An honest question to African American DUers....

[Obamarama]

I'm caucasian. I make an honest, concerted effort to know as much about African American history and culture as I can. I know a lot, and admittedly, still have a lot more to learn. I challenge racism when I see it, smell it, hear it, etc...

I just returned from lunch at a local restaurant and the two women sitting in the next booth were talking about a friend of theirs trying to come up with a name for their baby. The two then migrated the discussion to "black names." They were making examples of names such as Shaniqua, Tamika, Deshon, etc...you get the picture. They then said something along the lines of "Why can't they just name their kids with regular names?" and made a few overtly racist comments.

I managed to keep my mouth shut until I finished and got up to go pay my bill. I paused at their table and said "You know, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation about babies names." They sort of looked at me with the deer in the headlights look and I said that for whatever reason, African American names like the ones they were mentioning were obviously meant to be culturally distinctive for some reason. I said lots of Italian American parents give their kids Italian sounding first names, so do Hispanics, Irish, etc.... and asked what their point could have possibly been to zero in on African American names? I also pointed out that I know a whole lot of African Americans with very European-American sounding names.

They just looked at me with this stupid "Oh shit" look and said "That was a PRIVATE conversation, so it's really none of your business."

I just walked away, but I wish that I had been able to clobber them over the heads with more accurate information. Are there any African American DUers who can give me any insight as to the cultural history of distinctively African American names? I'd hope that I'd never have to hear an ignorant conversation like this again, but if so, next time I'd like to be better armed with some facts.

Thanks!

[XemaSab]

1. Kick

for an interesting question.

[gmoney]

2. BTW, what is the heritage of XemaSab?

Middle Earth? Sci-Fi? Disabled spell check?

Not to threadjack a pertinent question... I'd say your comment to these boneheads was excellent, but I'd like to hear other perspectives.

[XemaSab]

9. It wasn't my question

The last time I heard a bigoted remark I shamefully didn't say anything. I'm just interested in the answer to the OP.

XemaSab is short for Xema sabini, which is the Latin name of the Sabine's Gull, which is a cool little gull that lives exclusively out on the ocean during the winter.

[quiet.american]

3. Well, here I go

As an African-American, my first answer to this question, is that like everything else, it appears there is no consensus on this issue in the African-American community.

Like the reaction to Bill Cosby's controversial remarks a few months ago, this is one of those subjects that has the potential effect of having people screaming at each other across the room in no time at all.

First, what is an "African-American" name? There are African names with rich history, and then there are African names whose history begins when the parents create the name.

My sister has one of these names, and although it is truly unusual and suits her to a T, she didn't like it and Anglicized it for a while, and then returned to it after a few years.

Another friend of mine recently wanted to name his newborn daughter a combination of his and his wife's name, but got such a heated reaction amongst his family because they were concerned the name sounded too "ghetto," that he and his wife reconsidered at the last moment and named the baby something else. Did they make the right decision -- I don't know!

Then there's the somewhat famous research that was done that showed employers tend to trash the resumes of the Shaniquas and Tamekas -- wrong, but true.

So, no definitive answer from me on this subject; each culture should be free to name their kids as they see fit, in a perfect world, it wouldn't matter at all.

[Obamarama]

4. Thank you.....

An interesting perspective, thank you for sharing. I haven't heard of the research on the trashing of resumes with African American names. That's pathetic, and pretty damned stupid since one of the most brilliant people I ever had the opportunity to work with was named Tameka!

That's interesting about your friend's family concern about the name sounding too "ghetto". I've never thought "ghetto" when I hear an African American first name...I just think "African American."

And yes, in a perfect world, none of this would matter.

Thanks again for your insight!

[quiet.american]

7. Thanks for your thanks! and thanks for reading. :)

Thought I'd post the link to the research from the National Bureau of Economic Research here:

http://www.nber.org/digest/sep03/w9873.html

[Obamarama]

8. Very interesting read...thanks for the link! n/t

[XemaSab]

11. That's a depressing study

It would be interesting to see a study on African-American "ethnic" names versus "ethnic" names of other races/cultures, like if Sinead Finnegan, Arijana Sunic, Ahmed Hassan, or Nga Tran get more calls than Tameka and Jamal. Or Barack Obama, for that matter.

