According to a recent WebProNews article, parents are starting to select baby names based on whether they can get a matching domain name for the potential name. Parents are obviously looking out for the best interests of their children, looking to give them a head start in life.

The question is: does being the John Smith who you’ll access when you type in johnsmith.com give that John Smith an advantage over the other John Smiths in the world? Does it make that John Smith the John Smith?

Unless your child is going to pursue something in the arts field where their name becomes somewhat of a brand, I really doubt that they’re going to need their own domain named after them. The whole thing just goes to show the degree to which people are seeing the Internet as a definitive space.

And in a world where no two URLs can be the same, what is to become of the name? Imagine if this concept really takes off. Suddenly all the popular names will be taken up and they will start getting weirder and more complicated just for the sake of a domain name.

Obviously I’d want my child to have access to as many opportunities as possible, but when faced with the option, I’d probably prioritise the kid not undergoing a lifetime of teasing for a name like Jasper Leon van Winkel Jnr over a URL.