Naming Children and Other Stories

So Bill and I and mother are idly chatting Sunday afternoon and the subject turns to naming children, since we picked up Tom's wedding invitation. (Kehr or someone like that was getting married.) 

Mother, of course, has a stock thing or two to say on any subject. This one is that she didn't like her name growing up because it was too confusing. Her rightful name is Mary Elizabeth, but her parents called her Betty. "It was so confusing. I hated that at school I would have to explain all the time to my teachers that my name was Mary Elizabeth but also Betty." 

I, of course, gave the "Thousand Clowns" example of naming, and Bill commented upon the old wealth American families who would name their child some ridiculous name such as 'Worthington' (the 12th undoubtedly), if a boy, or 'Margaux Bethany', if a girl, and then use some even more ridiculous nickname to call them. Bill, searching for such a nickname, absently came up with 'Bozo'. I suggested 'Biff' and 'Bunny'. 

Anyway, after we had our little laugh at all the people who are rich enough to act ridiculously, we asked mom what she would name a child if she had another one. We didn't know if she had even heard us, let alone followed our reckless conversation. Without hesitation she says, "Bozo!"