hmmm, i haven't commented in this thread cos i'm torn - i don't think that "traditional" spelling of a name is any better or worse than something that has been "tweaked" - provided the tweaking make sense. having a name like thomas and throwing a silent L in there just to make the spelling unique - that doesn't do it for me.

i think it's more a product of the multicultural society in which we live, than being about "class" that we are prepared to venture more into the spelling of our childrens names. we, as in a general "society" we, tend to be embracing our heritage more (as Maz has with her kidlets names) and celebrating that, sharing it with the next generation. but those of us who haven't embraced our heritage (how the hell i can embrace German on one side, Yank on the other, and DH with his ummmmm i think something European and NOT offend anyone i don't know!) - well, we still want our children to feel unique and that comes through in what we name them - a choice that is ENTIRELY up to the parents.

we chose a much "older" first name for our DD - Emerald isn't common as a name now - but it is her name. does using a 'dated' name and using the traditional spelling speak about us? who we are? does it sound like we're from a certain "class" of people? do her middle names speak about us? does Nevaeh, a name that appears to be popular amongst "lower class" African Americans, make us sound like we're from "the ghetto" (damn, been around mum today - listening to Elvis and that is stuck in my head - please don't take offence - it isn't intended)

i think, if you believe you can judge a childs background based on their name alone, you're not giving the child credit on their own abilities. my DD's name can't possibly label who she is and where she comes from. we're not "upper class snobs" choosing a first name to make her something she isn't - she will be what she will be.

FWIW - incase anyone is wondering how we came up with DD's name - Emerald is my birthstone - DH decided it would be a pretty girls name well before we fell pregnant - he wanted a name that was in honor of me, and i wouldn't let him use my name (very "common" - was one of four in my class all through school - and it's a non gender-specific name that can be spelt soooooooo many ways so a PITA!). Nevaeh is "heaven" spelt backwards - i wanted it to honor the five angel babies that came before her. Rose - well, DH and i have so many in the yard, it just felt right.