Names and name meanings are very important to me. Sometimes I spend my free time researching the meaning of various names. Thus, it should be no surprise that I often think about what to name our children one day. I even have a list on my computer with names that I like and their meanings. I really am a nerd. (Family, don’t get any ideas. I am currently going to school! We are not planning on kids in the near future.) Anyways, this brings me to my point/rant. Why do people give dogs people names? Growing up we had two dogs, Sunset & Midnight. I have never met a person named Sunset or Midnight. Why does this bother me, you ask? I have reached an age where most of my friends are married and having kids. And that has me thinking, “How would I feel if someone close to me decided to give their pet a name I really wanted to use as a name for a child? Would I still want to give my child that name?” Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think I could give my child that name knowing a pet he or she would encounter regularly had the same name. Now I know most of the world doesn’t agree with me, and I’m ok with that. I promise not to judge you if you give your dog (or cat) a people name (because I admit it, some of them are really cute). All I’m asking for is a little sensitivity for those of us to do care. 🙂