[AspenRose]

18. I bet Soledad O'Brien has thrown off a bunch of people

just by her name alone.

For the record, her mom is black hispanic (Cuban) and her dad is Australian (anglo, not aboriginal).

[Tim4319]

46. To piggyback a little off of what quiet.american said.

I am an African American, and my wife and I just had a baby. The name we gave her did not fit along the stereotypical African American name. We took into consideration that fact that if employers cannot pronounce a persons name, with the so-called African American sound, they will trash their resume. Now, as stated before, in a perfect world skills, education, and knowledge should take preference. But, we do not live in a perfect world and we wanted to give our daughter a chance, upon graduating college. We figure, if they call her in for an interview then discover her skin color, she would have a better chance of landing a job.

[goclark]

24. I'm African American and I agree with you

I think people should name their children what they want to name them.

Maybe I'm wrong but I think there has been a mini trend among African Americans to give their children names that are NOT typical ones.

Guess they/we got tired of being Billy and John. We wanted our children to be "special."

Here is another situation: I was getting my nails done at a shop owned by a couple from Viet Nam. The boyfriend of the lady doing my nails came into the shop for the first time, just to say hello.

He looked at her name tag and said," KIM ?, that's not your name!"
She said that her name was really (let's say) Su Yang but the owners said that they had to pick an American Name so that the customers would like it. She said that she had worked in three shops and she had to pick an "American" name in each one.

So, she picked KIM out of the names they gave her to select from -
I thought that was so sad.

Why do others have to erase their identity when they come to America?

[KT2000]

25. In China, people employed

by American companies take American names for the workplace. They also take American names when they come to the US to work for American companies. They sometimes change their American names when they go to another US company.

It is pragmatism. I think they have separated some issues and do not see it as losing their identity. I have never done that myself so I don't know what it really feels like.

[Booster]

45. I live on an easement with 5 houses sharing a common driveway.

In 3 of those houses live Chinese families and I couldn't ask for better neighbors. When we introduced ourselves there was Steven, Jimmie, John, Joann, Susan and Stanley. Hell, my name is more foreign. For some reason I too thought that was sad, but cute at the same time. I do wish they would use their original names but imagine life is so much easier for them this way. They are really wonderful people, all of them, and they bring me things all the time and I give them free passes to Disneyland, which for a family of 4 means something. Anyway I love each and every one of them.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

41. Actually, I believe that "Kim" is used as a name in Vietnam

It means "gold."

[Logansquare]

67. My SIL is a Chinese immigrant, and she insists on being called "Stephanie"

although her real name is Lu, or something similar that westerners can't quite get right. I don't think it's shame of her ethnic backgroud that motivates her. I think she's sick of westerners mispronouncing her name, as well as a trend in China to give kids English names. Younger Chinese get tired of being the 8th Chi in their extended families and want a little variety.

[donco6]

70. That happens all the time with kids in school.

My partner is a high school counselor and he's always running into Asians - particularly Vietnamese kids - who have completely Anglicized their names. I'm talking from Cara Cai to Julie. (Which actually is close to the meaning of the name, now that I think about it.) But it just is such a jarring switch. And it makes me sad that they feel they have to do that. I find their names to be so interesting and unique. But I can understand why they might.

What an interesting question.

[warrens]

52. Good post

I think parents should think about the impact of a name on the kid. My ex wife had all these wild names (we're both white, BTW) and I just said, no trendy names, no weird ones, because the other kids will pick on her. We didn't have the racial thing of course, but you have to look to future. We finally settled on Kathleen, not Cathy or Kathy or Kate. It's distinctive enough, but not out there. Cosby's remarks were, I thought, kinda mean, but not wrong.

but as the original poster put it, blacks have no monopoly on weird names. Just in this country, being white or asian is a passport to respectability, and naming your baby Jesus is you are latino or Shaniqua if black is an invite to ridicule from racists who are just looking for an excuse.

[libnnc]

5. I'm caucasian and I think this is an interesting conversation...

I wanna keep this thread kicked.

