I just want to point out (in case it hasn’t been already, I only skimmed), that gage is an acceptable alternative spelling for gauge. Specifically when referring to precise measuring equipment as in plug and pin gages (go / no-go), depth gages, thread gages, etc.
Who promoted Major Major Major?
And to think, I was worried about naming my (now-8-year-old) daughter “Alana!” Kotex? Shemal? Are you kidding me? (Sadly, I know you’re not kidding.)
Am I the only mom who knows about the “try out your daughter’s name by imagining her intro as a stripper vs. as the president of the USA” game? If it sounds more like a stripper, try again, right?
I know some-one who named their kid Beejay.
I should point out that I attended school with a kid named Evan Evans.
Trendy or stupid names is one thing, but c’mon. Evan Evans? At least think of a name, for God’s sake.
:coffee spewed with a hearty guffaw:
Or should that be “Kofe”?
I heard of a child named Name. Apparently the mother was so stupid she misunderstood the form.
They eventually pronounced it Na-mey.
We used to drive past this guy’s office, Dr. Docter. Orthopedic surgeon.
There are an awful lot of Nils Nilssons and Lars Larssons in Sweden.
Where? That just seems bizarre to me. I went to a university known for its engineering programs, was a writing tutor there and took physics classes, etc. Every single prof would insist you spelled it “gauge”.
Deepender is a Sikh name, people. “Deep” means “flame” and “ender” is really “Inder”, which is the god of heaven. So really it means “Flame of Inder” or “Flame of God”.
My father’s name is Inder.
I wonder if any of the Neveahs have siblings named Lleh?
My wife just switched her primary care physican to Doctor Proctor. And our chiropractor is Dr. Payne.
Wait, is the exclamation point part of her name? 
I when to school with a **guy **named Shannon Quincannon.
Oh! So that’s why the Hindu festival of lights is called Deepavali.
Speaking of Hindi names, I have heard that a common name in India is pronounced “Shih-thayd”. Unfortunately, it’s often spelled “Shithead”. Not a problem back home, of course, but when your parent is an Indian expatriate who isn’t familiar with Amrican colloquialisms…
I’ve heard conflicting reports about whether this is a real phenomenon or not. Any Hindi-speaking Dopers care to weigh in?
Whenever I see a thread like this, I think about all the successful people I’ve known, either in my personal life or in the world at large, who have a unique name. I can come up with dozens.
And then I think – if someone had mentioned that name as a possible baby name, and I had never heard that name before, what would I think? Many of them sound a little strange, but not completely crazy.
So that’s my criteria when I come across lists such as in these threads. I may not give my own child a name like some of these, but it’s got to have something more than uniqueness to make it stupid. Maybe an unfortunate resemblance to another word or phrase. Maybe too obviously contrived.
Yup- Sanskrit deepa, meaning flame or light, and avali, line- literally, a line of lights.
Deepa is a fairly common girl’s name in Maharastra and Gujarat.
Zonette was highly successful Feceral Contracting Officer I worked with.
Dorphelia was a security officer in a very responsible position.
Then of course there’s Condoleeza, who didn’t seem to be held back by her name.
And Spiro, he did OK, as did Madonna of course.
And Barrack, he seems to be taking the high road.
I really don’t think the name holds anyone back. They either choose to be self-conscious or proud.
But the mother of Kotex and Clitoria ought to be shot.
How do you know? Maybe she’d have solved the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and won the 2009 presidential election in a landslide if her parents had gone with their gut instincts and named her Sue.
Barrack(s) are buildings soldiers sleep in. Barack is a famous guy who can order soldiers around.
Spiro’s not a weird name. It’s a very common name for Greek boys (his parents were Greek immigrants) - a contraction of Spiridion, a Greek Orthodox saint’s name.
“Cassidie” was new to me. It’s not too far from “Cassidy” but it still looks a bit weird.
I also got went to a university known for its engineering programs, and based on my experience there, I would agree with you. I only saw the spelling “gauge” in academia.
Then I went into the Navy, where the word is universally spelled “gage.” And on submarines and engineering plants, the word shows up a lot (e.g. “depth gage”). It was spelled this way in procedures, manuals, schematics, etc.
It took me a while to get used to it.