We Need More Cliffords

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We were watching the baseball game and I made a comment about the name 'Addison', saying that it was a rather unique first name.

Sam was able to think of another 'Addison' and I said that it wasn't real popular...

...then I said:

"The name 'Clifford' isn't popular either."

"There are three of 'em left in the country," my beautiful, wise-ass wife said. "Ain't no one naming their kids 'Clifford' anymore."

I suppose not.

Yet the conversation didn't quite end because we have Google and Google has an answer for everything.

Evidently how many Cliffords there are in the world was interesting to my wife.

"It was a popular name in the 1880's," she said. "But look where it is now."

She showed the screen to Sam.

"Three left," he said.

Yet I wonder.

How many Cliffords are out there?

I know it's more than three!

Kathy then looked up everyone's name and told us what the name meant.

Sam's had something to do with the spirit of God.

Jake's was about something spiritual as well.

Matt's was heaven brought to earth.

"What does Clifford mean?" I asked, genuinely interested.

"A slope or a hill," she said.

Funny.

I live with a bunch of freaking comedians.

But it got me thinking about names and I consulted the genius of comedy.

I pulled up the video of George Carlin talking about how goofy boys names were getting.

Todd and Kyle and Taylor and Tucker.

George had miserable words for all of those names and explained that someday Tyler would be in a schoolyard getting the shit kicked out of him by Tony or Vinny.

Hell.

At least Carlin didn't make fun of Clifford.

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