[Eloriel]

6. It's my understanding that some African Americans want to

avoid having "slave holders' names." They want to avoid Caucasian names, because Caucasians were slave holders.

Not unlike my own case, when I was getting my divorce (way back when), I considered changing my name, but I didn't want to go back to my maiden name -- my father's name -- because that's not who I was any more and as a very avowed feminist, didn't want a patriarchal name. But the problem was, there was NO name that wasn't some man's name. I almost settled on my beloved maternal grandmother's maiden name, but that, of course, was also some man's name. It was sad and galling, frankly. So I can strongly identify with those blacks who do not want to give their children slave holders' names.

[greeneyedpookie]

33. I think

that you need to research the history of namesakes of the women marrying and the children resulting of the marriage taking the father's name. It actually started centuries ago. Along the time of arranged marriages. (Which in fact were arranged by women.) It was a gift to the man's family to have the woman and children to take the man's name. For instance, a man can father a child and then go off to war and be killed. What is left of him to give the world, nothing, however, the woman can live on, marry again and have more children. Then only thing left for the man is his name. That is all.

GEP

:bounce:

[really annoyed]

69. Oh Please

The feminist poster can do what she pleases with her name.

Seems like you got a tad offended by it. I think your history is a bit off. The last name has ALWAYS came from the man.

[Ikonoklast]

77. Not in Spain

My sister married a Spanish national and lives in Valencia. Her sons' last name is the same as hers. After the Spanish Civil War so many men had died the only practical way to keep track of families was to take the matriarchs' last name.

[formernaderite]

47. I worked with a black brick layer who told me the same thing...

what I found just as strange was blacks taking on Arabic sounding names, along the same principle without knowing they were the original slave traders. I actually love the creativity of some black names, they can be very beautiful, particularly on women.

[Pithy Cherub]

10. The University of Chicago & MIT studied this.

As an African American, my hat is off to your speaking up and doing it beautifully! Those "ladies" reflected their home training.

A couple of months ago, I was at an event with Tavis Smiley and Michael Eric Dyson. Tavis's riff on this was side splittingly hilarious. He cited the study at the link below about HR discriminating based on the name. His serious point was understand the ramifications of being different when selecting names.

Dr. Dyson took a different route on the matter. He mentioned how certain white folks just love Condoleeza Rice. He too cited the study and the linguistics of African American names ending in the letter "a". And he went on to say that Condoleeza's mother had used a connotation from music to name her and she has suffered not suffered unduly.

Cornel West said just call him Cornel West because he had brought his mom to the event! LOL!

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_2_48/ai_97873146

[fortyfeetunder]

12. Just an anecdotal observation

I think it has to do with cultural mores in the particular community. In some cases, some of the socially conservative AA's gave their children Anglo names, with few variations. And speaking of Bill Cosby, I remember he and his wife gave names for their children that start with the letter E, because IIRC, their wanted to reflect E was also for excellence.

But I think it is downright racism to single out these names regardless of their accomplishments as documented in the latest research journal. As the US increases its population of immigrants (in part thanks to globalization), it's going to be hard for me to believe that people are going to judge accomplishments of individuals based solely on names such as Hiro, Osama, Muhammad, Thuy, Marielita, Phan, Tameka, Jose, Marisol, and DuShawn.

Oh yes, not all the names are AA but just wanted to say we are going to see more of these names, than Sally, Harry, Dick and Jane in the future.

[shimmergal]

64. Good points, but I doubt we're going to see

many babies in America being named "Osama" for a while.

Sixty years later, we still don't see many boys named Adolph, do we?

[Igel]

13. I do linguistics, so I'll try a linguistics insight.

Languages change over time; they can diverge and even split, they can influence each other and even converge and merge. The same holds for cultures.

It's been noted that when two social groups desire to reinforce their distinctiveness and draw a boundary around themselves (call it "group cohesion", "solidarity", whatever), they will accentuate linguistic differences. It was assumed for a long time that two languages adjacent two each other with lots of bilingualism would automatically influence each other; research shown on some languages in Oaxaca show this is *not* necessarily the case. In fact, the Oto-Manguean languages, initially similar, were changing quickly to become maximally dissimilar within a couple of generations. It's also held true in the Serbo-Croatian dialect continuum in the former Yugoslavia, as Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegran establish their own identities. I suspect it'll work the same for their cultures.

