Parents Talk: Can a Unique Baby Name Be a Bad Thing?

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This week's topic:

Quirky baby names...we've all heard them. Whether it's Jay-Z and Beyonce's Blue Ivy, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck's Violet and Seraphina or January Jones' Xander Dane, they all seem to have that unique spin that will never get them confused with the Jennifers or Jacobs in the class.  

This point became glaringly obvious to me when I received the class list for my son and daughter's preschool class. Among the rather plain Jane names of my 3 year-old twins - Molly and Sam - there was a Gavin, Cael, Matteo, Baylyn, Cohen and Hudsen, among others. The most traditional name, next to my own kids', was Elizabeth. Had I missed the memo that said simply-spelled, traditional names were out? I think I did. 

Does what you name your child have a lasting impact on them? Tell us in the comments.

Back when my husband and I were choosing names for our soon-to-be born offspring, we laid out a few ground rules first: 1) Their initials couldn't spell anything derogatory, weird or just plain embarrassing like G.A.G., D.O.G., or O.M.G., 2) Their name would be spelled in its most commonly accepted form, and 3) No names that could be turned into goofy nicknames.

Don't get me wrong - I understand the importance of choosing a name for your child that is uniquely their own. After all, their name is the first impression they will ever make so it better be good.

What do you think? What did you name your child and how did you choose it? Does what you name your child have a lasting impact on them, good or bad?