Interesting article on gene names in the same spirit as "What's in a name?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/weekinreview/12schwartz.html
'Sonic Hedgehog' Sounded Funny, at First
By JOHN SCHWARTZ
Published: November 12, 2006
"Lunatic fringe," "head case" and "one-eyed pinhead" might sound like insults from the schoolyard or talk radio. But these are actually examples of the kind of oddball names that scientists give to genes they discover....