Does ethnicity affect opinions of names?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
Does ethnicity affect opinions of names?
16
Fri, 09-28-2007 - 10:15pm
Just wondering what people thought about this... Would you have a different feeling or opinion about a name choice if you knew the ethnic background of the baby. For example, my children are half caucasian and half african american. So, they have darker skin. I have gotten comments, like, they shouldn't have names like Ben or Joe, because they are "supposed" to have something more out there. No one's exact words here, just my interpretation of what has actually been said... in a nutshell. I happen to like "different" names anyhow, but I wouldn't really think it should matter. Honest opinions would be appreciated. WDYT?? Thanks,
Wendy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2007
Mon, 10-01-2007 - 2:09pm

There was an article awhile back, I wish I could track it down, but it looked at applicants when they went to apply for jobs.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2004
Tue, 10-02-2007 - 2:38pm
hello!! i think ethnicity plays a big role in what we name our kids. i have told my mom some of the names i like (jade, alexia and jasmine) and she says theyre too "african american" to her.(im white and so is my hubby)i feel like even i really liked a name-if it is considered to be of one ethical background or another-i might hesitate to use it or might scatch it all together(like nikoli-i love it-my hubby hates it cuz its too "Russian" for him...)i think though that if you really really like a name-then it shouldnt matter what the person its attached to looks lke-ive known a lakisha and a shateel who are white...and a richard and a hope that are black-so again, while it plays a role, we shouldnt "have" to name our kids a certain way because of ethnicity...and if you love a name-then by all means-use it. take care!!
joanne
maman2goons@yahoo.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2004
Tue, 10-02-2007 - 2:52pm

I agree that it shouldn't matter, but I think some people try too hard to give their kid an ethnic sounding name that is actually made up

hello!! yeah i dont like this-i want to ask "you hated your child when you came up with that name right??" i know a lil girl-a very cute, petite little thing-and her name is deshymetrius. (shes in my dds class)i asked my dd if she goes by "dee " and she said sometimes, but mostly she goes by her full name(and i might be spelling it wrong-but im pretty close). theres also a football player who plays for the giants that has this REALLY hard to pronounce last name and his first name is just as bad. again, i think "did you hate your child that much that you would name them that??" i mean if you like a name, then you like a name, but theres also gong overboard with trying to sound too ethnic...take care!!
joanne
maman2goons@yahoo.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
Tue, 10-02-2007 - 3:18pm
I agree. Some names are just WAY too much, regardless of what race the person is. I've heard some of those names too, and you can't even pronounce it. Then the poor little kid has to learn to spell it! Then there are those famous people naming their kids Apple, and Moxie Firefighter. Is that supposed to be an attempt to be original. It is, but, come on! Thanks for your opinion!
Wendy
Avatar for dr_kae
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 10-02-2007 - 4:12pm
I can deal with Apple (it feels wholesome to me...though Lord knows I wouldn't USE it,) but Moxie Crimefighter was just too, too much. Moxie, maybe...Crimefighter...oh, come now. That's just begging the child to jump off the roof with a towel around her neck.



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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2006
Wed, 10-03-2007 - 5:00pm

ethnicity of names matters to some people. ther are women of my mom's generation who have Latin/Spanish names who are not at all Latin or Spanish. something must have inspired their mom's to give Juanita, Delores, other Spanish names. perhaps, influence of i Love Lucy?


of course some people like some ethinic names, such as i love Joaquin, Hiromi, Dominique, Aaliyah, Pocahontas, Hadassah. quite a range, huh?


i grew up in a small town 70% "caucasian", Spanish, mostly Mexican, many 2nd, 3rd generation, and 2 African-American families, and also many families had adopted Korean babies/children. in school, none of us were prejudiced, the 2 African American brothers 6 yrs apart were never left out, and honestly no one thought a thing of it.

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