here, there, everywhere

Yesterday I got to suggest English names for my new class of 10 year olds. Although Iain wins by managing to get not only a John, Paul, George & Ringo but ALSO a Han, Luke and Leia, I still managed to squeeze in a Rick, Wendy, Maggie, Joey and a Jack (and a Kate, a Sally and a Laura-for-Lauren-because-they-can't-do-final-sounds). Sorry to the rest of you guys - your names had too many syllables or else there weren't enough kids after I stopped naming them after Princess Leia and Tina Fey. I'd feel guilty about this gross abuse of power, except Jackie - who was my wonderful T.A. at the last school and seems to have been promoted to work with all the teachers now - told me that students change their names regularly, and that she's also been a Susie and a Helen. Good news for the girls with names like Belody and Ben, and the little boy who insisted on calling himself Robery.