Well, that’s a surprise. I was expecting Alistair.

Britain’s most popular baby names have been released, and Jack, the reigning champ for 14 years, has been replaced this year by Mohammed, reports the AFP.

The name, a reference to the Muslim prophet, was denied the top spot due to a plethora of spellings listed separately, including “Muhammad and Mohammad,” said the Daily Mail. However, the disparate spellings taken together formed the largest group, with 7,549 newborns given the name last year. The official top spot went to Oliver, with 7,364 newborns. The most popular girl’s name was Olivia. The lists were compiled by Britain’s Office of National Statistics.

[From Mohammed, Britain's Most Popular Boy's Name In 2009]

Oliver, Jack, Harry and Alfie brought up the rear.

This story is just fascinating for all of its implications for parents’ rights. So much of what we do with our own children is up to us; how they learn, what they eat,what they watch on TV. It’s tempting to think they are under our complete control, like little pets. But in reality, we are only custodians for several years and for good, and sometimes bad, the State watches how and what we do as parents.

This story appears to be more complicated than just the naming part, but it’s always hard to know what goes on inside a family and what is really happening. As much as I think naming your children after genocidal historical figures is completely stupid, I would hope that they were not removed solely because of the father’s irresponsible choice of names.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The father of three children who have names associated with Nazis is accusing the state Division of Youth and Family Services of taking his children under false pretenses and says one of the kids appeared neglected when he saw them last week.
Heath Campbell told The Associated Press on Saturday that he and his wife, Deborah, have been allowed to see their children once since state child welfare workers removed them from the family’s home on Jan. 9.
Campbell said his 2-year-old daughter, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, appeared sick and had a runny nose and dirty diaper when he and his wife visited the children last week under the supervision of state social workers.
DYFS has not said why JoyceLynn and siblings Adolf Hitler Campbell, 3, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, who will be 1 in April, were removed. Kate Bernyk, a DYFS spokeswoman, said Saturday that confidentiality laws prevent the agency from commenting on specific cases.
Campbell said the agency told him the children were taken because they were in “imminent danger,” but he believed the removal was spurred by publicity surrounding the children’s names.

[From The Associated Press: NJ dad who named kids after Nazis decries removal]

This is such an interesting case of man and his right to do whatever idiotic thing he wants to do and the state who tries to protect his kids against what amounts to abuse.

Heath Campbell invited the world to share his outrage when a nearby ShopRite supermarket refused to inscribe a cake with his son’s first and middle names — Adolf Hitler — for his third birthday last month.

Heath and Deborah Campbell with their son, Adolf Hitler Campbell. The boy, 3, and two younger siblings, also with Nazi-related names, have been removed from their parents’ custody. Officials say that was not done because of the name choices.
Instead, outrage at his choice of names for his three children — Adolf’s younger sisters are Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, after Heinrich Himmler, and JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell — exploded on the Internet and in newspapers all over the world.

Mr. Campbell’s choices have prompted a debate over whether provocative names alone should be considered child abuse. The authorities removed the children from their parents’ care on Jan. 9., according to the local police. Kate Bernyk, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services, said confidentiality rules prevented her from commenting on the case, but that the state would not remove a child based on a name.

[From Naming Children for Nazis Puts Spotlight on the Father - NYTimes.com]

Didn’t this guy, who seems like the type, ever listen to Johnny Cash singing about being named “Sue.” I have to agree that the names that people choose can amount to abuse, or at least violating the most sacred idea behind parenting – you’re there to do everything you can to protect and nurture them. Choosing a rotten name is just saddling a child with an anchor he’ll have to try to shrug off all his life, or until he can change it at the courthouse.   

GreatDad.com has a bunch of tips and traps on baby naming if you’ve decide against naming your child Adolph or Godzilla.

A Is for Atticus: Baby Names from Great Books by Lorilee Craker – If you’re looking for different names, you may want to check this book out for names with literary meaning. It’s up to date, even including Harry Potter references.