I find the following article really interesting, as a historical primary source.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/12/baby.names.ap/index.html
Apparently, our country is very conservative right now and there is an impact by immigration. O wait, that is fairly obvious, but look at how its reflected in the vox populi. People are hardcore about their babies' names. I narrowly escaped being named Jennifer, that hot name from 1975. When I went to Europe, in Germany, people were stunned that we can just name our kids whatever we want. Apparently, there is a preselected list there, and to do anything differently, you have to get a permit. Who knows if that is true, maybe they were just pulling my leg. In France, up until recently, whatever day you were born, automatically you were named at least partially after the saint of that day.
My children have names from old english, and they are formal names, not cutesy. But, my daughter has a traditionally male name.
One time Zule went to take her to school, and signed her in to school, and the lady looked up at Zule and right in front of my daughter said "O, that is a great name for a boy!" My daughter has longish hair and looks like a pixie, (not frank black or kim deal, the imaginary kind), so I have no idea what the hell the chick was talking about. Zule said, "Ma'am, she's a girl."
After that, its been full out war with the admissions office at my kid's middle school. I don't like it that I have to ring a bell and be buzzed in like an insane asylum or prison. Very institutional. Last week, Dbot was late for school, due to a Caeser's fieldtrip and I signed her in with the excuse, "Body Thetan Auditing, Sprain. Doktor".
No comment from the staff.
Really, I regard school as a necessary evil. I'm not about to home school though, b/c my kids and I would kill each other day four. Its good for them to get out of the house. I could send them to private school, but then they'd think they were special. Public school, its what's for dinner! However, I have no problem with pulling my kids out for the most random of occasions, if I feel its in their life learning interest.