In this open letter, on scarymommy.com, Elizabeth Broadbent asks parents not to choose weird names. In it, is she outlines seven particularly offense categories on trendy names. What’s your opinion on these “weird” baby naming trends?

This animated map from kottke.org shows popular baby names across the United States. The three separate animations visualize name popularity in different ways.

It is maddening and you probably will not get all of them right. And if you do, there is a very good chance you won’t be able to repeat that stellar performance. And if you do, send us an email. You should definitely join the American Name Society. Feeling lucky? Feeling knowledgeable? Want to test your wits against the folks at Merriam Webster? Check out the game: Name That Thing. You can play as often as you like. Warning: this name game can be harmful to your ego and just might be a tad addictive.

Fayetteville University Freshman Dominque Elliott shares the cultural trends that have influenced the creation of distinctly black names. These names have their own rich history.

Looking for dog names? Check out alldognames.com. The site includes articles and name lists to aid you in this decision.

In this “Can We Talk?” conversation, Wajahat Ali and Rabbi Or Rose discuss their ethnically and religiously marked names.