What’s in a name?

There’s a real danger in naming a street, building or monument after someone who is still alive. But even in death, it’s become a slippery slope.

Exhibit A: The statue of Joe Paterno at Penn State.

Exhibit B: The Bill and Camille Cosby scholarship.

Closer to home, indigenous groups are calling for schools named after Sir John A. Macdonald to be renamed because of his involvement in residential schools.

In the United States, George Washington is no longer held in as high of regard because he kept slaves.

We are living in the #MeToo era. Things are now a lot more complicated.

The vast majority of individuals suggested for a street or building name are saintly and chances are will never find their names dragged through the mud, whether they’re living or dead.

Canadians in general do a terrible job of honouring their own. Mike Reno wrote and sang lead on “Working for the Weekend,” yet he hasn’t been recognized in Penticton, where he’s from. (We’d be happy just to see his band invited to the SOEC or Peachfest.)

In Kelowna, the bridge is appropriately named after former premier William Richards Bennett, a native of Kelowna. (Although the name was the decision of then premier Gordon Campbell.)

Two recent Canadian schools were named in honour of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack.

These things are all good, but it’s a tough decision.

In Penticton, there’s been a recent wave of requests for streets to be named after people.

In 2016, Penticton’s heritage committee began looking at best practices elsewhere and decided to add new names for streets that reflected natural flora, fauna, etc..

Another danger in naming streets and monuments after people is someone might be left off. We get that here with our Okanagan Top 10 each week — and that’s intended purely for fun and to spark debate.

The Central Okanagan School District will soon join the name game as Lake Country trustee Deb Butler introduced a notice of motion to begin the process on seeking public input for the name of the new middle school coming to Lake Country in 2021.

In an interview, Butler said she’s personally not a fan of naming schools after a person and would prefer something that showcases the unique geological features of the Central Okanagan.

(If SD23 were to name a school after a living person, long-time chair Moyra Baxter would be the appropriate choice.)

Whatever the choice ends up being, someone will feel slighted. Not everybody will be satisfied.

Unless they chose Gord Downie. What kid wouldn’t want to go to a school with a name that cool?