It holds for social groups: Detroit high school students quickly adapt their speech to mark which social group they're in, and there's nothing special about Detroit in this regard.

One strong argument for African-American English's (AAE) having originally been a creole, sharply distinct from Standard English (however that's defined), is since it *must* have been converging for a couple of hundred years, it started off even more different than it is now. That "must" was an assumption. It turns out that people have checked this assumption, and consensus is that African-American English has been *diverging* in the last 30-40 years. Moreover, it's been unifying as it diverges from Standard English, as dialectal AAE gives way to a sort of standard pan-US AAE. This has given pause to creolists (but only a pause, since at least some of that discourse is based in ideas about identity, not linguistics). A new school of thought is that AAE started off as a close approximation to standard English, but with some differences, and those differences have grown over time. It's an unsolved, or oft-solved, problem.

The same goes with AAE names. Some, in some areas, may be traditional (Carolina coastal islands, for example?). But many of the rest are, I suspect, an attempt to be distinctive at some level--individual, family, group, culture. Some, no doubt, echo back to African names to establish a link with their genes' history and thereby establish distinctiveness, although most African-Americans haven't much of a clue which languages their ancestors spoke, and therefore what the set of traditional names for their bloodline would have been. Others create names to establish distinctiveness. Some names have now become standard cultural fare, and don't show an attempt to create distinctiveness, just an acknowledgement that there is a cultural difference; and some people, I think, just like the sound of a given name, or have the cultural freedom to create a novel name for their kid.

Accentuating historical animosities and cultural differences falls in line with this. Why it's happening I'll leave to the anthropologists in 2150 (the current crop are advocates more than observers, from what I've seen).

White, uneducated folk in the south ("rednecks") have had a long tradition of unusual names: some modeled on Bible names, others just nonce formations. Now we hear them, and think they're influenced by AAE names; but the two traditions, redneck and AA, were probably the same. It's just one is now judged to still be redneck, and the other serves to enforce or denote distinctiveness, defining the in-group versus the "other".

[stevedeshazer]

16. Thanks, that was an interesting take on the subject. eom.

[ZombieNixon]

38. Addendum from other linguist

I live in NW NM, near the Navajo reservation. A lot of Navajos around here have last names that to most people are rather WASPy first names (Jim, Joe, John, Billy, etc.) Why? Back in the day, when white people first began moving into the area, they couldn't pronounce the Navajo names (and still can't), so just started addressing them as "Hey Joe," and some such. Eventually, the names stuck.

Accents are also often a mark of solidarity. Take England, for example. The Cockney-accents (Eliza Dolittle and such) were perfectly aware of how the Henry Higginses of the world spoke, but chose to maintain their own accents as part of their identity. Inevitably, a few social climbers started to change their accents in order to advance their social status, but those part of the upper crust, anxious not be identified with the social-climing rabble, simply innovated further. In this manner, the English accent of the 17th century (which was virtually identical to a modern New England accent evolved into modern RP Brit English. This all seems a little weird when you think that you have the same accent as William Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I!

[XemaSab]

66. Funny to picture

Shakespere talking like JFK.

"But soft! What light through yondah window breaks? It is the east, and Jooo-liet the sun!"

[Lydia Leftcoast]

43. I haven't been associated with linguistics for years, but I

recall reading William Labov's early studies of AAE and his belief that the growth of urban black speech had to do with residential and school segregation. All other things being equal, children grow up speaking with the accent of their peer group.

He went to the UK and found that black people there (as long as they weren't direct immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean) spoke the local dialect for their social class. That is, working class blacks in a given city spoke the same as the local working class whites. Middle class blacks spoke the same as the local middle class whites. You couldn't tell what color a person was if you just heard them on the phone. If you've seen British movies or TV programs that take place in modern times, you've undoubtedly noticed this phenomenon.

Supposedly this is because residential areas in the UK are more segregated by social class than by race.

[CatWoman]

14. I'm African American, and will probably piss some AA's off

but I find those names stupid and annoying.

I can't stand them.

