We live in a society of fame. Everyone has fame, or some degree of it, and the greater the fame, the more the person wishes to be treated as if they were not famous (or so they claim). We also live in a society that confuses fame with importance. One can be important and not famous, like the person who invented the wheel, and one can be famous and not important, like Melissa Rivers.
Parents have always tried to name their children after important people (think George Washington Carver). In the modern age, this has become a dangerous practice, as parents have come to name their children after people who are not important, but merely famous.
Fame is fleeting. Ask Morton Downey, Jr. When a child's namesake disappears from the public eye, they, too, are symbolically eliminated from society by their namesake's failure to command attention. There is no way to tell which famous people will remain famous until one's children are grown, and which people will litter the ash heap of history.
It is still possible to name one's children after important people, if one knows the difference between fame and importance. A basic guideline is that a child's ancestors, political leaders, scientists, authors, and philosophers are important; athletes, actors, directors, talk-show hosts, Broadway performers, pop, country and rock singers, and spouses or children of any of the above are merely famous.
Examples of the "Named Him After My Favorite..." Category:
- Ryne Sandberg (named for pitcher Ryne Duren)
- Ty Rose (Pete's kid, named for world-class bigot Ty Cobb)
- Jesse Jackson, Jr.