Elizabeth, the E word of the day

I've always loved the name Elizabeth. It conjures visions of a tall, slim, Elegant woman who is the Epitome of poise and sophistication.

Elizabeth doesn't speak too loudly. She doesn't swear, fart, or burp. And her clothes never wrinkle--not even when they're linen.

I know she sounds boring but, really, she isn't. She's intelligent, admired by both men and women, and has a perfect complexion.

I can't tell you why Elizabeth creates this mental picture for me any more than I can Explain why I equate the name Sally with a little girl or the name Oscar with a short, bald guy.

I've studied names and their meanings and learned that kids who are given common or popular names tend to be more well-adjusted than children with unusual or antiquated names. If you visit the Social Security Administration's website, you can find out what the most common names were in any given year after 1879. For example, in 1900, the most common names were John and Mary. In 2000, they were Jacob and Emily. Since 1943, the name Michael has been in the top 10 every single year. Between 1923 and 1933, however, it hovered in the 50s.

Personally, I don't care for very odd names or unusual spellings. I also tend to favor Irish or Celtic names.

What's your take on names?