I went off on my sister-in-law, both her daughters have these absurb names even "I" can't spell. Can you imagine a child just learning to spell with that burden put upon him or her?

Now, my first name is Japanese, but most people assume that I'm named for a bottle of liquer. That's ignorance on their part, but, hey -- whatever.

However, it IS a real name. I was named for my aunt, as I was born around the time my uncle married her.

Most of those names aren't "real" names -- they are made up.

[AspenRose]

17. I'm right there with you

Granted, I'm mixed race....but my first name is German.

And some clueless white person says one of two things:

1. You don't LOOK German (!), and
2. Is your name African?

*sigh*

[6000eliot]

21. What name isn't "made up?"

Did the names "John" and "Susan" fall from heaven? The names we think of as "real" have just been around longer and people have gotten used to them. Once Shanequa has been around for a couple of generations, people will get used to it as well.

[CatWoman]

26. Oh, god!! Perish the thought!!!!

Once Shanequa has been around for a couple of generations, people will get used to it as well.


:scared:

[Xithras]

49. Most European names evolved from older languages.

Take the two names you mentioned:

"John" is the English form of Johannes, which was the latin form of "Yochanan". Yochanan is Hebrew for "God is Gracious".

"Susan" is the English form of Sousanna, which is the Greek version of "Shoshannah". Shoshannah, in turn, is the ancient Hebrew name for the lily flower (in modern Hebrew it means rose).

My youngest sons name "Thomas" is the English form of the Aramaic word Te'oma, which means "twin".

Basically, most names in most European languages are adapted from real words for real objects. They weren't just made up.

[6000eliot]

65. And where did those original words come from?

[CatWoman]

68. Shaka Zulu Briggs

my, that name has a nice ring to it.

[Xithras]

72. The point is that "traditional" names are words with meanings.

What I don't get is why traditional African names aren't more in vogue with those who want to avoid European names. I work with an AA woman named "Adanna", a traditional Igbo name that my name ety site says translates to "father's daughter". She has three kids, all of whom also have traditional African names...though the only one I can remember is Sanyu, which means "joy" in one of the African languages.

In contrast, I met a woman last week named "Shaniqua", which means absolutely nothing to anyone...it's just a bunch of meaningless sounds strung together.

[Obamarama]

29. Midori?

I love the stuff. Next time I have some, I'll be sure to drink a toast to Cat Woman!

[CatWoman]

31. Prosit!!

:toast:

[antigone382]

75. It means green!

I know because I read "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murukami, and one of the main characters is named Midori. It's a beautiful name.

[solinvictus]

35. I have to agree with you..

In Chattanooga, my black co-workers were named William, Eric, Michelle and Jennifer. Now, I've moved back to Birmingham and there are so many LaShunda's, Tyniqua's, and such that it's made me curious as to the reason. Yes, I understand, on some level, a rationale for wanting a distinctive name, but it can get silly. I remember a few years back there was an AA guy here in Birmingham who was murdered in his yard and he'd sired several kids with several women. Because he dealt in used luxury cars, he named his kids Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, and such. An AA coworker of mine named her kid Quineria. Now, I assumed in was pronounced "kwie-neer-ia", which sounds like some sort of disease to me. I feel for that poor little girl.

[CatWoman]

36. LOLOL

My brother-in-law's sister named her daughter "Porshe".

Hopefully, she won't follow her mother's footsteps and name her kid "Cadillac"

:D

[noiretextatique]

42. porsche is a variation of portia

PORSCHE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: POR-sha
Variant of PORTIA

http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=porsche

PORTIA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: POR-sha

From the Roman family name Porcius, which means "pig". This is the name of a character in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' who disguises herself as a man in order to defend Antonio in court. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearian character.


http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=portia

[solinvictus]

48. And Mercedes...

it's a female name.

[CatWoman]

59. yes it is

however, I have to stress -- this woman knew nothing about the roots or variations of these names -- she named that damn girl AFTER THE CAR.

[CatWoman]

58. um, Karen

she was named after the car. Variation be damned.

[noiretextatique]

60. the point is

it's a name, just like Midori is. it means green in japanese, i believe.

