h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love my name. It means Princess. But only if you change the spelling from that dull anglo-germanic 'ice' to a charming celtic 'ys'. I don't think there is anything wrong with eccentric spellings, although I sometimes think they reveal a simple inability to spell... I also have a friend with an name spelt in the Irish fashion, which is all very well, but is apparently rather irritating when new teachers are reading the register.

Do people get bullied for unusual names? I knew a Pia and a Kaya at school, and no one took the mick. Then again, Annette Curtains and Richard Head were never popular... (I made that last one up.) Having a common name is worse - Matthews (invariably shortened to Matt), James and Daniels always got alternative tags - like surnames, prefixes (eg. 'evil James') or nasty nicknames.

Then again, you can't take it too far - personally I'd adore to have sons called Gawain, Sage and Gorse - but you can't do that to a child. Normal(ish) names I like are Evelyn, Oscar, Jennifer and Robin (as a boy's name). Names to resurrect, it's mostly a case of see above. I love Welsh names also (someone mentions this elsewhere) particularly the boy's names. I'm also tempted by real anglo saxon names, Aethelred and suchlike, but see the note of cruelty. Names I don't like are 'Gladys', 'Gertrude' and anything ordinary-biblical for men, particularly Paul: conversly, Naomi, Ruth, Anne and Elizabeth are beautiful names.

Baisically, I think it's about meaning - you name a child after a name that means something relevant - why call a child after a variety of wine grape? Would I call a daughter Carmenere? (actually, I might) If one names girls after grapes, they should name boys after regions? Get the names you like, whittle off anything with unpleasent character associations (Love the names Jack and Elaine, but will never use them) or events (so no vodkas, tequilas or Rose-Champagnes... ) and see which one fits.

Celebrity name that drives me nuts? Okay, there are some silly ones, but kids can always change that, but Bluebell will always annoy me. I invented that name not Geri-grrr-Halliwell.