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Would you name your kid Adolf Hitler?

The question is rhetorical. Partly because I hope most parents would know better than to name their kid after one of the most evil men in history, and partly because if you would, I don’t think I would want to know.

A mom and dad in New Jersey named their little boy Adolf Hitler and they are angry because the local ShopRite refused to create a birthday cake that said “Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler.” One might argue that it’s just a name and there is no reason to be offended. This boy can be raised in a way to give the Hitler name new meaning; however, I doubt that’s going to happen here. Adolf has two sisters, one named JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and another named for Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler. Oh yeah… and their house is complete with a swastika in every room.

The thing that gets me the most angry about this is not his parents’ beliefs — I think they are morons, but this is a free country, so they can believe what they want. The thing that gets me the most angry is that these idiots gave their kids names that will will affect them in a negative way for all of their life. I think naming your kid Apple is stupid too, but it’s no Adolf Hitler.

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10 Responses to “Would you name your kid Adolf Hitler?”

  1. I’m sure the full horror of the situation will catch up with me later, and I’ll fully share Amy’s dismay, but right now I’m enjoying the wonderful irony of “ShopRite” and “birthday cake” in the same sentence as “Adolf Hitler.” How deliciously pedestrian!

  2. I have to agree, as much as this angers me I can’t stop laughing at “Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler” on a cake.

  3. I think it’s terrible for the children that they must endure the inevitable ridicule and negativity because of their parent’s actions. I agree that it’s a free country and I especially like the idea that perhaps this particular child along his siblings could potentially be instrumental in removing the negative stigma of their predecessors.

    also here’s an interesting thing about swastikas… if anyone’s interested – it’s really just a symbol of good luck (freakin nazi’s had to ruin it)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

  4. I just followed the link to the original Daily News article. “Adolf has two sisters, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie. The latter, just eight months old, was named for Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler.” What? Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie = Heinrich Himmler? I don’t get it.

  5. Trixie: It is Jewish tradition to honor someone who has passed by using the first letter of their name in the name of a child; it is kind of funny if that is what they did here by using an H in both names. Or maybe it’s simply the similarity of Himmler and Hinler.

    Daryl: Thanks for the Wiki link…

  6. I live with a young German au pair, and to call someone Hitler or son of Hitler is one of the worst, most vile put downs in Germany. It’s such a bad thing to say that she doesn’t even approve of me writing those words here on this post.

    I am so appalled and disgusted. And in my state of New Jersey? It’s just gross–and sad.

  7. I hearted the way the parents suggested they didn’t really care if their kids grew up and tolerated different people. Hilarious, too was the way the station sent a black reporter. (At least, the station I watched.)

    No, really – the dad suggested – he just wanted a unique name nobody else would have. You can bet on that.

    Nobody (probably) would name their kid Gayblower, either. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

    I think it’s just funny, overall funny, except when the kids reach the age when they have their “oh, shit!” moment of realization. The parents must be tough enough to be willing to endure the agony and guilt they’ll avoid when their son returns home beaten. Rest assured they’ whine about how unfair it is. They should be able to sleep just fine, though.

    Maybe the parents will raise them to believe. Poor kids.

  8. governmental bodies should censor the JoyceLynn Aryan Nation, Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie, Adolf Hitler and jail the crazy Campbell family.

  9. Chances are, growing up in a household that so embraces Naziism, they will not have a problem with their name. If the parents are only beginning to feel the aftershocks of naming their kids after Nazi leaders, they probably surround themselves with people who embrace those values. When and if the kids go to school, I’m sure the teachers will be outraged, but I have a feeling these kids will be homeschooled because they will reject non-Aryan values.

    What a mess!

  10. Rose, you are right. The government must form a special federal agency just for censoring stupid names people give their children. It should have the powers (backed up by firepower from Homeland Security) to officially and irrevocably rename every child named Brooklyn, Hudson, or Cindi with an i. And, perhaps, Jennifer, too, because there are way too many Jennifers and it gets confusing, like a historical novel set in 13th-14th century, in which half the characters are named Richard and the other Henry. Somebody should do something about that already.

    How about making anybody who wants to have children take a test that would prove their general compatibility with social norms to the satisfaction of this agency, which should also be empowered (with firepower) to set said norms? There would be a lot less of this kind of nonsense if they didn’t let just anybody become a parent.

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