The United States Social Security Administrationhas revealedthe top baby names for 2007, and much of the list is unsurprisingly banal. The top three boy names are Jacob, Michael, and Ethan; the top three girl names are Emily, Isabella, and Emma. Nothing to see here, move along.
But most surprising — and something that made me pause and say “What the f**k, why?” — was that the name “Raiden” actually made the list. Surely it was only number 931, but the fact that it’s even on there at all is a real head-scratcher, and makes me question the sanity of some American parents.
According toWikipedia, “raiden” is Japanese for “thunder and lighting,” which is a pretty frightening name for a child in itself. But let us not forget the popularMortal Kombatcharacter. Or the Raiden inMetal Gear. OrFatal Fury. Or the several side-scrolling shooters. The list goes on.
But I’m not one to judge — my wife (seriously) wants to name our potential future son Lincoln so that we can call him “Link” for short. I put a stop to that thinking real quick. But the question remains — is anyone here named Raiden? Or have you or are you thinking about naming your son after a videogame or a character in a videogame?
