What's in a Name ?

I love nothing more than chatting about the names people give their children, you can be a total stranger and have just met me in a park and i'll be your best friend.

If you are pregnant and a stranger I will attempt to ask you if you have got any names for your baby yet?

When I was pregnant with my first child , I would want to chat for hours to my husband about potential names. He would last about five minutes and then refuse to participate, what it is with Men?

I have even thought about having more children, just so I can name them, however that is not an option as I don't actually want any more children, so I have resorted to Name spotting other people's children.

Here are just a few categories for names: Please note Girls names listed only

The classic names

Sarah, Kate, Elizabeth, Sophie-you get the idea

The old Fashioned names

Florence, Clementine, Henrietta, Evangeline etc

The Untouchables

Maud, Mildred,Gladys,Marjorie, Hilda

Place Names

Paris, Adelaide, Bronte, India

I have actually named one of these after my daughter and whilst I absolutely adore the name, there will be questions later , such as ' why am I named after a 3rd world country' be prepared

with answers

Weird Made up Names-Celebrities are the best at this, I figured if they ruin their child's life because of their name at least they can fork out the cash for therapy and keep them sheltered from the world.

I am feeling particulary sorry for Apple Paltrow-Martin , but here's another thought , Thinking Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, and according to Juliet ' a name is an artifcial meaningless Convention ' It is the person that you love or like , not their name and maybe that is true . So at School when the other kids first meet Apple and get to know her they will no longer think of a big Green shiny Apple, she will be loved for herself. It will just be tricky for inital meetings , name on her resume, booking restaurants etc when she is older.

This theory could work, when I was younger there was this really hot, drop dead georgeous boy at school called Rupert, but his name did bother me as I just could not get Rupert the Bear out of my head. I never got the chance to get to know him, maybe if I'd had the chance for a pash the name might not have been so bad.

So why do we agonise over naming our children? I believe we want to set them on the right path in life, however it might be your path and not theirs you are dreaming about.

I have a friend who insisted on calling her daughter a proper sensible name, in case she ends up being a CEO and has to front up in the Boardroom , not a bad idea. Then there is my tax accountant who has been named after an 1970's Avon perfume, she is not a happy camper and when I enquired further about her name she also mentioned that it actually has a meaning in Gallic which is 'heavy Burden' and it is a burden she has to live with, as I am sure she gets asked about it at least every few days.

Don't forget we have to think about the surname too, does it match with the first name, there are some names that just don't go.

I have a cousin who married a nice man with a surname Bogg, yes, I am not kidding. I am sure he did not advertise his surname on their first date, and then they fell in love . She has two children who are both Boggs, but refused to enter into Boggness herself.

So what is it to be? I am currently liking Ava for a girl and Oscar for a boy, and they will be my next imaginary children.