What's in a name?

Today I chanced upon a Christmas card sent by some government ministry. The pictures on the card were drawn by some kids from a Bormla primary. The interesting part of the story was the list of all the names of the kids at the primary on the back of the card. It reads like a mixture of medicinal products, science fiction characters and creative inanity. From Rexilene to Franciljane to Xenia as well as Dyson and Edelson. The fact that one boy was called Redeemer did nothing to redeem this list from its craziness. What's getting into people's heads these days? I counted at least four Nirvanas in a list that was filled with the odd and the insane. Why? Can people really hate their kids so much?

I got this twisted idea while reading the list. Soon there will be no holds barred and the search for the unusual name will spill into naming kids after objects. How soon before we have boys named Asbestos, Proton, Diode, Xenon or Magnet? What will stop these crazy parents from calling their daughters Adenosine, Acitelene or Rexine? Will the fad move onto household items? I mean if we have a Dyson why not a Rowenta, a Prestige or a Zoppas? And once the Apple craze of naming all things cool beginning with the i-prefix really clicks with "the common people" how long before school registers have an iSon or an iDaughter on their list?

My biggest worry is about how this will affect my Scrabble scores. The day someone challenges my use of "asbestos" because it is a proper noun things will really have gone to the dogs.