The Annals, Entry I

Many years ago, Andrea discovered a "great deal" on a baby names book at some random thrift store. Our true Mennonite heritage allowed us to neither pass up the bargain nor to neglect the possibility of being well-prepared, so we bought the volume. As we lightheartedly leafed through the (endless) pages, this seemingly innocuous purchase revealed a fundamental difference in our approach to parenting: Andrea is normal and Karl is weird. Andrea pondered the British and Irish sections, daring even to dabble in the Austrian and German spectrum, but Karl only scoffed derisively, flipping faster and faster in search of the ever-elusive ancient Latin section.
As an academic with a side passion for Classics, Karl's interests are fairly finely tuned, but even after a near decade of marriage, as the hour of reckoning approached, Andrea did not realize the full extent of his commitment. Out came the long-shelved tome again, and Andrea diligently assembled extensive lists of male first name/middle name combinations (we knew we were having a boy). Late one evening, all joking aside, we set out to make some decisions. With list in hand, Andrea enthusiastically proposed Caden Joshua, Declan James, Noah Raphael, etc., etc., etc. With a horrified and revolted look as Karl's only response, Andrea awaited the counter-proposals, and they came swiftly:

• Hamilcar Barka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilcar_Barca)
• Publius Cornelius Scipio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publius_Cornelius_Scipio)
• Scipio Africanus (see above)
• Hannibal (you think Silence of the Lambs, but Karl thinks of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal)
• Hastrubal Barka (Hamilcar's son, apparently: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasdrubal_Barca)

Silence ensued, and we called it a night.