You don’t have to follow celebrity news to know that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are expecting another baby. Their first child, Violet Anne Affleck, was born on December 1 2005.

The latest reports online state that Mr. Affleck will avoid the current trend in Hollywood of giving newborns unusual names. A source close to the actor reportedly said, ‘Ben put his foot down and said no way to trendy Hollywood names.’ Some of us are no doubt nodding their heads in agreement.

While it is the parents right to choose their baby’s name, it’s perfectly normal to be taken aback by some of the choices. Standouts include Penn Jillette naming his daughter Moxie CrimeFighter, Nicholas Cage’s son, Kal-el, as in Superman’s birth name, and Seven Sirius for entertainers Erykah Badu and Andre Benjamin.

Yes a few of these names may prompt a snicker or two, but celebrities aren’t the only ones who do this. Many average couple give their newborns names they hope will standout. A recent story online talked about a couple with the last name Jones, who named their children Dow and Indiana. And who can forget the story of the nine year old New Zealand girl named Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii, who won the right to have her name changed. Apparently it was getting so bad in that country, that the government was forced to ban names like Keenan Got Lucky, Satan, and Fish and Chips among others.

Interestingly, some people feel that names like these are bordering on abuse. At the very least, it could present a social handicap and expose the child to ridicule. One can only wonder if these parents do it for their benefit, or the child’s. I guess time will tell if any of the celebrity baby names mentioned will lead to court cases later on.

Bravo to Ben Affleck for trying to bring some sanity back to naming babies in Hollywood. Maybe it will catch on, but that is unlikely. In the meantime we can no doubt expect a few more Moxie CrimeFighters from the Hollywood set in the coming years.

Tags: unusual baby names, celebrity baby names, Moxie CrimeFighter, Penn Jillette, Ben Affleck, social handicap, children and lawsuits