Chris Martin defends weird baby names

[Chalet]

Moxie Crimefighter is perfectly fine.

Still, the best name ever is Moon Unit Zappa. Remember the Valley Girl song anyone? Where is Moon these days?

[msdeb]

Moon Unit Zappa turned out okay.

[Chalet]

Let's not forget Ahmet, Dweezil and Diva Zappa. They all seemed to turn out okay too. Just read that Moon's child is named Mathilda Plum.

Socialites name their daughters Celerie, Plum, Trinket.

[thrpschr]

I don't understand why they can't give the kids at least one ordinary name, so they can choose for themselves when they start school. Give a kid at least one reasonably normal name, and some wacky middle names too if you really want to - that way everybody should end up as happy with them as possible.

[katerpillar]

'Sunday' and 'Honor' are not so bad..makes me think of Tuesday Weld and Honor Blackman.

Me too.

However, Apple... I'm trying to imagine a 50-year-old lady named Apple, or a judge, doctor, lawyer or business executive named Apple... and it's not happening. There's "unusual" and then there's "so ridiculous you're dooming your child to a lifetime of not being taken seriously".

[sputnik]

I don't understand why they can't give the kids at least one ordinary name, so they can choose for themselves when they start school. Give a kid at least one reasonably normal name, and some wacky middle names too if you really want to - that way everybody should end up as happy with them as possible.

then what's the point of giving your kid an unusual name, if he/she is going to go by the generic middle name?
there are stupid names, and then there are unusual ones that as a kid, it might take you a while to grow into. my name is not weird exactly but not common at all, and even unheard of in some places. i hated it as a kid because i wanted to be just like everybody else and have a normal generic name like mary or kelly or anna or whatever. but as soon as i got over the sheep phase, i started appreciating having an uncommon name and the last thing i want is an ordinary name that's just like thousands/millions of other people. 'normal' is overrated IMO and having an odd name builds character.

[Novice]

^Yeah, Sunday and Honor aren't too bad. They're not STUPID, just unusual.

I wonder if it's a regional thing, because Honor isn't unusual where I'm from, and Grace is quite popular too.

Days of the week are something else mind....

And I'm sorry, but Lola will forever conjour up a teenage prostitute to me....

[MrVader66]

The thing is, these are CHILDREN. Not accessories, not pets. Sure, they can name them whatever they want, but they are human beings who will have to live with that name until they die--or at least are able to legally change it to something less f*cking stupid.

Exactly, odd or uncommon names are fine, but how long til we hear about a kid named Spoon or Napkin?

[Lily]

It's like that episode in 30 Rock when Cerie is saying she wants to name her baby--if it's a girl--"Bookcase" or "Sandstorm," or "Hat," but "Hat" is really a boy's name.

Tina Fey, incidentally, named her daughter Alice Zenobia Richmond. That's fine--she has a strange funky middle name....but a sweet, old-fashioned first name.

[sweetness]

Honestly I think Apple sounds kind of cute, though I'd have made it her nickname. Not put it on the b.c.

[Sojiita]

It's like that episode in 30 Rock when Cerie is saying she wants to name her baby--if it's a girl--"Bookcase" or "Sandstorm," or "Hat," but "Hat" is really a boy's name.

Tina Fey, incidentally, named her daughter Alice Zenobia Richmond. That's fine--she has a strange funky middle name....but a sweet, old-fashioned first name.

Well Queen Zenobia is a 'somewhat' famous historical figure..so that is not so bad to me.

Now Apple, Bookcase, Tapeworm, Fecalia, etc. those are BAD!

how abuut'' Roux Bella Martin? or Innsippidd Martin?


Bycchhe !!!! Can you imagine in school or something..

Teacher: Ok..um..Bycchhe(pronounced 'bitch') can you tell the class what 12 times 10 is?

[curlysem]

^Yeah, Sunday and Honor aren't too bad. They're not STUPID, just unusual.

their parents are stupid!

[Lily]

Well Queen Zenobia is a 'somewhat' famous historical figure..so that is not so bad to me.

Zenobia is pretty interesting, and yes, somewhat famous. I think it's a cool name too.

their parents are stupid!

I wouldn't call Nicole Kidman stupid. Jessica Alba on the other hand....

[provence]

What I don't understand is if, according to Chris, "Chewbacca" is no different than "Sarah" then why choose the crazy name? If there is no difference between the two names then why not choose the more traditional name? He makes no sense because he doesn't want to admit that he has no clue what he's talking about. Of course he was trying to be different. Why not just admit it? Unfortunately, when you try too hard to be cool you wind up looking like a jack ass.

Why doesn't Chris just go ahead and change HIS name to "Chewbacca" and then let's just see how he feels when all the Wookie jokes come his way?

[Quazar]

Such a good perspective. People can name their kids anything they want, but they should think of the implications. My niece has a common name with an unusual spelling, and when she was a kid, she was always really bummed when she went to a store where they had names on things and she could never find something with her name on it. For kids, that stuff matters. And seriously, who wants to be called Audio Science or Pilot Inspektor or Moxie Crimefighter? They make Rumer, Scout and Tallulah sound absolutely normal. I can understand parents not wanting their kid to be 1 of 5 in the class with the same name, but trying so hard to be completely unique is ridiculous. They are humans, not pets.

All that being said, I think Sunday and Honor are unique without being over the top.

I have to say that you are absolutely right here. I was one of those kids with a typical name for my era, but with a different spelling. I could never find anything with my name on it and it really was a big deal. Nowadays they can customize everything but back then if your name wasn't top 50 - you were out of luck. At 7 years old - it was important.