Names are too confusing these days– trust me, as a teacher, I know. Is that “Bryce” with a Y or an I? How do you spell your name– Caitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaytlynn, Katelin, Cateline, or what? Is it Aiden or Aydin? Does Sara have an H on the end? Or do you spell it with a C? I’ll take Adnan, Fernando, or Anita any day.

May I suggest a way to help curb this problem plaguing America’s schools? Let’s go back to the Roman naming system.

Teacher: Marcus?
Marcus: Here.
Teacher: Marcus?
Marcus: Here.
Teacher: Gaius?
Gaius: Here.
Teacher: Quintus?
Quintus: Here.
Teacher: Marcus?
Marcus: Here.
Teacher: Flavia?
Flavia: Here.
Teacher: Iulia?
Iulia: Here.
Teacher: Are you Lucius Iulius Flaccus’s daughter? The baker, from Subura. You know I had your brother, Marcus when he went here.
Iulia: No, that’s my uncle. My dad’s Lucius Iulius Celer, the politician.
Teacher: Oh, OK. Never heard of him. Gaius?
Gaius: Here.

Well, I guess every way of doing something has its problems.