biased judgment. Now that you’ve been forewarned, read at your own risk.
Pardon my attempt at self-righteousness, but really, I just can’t keep myself from reacting. To what, you might ask. Well, to that photo roaming around Facebook walls showcasing the school identification card of a kid who had been given the name “Lord Voldemort.”
Image courtesy of thephotoholic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Bogus or not is irrelevant to the message I’m trying to communicate. And just because he so happened to have that name, he is slowly gaining a reputation, a reputation I probably would want no child of mine to possess at such a tender age.
What are they thinking?
Really, unless this child is psychologically mature enough, emotionally anchored beyond his years, he might never understand that people are just trying to have a little fun. At his name’s expense, unfortunately.
For the record, the photo had been posted at 9gag.com and had been liked, commented upon and made fun of numerous times.
Name-giving is a parental privilege, something a lot of parents relish with gusto, most of them taking all the time they need to come up with a name they think would best fit their child.
And that fundamentally is the reason for the publication of thousands and thousands of baby name books.
In my opinion – my humble, unasked-for opinion – name-giving should not be treated with indifference because, whether one likes it or not, a name is still a name. And whether a parent knows it or not, the name he gives to a child reflects the kind of person he is.
A name is just a name?
While a name does not in any way encompass the totality of a human being, according to Dr. Martin Ford, a psychologist and Senior Associate Dean at the George Mason University in Virginia:
“This doesn’t mean that a name would never have any effect on a child’s development. But it does suggest that the probability of a positive effect is as large as that of a negative effect.”
I admit I can’t ever comprehend what the name-giver was thinking when he/she bestowed the name “Lord Voldemort” on this child, but I honest-to-goodness hope this kid, whoever he is, the moment he finds out the fame (or is it?) he inadvertently found for himself because of his name, would turn the tables and push everything to his advantage.
A name may just a name, but once the “real” person behind the name shows the world who he really is, even the worst of stereotypes can be transcended.
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Good take Maricel..it’s really hard to pick a name but IMO, as long as it sound nice, I think all will be well 😀
Hey, Herbert, thanks for the thought. I agree, and let me add, as long as the name does not have a negative connotation, all will be well.
The Name will be the life long brand of a person. I think I read an article that names contributes to a child development. Kalimut ko lang kung saan.
Eymard, that, too, is a good way to look at a person’s name. Thanks for visiting.
I have a cousin who gave his daughter a name of a character from his favorite Sega Dreamcast game and the child is still gaining fame from her school because of her unique name.
Henry, if it’s fame she appreciates, good for her!