Be smart when naming your kids

Growing up, I used to bemoan the plight facing children with unique or uncommon names. I'm not talking about the typical social ostracizing that occurred during school - I was more worried about how they would fare in the business world when submitting a resume, calling in clients, or networking with other professionals. What were their parents thinking naming them that? Surely, these kids with "weird" names were forever doomed to low-level jobs and meager pay. In my mind, if you didn't have a proper Anglo-Saxon name bestowed upon you at birth, you had little chance of having a corner office as an adulthood. I even felt this was true for myself - though I have gone by "Andy" my entire life, I assumed that at some point I'd have to embrace my formal full first name, Andrew, in order to succeed.

I realize that my I was wrong...mostly. In our increasingly close-knit global community, name diversity has flourished as parents seek to give their children a name that expresses individuality over conformity. A name is not just a name - it's a brand.

People using their personal names as their business persona is nothing new. Drive through any small town and you'll likely see Tom's Hardware, Peggy's Diner, Bill's General Store. Echoes of those same naming archetypes are perhaps most evident in today's design industry - jewelry, clothing, fragrances, furniture, photography, fine art, etc.

Names are no longer just personal identifiers, they are our individual brands. Children today have their brand advertised across the Internet from birth, creating their own brand image with each photo, status update, and tweet. Having a unique name is no longer a hindrance, but an asset. With each child born, the likelihood of being able to purchase a truly personal domain (i.e. www.yourname.com) diminishes.

So, parents, go ahead and name your kid something unique. You have my blessing. But don't just settle for "Arizona" - make it stand out from the crowd...try "Aryzona," perhaps? Give your child that extra leg up and check out available domains, Google Accounts, and Twitter user names first.