DEAR ABBY: You told "Amber in Sacramento" to ask the mother what she named her baby in order to find out whether the infant was a boy or a girl. I am a pediatrician, and believe me, you cannot always tell by the name.
I remember with amused embarrassment the first time an infant named Jamie was brought to my office. At that time, Jamie was a common name for a boy. I referred to the baby as "he," and Mom quickly corrected me with, "She's a girl." Thank goodness Mom didn't hold my error against me. I have remained friends with the parents of this girl over the years.
Current patients include girls named Tyler, Taylor and Cameron, two boys named Lynn, and two patients named Robin -- one girl, one boy. If I'm told the name is "Alex," I still have to find out if it's Alexander, Alexandra or Alexis. And when Mom says her baby's name is "Tony" (Tony and Toni sound the same), I don't immediately know if my patient is a female or a male.
Other names of my patients: Chadijha, Stormei, Scout, Travion, Chaymin and Taynaisha. Do you know which of these are girls and which are boys?
Abby, do you by chance remember the Johnny Cash song, "A Boy Named Sue"? While your advice would work in some cases, it's safer to ask the mother, "Is your adorable child a boy or a girl?" -- LEE BERNSTEIN, M.D., LAS VEGAS
DEAR DR. BERNSTEIN: You're right. The name is not always a foolproof guide to the gender of the infant.
"Abby" could be a boy or a girl -- as in Abbie Hoffman, or in my case, for Abigail.
I also concede that asking a direct question is the most intelligent solution.
P.S. Incidentally, Doctor, "Lee" can also be either gender.