Unisex Names

Working with children, I am really aware of the names that are out there right now. One thing that I find really annoying is the continual blurring between male and female names. When I was growing up, there were a few unisex names - Terri/Terry, Kerri/Kerry, Kim/Kym, Peter/Peta and Alexadra/Alexander (Alex) and Christine/Christopher (Chris). Beyond that, you knew a name like Richard could only belong to a boy and Lisa could only belong to a girl. These days, however, lots of people just blatantly use a name that in my opinion is clearly one gender and use it for the other. I will say it is mainly male names being used for female. For example I am aware of girls called Troy, Ryan, Dylan, Shaun, Riley and Reese. I know of a boy called Tayleh and another called Jennah. Where will this stop I wonder?? In a couple of years time will people be calling their daughters Gregory or Benjamin? Or their sons Lucy or Abigail?

And while on the topic of names, the spelling is getting beyond the joke! Seriously, I know parents think they are making their children unique by spelling their name wierdly, but all they are doing is saddling them with the burden of constantly having to spell their name or demonstrating how to pronounce it. The use of hyphens half way through a name is not only grammatically incorrect, it's really hard on forms or computer log-ins when a comma is not allowed. Names like M'Shell, J'Kobee, S'manther (I kid you not!!). A few more examples of wierd spelling : Anfoni (Anthony), Shell-Ee (Shelly), Joh-Dee (Jodie), Allysun (Alison).
One of my best friends has an unusual name, spelt even more unusally. She has never particularly liked her name and now when going for coffee or ordering food, she uses a different (normal) name because she can't be bothered with trying to get people to spell/pronounce her name correctly.
I know every child is special and unique - I get that. But just let them make their own way by virute of their individuality/personality rather than with a strange name.