[CatWoman]

61. Yes it does

and I would like to think that the Liquer company took that in consideration in naming the product, just as my parents did.

I would hate to go thru life knowing that I was named for a bottle of booze. Same as I would hate to go thru life knowing that I was named after a car.

But hey -- that's just me.

[solinvictus]

62. Product names...

I had two AA young women who worked for me at CIGNA named after products. One was Tequila and the other was Toshiba. Really.

[noiretextatique]

63. names often have different meanings

especially when they are used to sell products. perhaps you cam tell her the other meaning of her name :hi:

[Ladyhawk]

54. That's odd because I like the sound of some of the names

and think they are creative BECAUSE they are made up. :) I think "normal" names are a bit boring. What do I know, though? You are, of course, quite entitled to your opinion.

[confludemocrat]

15. White people's names are changing too

heard the George Carlin bit about how Tony, Bill and Nick (or something) could kick Tyler, Tucker and Cody's ass anytime?

[Kipepeo]

50. Agreed - I bet those same racist white women who were bashing

what they called black names, are responsible for foisting names like Montana, Siera (spelled that way - yes), and Meadow on their helpless babies.

[Catherine Vincent]

19. I applaud you for sticking it to those clueless ladies.

You probably upset them but I'll bet they'll think twice about having that conversation again. A close friend of mine (white) had a conversation about this same topic with me. My sister had just had a baby and I told her what she named her and my friend said that was a pretty name, it's not like one of those names that some black women give their kids. I know my friend meant well but I didn't think to have thought of what you said to those ladies. She's just like that, like she makes a big deal that white friends of ours marry or date black people. She thought it was weird that a white friend of ours had Smokey Robinson as her favorite singer. I would ask her what is wrong with that? She didn't have an answer, just thought it was weird.

But I am also in agreement with Cat Woman, some of those names given are downright silly sounding. Here is one for an example: Myunique. LOL!

[CatWoman]

30. A co-worker's daughter just named her daughter, "Angel"

another friend says she's preparing the kid for her inevitable gig as a pole dancer :D

[jmm]

20. I wish I saw the same animosity over "white names" as

people seem to show towards "black names." AA's do not have a monopoly on unusual names. I would rather be have a name like Shaniqua than Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet, or Diva Muffin. My white mom wanted to name me Melantha. My black father wanted to name me Jessie Mae after his mother. They compromised and named me Jessica Mae. Do I need to ask which one wanted the more unique name? Give me a Deshon any day it would be a refresher after all the people I know who are naming their sons Jaden (or Jayden or Aidan or Aden etc)

[Rob_G]

22. Shaniqua

I think Shaniqua has actually come into its own... it gets 31,000 hits on Google.

[Rob_G]

23. and...

I think it's pretty.

[skooooo]

37. I have two black cats...

...named "Clawdette" and "Bozwell." They get along okay.

:P

[noiretextatique]

44. SHANIQUA

SHANIQUA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: sha-NEE-kwa
Extra Info: Popularity
Options: Contribute Information, Add to List
Combination of the popular name elements Shan and qua.
http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=shaniqua

:shrug: just a combination of name elements. it seems this names was most popular from 1990-1994.

[bribri16]

27. I'm caucasian so I might have it wrong. But did it really start with ROOTS

It seems to me that there was a surge in black pride following the printing and airing of "Roots."

[noiretextatique]

39. no, it didn't start with roots

it started with the black power movement, which started long before roots was aired. it started with some african-americans choosing african names in the sixties, and it went on from there.
even earlier, in the south in particular people have been creatively naming their children. i think that's true across racial lines, and it probably applies to other regions as well.
my only reservation about the new crop of homemade names is that they give people yet another reason to discriminate, per the study someone posted here.

[donco6]

71. Surely you remember the hoopla when Cassius Clay

changed his name to Muhammad Ali! That was long before Roots.

on edit, meant to post to the one above you. Sorry.

[tamtam]

28. Interesting topic

You can probably guess my name by my screen name. I used to get made fun of all the time in school by my black friends. I have what some black people consider a white name. My maiden name was Irish so that really took the cake. I think people should be able to name their children whatever they please. Granted, some of these names are ridiculous. This goes for black and white parents.

