baby nameBetsy Shaw has had some hard times in her life.

No. Really. She shared in a blog over at Momformation this week that her parents literally named her Hard.

The fact that they saved it for the middle name softened the blow a bit (pun very much intended), but imagine kids finding out that one on the playground.

In five years of parenting, and more than a decade in journalism, I've seen a lot of really bad baby names.

And a lot of parents who try to make up for it by pushing it to the middle.

As you're going through pregnancy, please, I beg of you, don't think the sheer ability to leave it off their driver's license in 16 years gives you a pass to be cutesy.

Because some time in elementary school, your child will meet the teacher who likes to read full names off at roll call. 

Picture it now:

Bueller?

Samuel Milwaukee Brewers Bueller?

Anyone?

And if by some stroke of luck he's absent that day and his name never gets called, it will be the standardized test that gets him.

The test wherein a pre-printed form with your name already spelled out in all its embarrassing glory will be given to the person in the front row to hand four kids back, each one snickering along the way.

Now, if you really can't resist, how about sticking it in as a third name -- one that won't be reported anywhere and can be easily dropped when they get married (if they so decide)?

Are you having a hard time picking a middle name?


Image via ODHD/Flickr