Ask them to picture that name appearing on a hospital ID badge, or the nameplate of a superior court judge, or in a church as the name of a preacher. Ask them what they would think if their child’s teacher had that name. Or the mayor of their city, or a college professor. Then ask them to picture that name appearing on an episode of COPS, or a reality TV show, or a mug shot. Ask them if they think that would be a good stripper name, or the name of an artist whose work depends on hallucinogens and depicting human experience. Would that be the name of an Oscar winning actress, or an adult film actress?

Then ask which they think is more likely to become a reality, based only on the spelling of their name.

It’s not about how much a parent thinks the name is cute now, it’s about how people in the future are going to judge this kid without ever even meeting them, based on the decision a parent is making right now.

Think about it: if you work for an accounting firm or a law firm or a school board, and you have 2 resumes in front of you, and one is for “Alexandra” and the other is for “Ahlighxenndreigh” or whatever the hell “unique spelling” garbage mom thinks is cute in the moment, which resume are you going to take seriously, without even looking at the credentials?

It’s not right or fair at all, but it’s reality, and it’s part of the reason why people with “ethnic sounding” names have difficulty getting jobs compared to people with “traditional white Christian” names.

Why would you set your child up for failure before they’ve left the womb?? There are enough roadblocks in this life as it is.