Some white kids names tend to get on my nerves because it seems that so many of these names are popular. When my children were in daycare there were at least five little girls in their room with the same name that started with a K. My god, that name got old

When it comes to black kids the names that tend to get me are the names that are so out there. The unique names that were hard to spell and pronounce.

It's all about opinion though. This is my opinion and people should fell free to name their kids whatever they please without persecution.

I think it is a very sad day when your discriminated against based on your name.

[qanda]

32. I guess I'll chime in...

It seems like there was a move during the 80's to give your child the most "unique" name available. Trust me when I tell you that I actually know a couple of people who named their child "Unique"-- Please don't ask me why. I think a lot of the parents naming their children these names were very young and much of the ridicule about this has come from the black community.

I named my daughter Aria, because I am a singer and she's my little song. :) Unfortunately, my daughter complains almost every week because no one else she knows shares her name. I guess being unique, which I wasn't trying to be, has its price.

[Solly Mack]

34. To illustrate a point. Tamika is Japanese in origin. It means "people"

Get the point?

Assigning a name a racial value, such as "black" or "white", is racist.

More especially since the connotations of that assigned racial value is always negative.

"Black name" "Not normal"

Keeping in mind that assigning a racial value is WAY DIFFERENT from knowing the origins of a persons name.

[noiretextatique]

40. i don't think there are distintively african-american names

per solly mack's post. and of course, creative naming isn't particularly "african-american" either.

[Midnight Rambler]

51. From a latino perspective

A lot of families give their children traditional names, but a lot of the time they end up being called by an Angliczed version of that name. Juan becomes John, Jose becomes Joe, Alejandro becomes Alex... etc. So it's really the same name. Also, I've heard several instances, including in my own family, where white sounding names (such as Deborah) are given a more Spanish sounding pronunciation.

Still, we're not immune from the unusual name. My cousin just had a little girl and named her Vianca. When I first heard it, I said, "Bianca?" "No, Vianca. WTF?

[donco6]

73. I work with a guy who is named Manuel. . .

and he pronounces it Man yew el. ?? Whatever! Names are funny things. My mom named me after a soap opera character! Now THAT's meaningful!

[Ladyhawk]

53. Actually, I think those names are hella more creative than the names

white Americans give their children. If I had a kid, I hope I'd have the guts to think up something creative that wouldn't get the little guy killed at school. :)

Perhaps there is cultural significance to the names, but I like the way they sound, too. :shrug:

[yorkiemommie1]

55. anything is better than 'john doe'

funny that i happened upon this thread.


i just heard that a friend's daughter is babysitting a child named 'john doe '. to make things worse, this child ( whose ethnicity i do not know ) is only two and does not seem to have a stable home.

[omega minimo]

56. Their conversation was none of your business

but it was not "PRIVATE" and they have no right to inflict their ignorance and "overtly racist comments" on a captive audience in a restaurant.

You may not be able to educate them in 3 minutes and you may not need to.... simply tell them that their racist comments were offensive to you. They can splutter about it all they like, but if they have half a brain, they will realize they should either stop talking like that altogether...or at least in public.

They'll think about it.

Gotta go, MAD TV is on. They make fun of everybody!

[the_spectator]

57. (White guy here) - Giving wacky names is NOT just a black thing...

Sure, there's a lot of black Shaniquas, Teniquas, Rashauns, etc. etc. out there. And thats NOT a "Good Thing." But how can white people complain?

What about WHITE kids these days? What about all those Haydens/Kaydens/Jaydens out there? What about all those little white kids named Noah, or Jakob, or Max: and the closest either of their parents have ever come to Jewishness is a sauage-and-egg bagel at Dunkin' Donuts?

EVERYONE's fucking up names these days.

Any one else remember Cletus (and his wife, Brandine's) babies' names, from the Simpsons? (Of course, the last two are for extra-added comedic effect, but the first 24 are sadly perfectly typical):

Tiffany, Heather, Cody, Dylan, Dermot, Jordan, Taylor, Brittany, Wesley, Rumor, Scout, Cassidy, Zoe, Cloe, Max, Hunter, Kendall, Caitlin, Noah, Sascha, Morgan, Kyra, Ian, Lauren, Q-bert, Phil. get out here, free pretzels!

