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Little 'Adolf Hitler' and the power of names

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

Hitlerxblog200 The parents who named their boy Adolf Hitler (his sister is Aryan Nation) seemed to think it would make no more difference in his life than calling him "Bud" -- apart from the fact that local bakeries refuse to spell his name out in birthday cake frosting.

Of course, we all know it would be foolish to imagine this little Adolf, now three years old, will embody the character of a genocidal maniac. But how might his life be shaped by people who surmise that he's being brought up by people who glorify one? At there are 40 names listed that mean "gift of God" but, unsurprisingly, searching for Adolf or Hitler turns up zero.

People have chosen names from the Bible or saints or heroes or family monikers for all of time, perhaps dreaming that their little namesake would grow to embody the original person's faith, wisdom, brilliance, courage or other valued traits.

Perhaps they hoped a certain name would shape how the world greeted their angelic little Gabriel, wise Deborah, or forthright Paul (Notice, no one picks Judas any more?) Johnny Cash made a hit ditty from A Boy Named Sue," who learns to keep his dukes up to survive.

Is it human nature to project ideas about a person's character based on the name their parents bestowed? Are we expected to "live up" to our names?

Photo by Rich Schultz, AP: Heath Campbell, left, with his wife Deborah and son Adolf Hitler, 3, pose in Easton, Pa.

Bioethicists on all sides
An unexpected twist on Christmas gift book ideas