By now, many of you have probably heard about poor little Adolf Hitler Campbell, the New Jersey three-year-old whose birthday was nearly ruined when the local ShopRite refused to decorate a party cake with his name. Of course, lots of people have argued that Adolf’s parents are ultimately at fault for having saddled their tot with such an infamous “given” name.

Given names are an interesting project in parenting. I went to school with a girl whose parents badly wanted a son and had their hearts set on naming him Zane. When they received a daughter instead, they named her Zanetta.

Zanetta Brown, that was her name.

Last names, of course, can’t be helped. I served in the Navy with a chief whose last name was Fagut. Yes, pronounced that way.

Over the years, I’ve become something of name buff. I even have a file of catchy names on my computer, having collected them in case I ever get around to writing the Great American Novel. For example, my boys play soccer with a kid whose last name is Cairo, as in the city in Egypt. I think that would make a cool first name for a character.

Other real-life names I’ve collected include Cozy Marks (an associate of a woman I was writing about); Tucker Bounds (the spokesman for McCain 2008); Trip Galloway (a kid my college roommate knew from school); and Trig Dowrimple (a high school vice principal I heard of once.)

My own high school vice principal’s name was Dick Holder. I can write that here because I am absolutely not making it up.

What interesting real-life names have you run across and to whom did they belong?

Beware: I may steal them for my files. :)