[really annoyed]

74. More Stupid Names

To tell you the truth, I'm sick of everybody naming their kids "Emily." Also, I'm sick of people giving male names to girls. See, white people can engage in stupid baby names too.

Take a look at the top 100 names for 2004. Plenty of stupid ones in here.

1. Emily 1.241
2. Emma 1.073
3. Madison 1.025
4. Olivia 0.798
5. Hannah 0.772
6. Abigail 0.766
7. Isabella 0.744
8. Ashley 0.715
9. Samantha 0.684
10. Elizabeth 0.671
11. Alexis 0.669
12. Sarah 0.628
13. Grace 0.620
14. Alyssa 0.603
15. Sophia 0.541
16. Lauren 0.496
17. Brianna 0.485
18. Kayla 0.485
19. Natalie 0.482
20. Anna 0.470
21. Jessica 0.470
22. Taylor 0.464
23. Chloe 0.433
24. Hailey 0.431
25. Ava 0.430
26. Jasmine 0.421
27. Sydney 0.417
28. Victoria 0.410
29. Ella 0.409
30. Mia 0.367
31. Morgan 0.363
32. Julia 0.355
33. Kaitlyn 0.348
34. Rachel 0.341
35. Katherine 0.334
36. Megan 0.333
37. Alexandra 0.329
38. Jennifer 0.325
39. Destiny 0.322
40. Allison 0.292
41. Savannah 0.288
42. Haley 0.285
43. Mackenzie 0.285
44. Brooke 0.284
45. Maria 0.284
46. Nicole 0.283
47. Makayla 0.281
48. Trinity 0.280
49. Kylie 0.277
50. Kaylee 0.271
50. Paige 0.271
52. Lily 0.268
53. Faith 0.268
54. Zoe 0.266
55. Stephanie 0.258
56. Jenna 0.257
57. Andrea 0.251
58. Riley 0.248
59. Katelyn 0.246
60. Angelina 0.241
61. Kimberly 0.241
62. Madeline 0.237
63. Mary 0.237
64. Leah 0.235
65. Lillian 0.235
66. Michelle 0.234
67. Amanda 0.232
68. Sara 0.222
69. Sofia 0.221
70. Jordan 0.221
71. Alexa 0.220
72. Rebecca 0.220
73. Gabrielle 0.219
74. Caroline 0.217
75. Vanessa 0.216
76. Gabriella 0.211
77. Avery 0.201
78. Marissa 0.199
79. Ariana 0.198
80. Audrey 0.193
81. Jada 0.193
82. Autumn 0.191
83. Evelyn 0.187
84. Jocelyn 0.186
85. Maya 0.186
86. Arianna 0.182
87. Isabel 0.180
88. Amber 0.180
89. Melanie 0.178
90. Diana 0.177
91. Danielle 0.175
92. Sierra 0.174
93. Leslie 0.174
94. Aaliyah 0.172
95. Erin 0.167
96. Amelia 0.167
97. Molly 0.166
98. Claire 0.166
99. Bailey 0.165
100. Melissa 0.165


Not to mention that the name "Genesis" ranks at 185.

[Rich Hunt]

76. yep

Those are soap opera and romance novelist names.

[Sapphire Blue]

78. My grandson has multicultural names... conveying deep meaning

... and reflecting family heritage. Upon learning of his names, a co-worker expressed her ‘concern’ that my newborn (at the time) grandson might be subjected to ridicule when enrolled in school because of his names. I thanked her for her ‘concern’, and assured her that would not be the case as he would not be attending a racist school... my, how she blushed... looked like 3rd degree sunburn! My grandson is now attending a multicultural, non-racist school... lots of beautiful names and beautiful children.

[noiretextatique]

79. the more i think about this

the more i think you should have minded your own business.

[GeekMonkey]

80. If a name is silly sounding, it's silly sounding, I don't care about its

origin

but i do applaud you for standing up to racism

im 1/4 lebanese, but i could pass for caucasian, not so much when i was young tho, the kids at school called me sand-nigger

kids are mean