Daunting Dollies of Madison High?

If you think picking a name for a new son or daughter is tricky, imagine naming a high school. There's no easy way out by honoring a favorite grandparent and no books of popular names inspired by television characters, and you have to please thousands of people.

Kalispell school trustees unleashed a torrent of creativity when they invited the public to come up with names for the new school going up on West Reserve Drive. A committee will cull through suggestions and the school board will make its decision.

People take their high-school names seriously. As beloved as Flathead High School is to many of its alumni, even its name has critics.

"I've been dragging the name 'Flathead High School' around for over 30 years. It really doesn't look that good on a job application or resume," wrote one graduate with a suggestion for the new school. It was, simply, Kalispell High.

Simplicity found a lot of favor from people who wrote in their suggestions. So did geographic references such as Glacier, Ashley, Avalanche, Lakes, Lone Pine, Mountain, and Stillwater.

Historic references and landmarks were popular, too, including Bob Marshall and Demersville. Some people suggested historical namesakes such as Theodore Roosevelt, Jeannette Rankin, Frank Linderman, Charles Conrad, Martin Luther King, and Mike Mansfield. Former local educators Richard Schlatter, Huz Jensen and Eugene Steer, and current teacher David Hashley, along with former trustee Harry Farrington garnered votes.

Patriotic names, directional names, and names with a sense of humor - Cutter High School, home of the Mosquitoes? - all made the list.

We wish the school board luck.

The most popular name was some variation of "Glacier." Some people, however, took preemptive strikes against Glacier, saying there are enough references to Glacier already, including Glacier Gateway School in Columbia Falls.

Montana has no dearth of features that could be used for a school mascot and while they don't quite go from A to Z, they do go from Avalanche, the Anglers and the Fighting Antlers to an array of Wolves, Wolverines, Wild Horses, Warriors and Wranglers.

The school board expects to make a decision in another month or so. It's a project that must be a lot more fun than deciding what shape to make the parking lot or what kind of flooring should be in the restrooms.

The name is more difficult, though. Our thanks to everyone who contributed a good idea. For the record, Jacob and Aidan are said to be the top names for baby boys and Emma and Madison are favorites for girls. Anyone for Madison High School and its daunting Dollies?