Is Your Child’s Name ‘Creative’ or Just Tacky?

June 16th, 2011 - By Christelyn Karazin


 

A few weeks ago, I posted on my blog a spoof from the People’s News called “Black Women Losing Rights to Their Children’s Names.”  The satirical article said that a judge took away black women’s rights to name their kids because black women were getting a tad to ummm, creative with the names. Most people found it hilarious, but others got a bit prickly.  The following quote I am pasting as-is, spelling errors and all:

Basically I think it’s not funny. African Americans should have the same rights as well as Caucasians and any other race to name their child whatever they please. It may not be the right choice but it’s called “Freedom”. Every one in the world can’t be proper. I’m sorry but I don’t agree with this “Funny”. God blessed people with a tongue so a teacher can simply ask the child this ” Excuse me , how do you pronounce your name”? Now is’nt that simple ??

Yes, every parent is free to name their child Boonquisha, Facebook, Apple or Tuesday.  But really…should you?

Because the child isn’t “free” when he or she is marginalized because someone in a Human Resource office can’t pronounce the name.  And for the record, you have to actually get called, interviewed, and hired before you can cry discrimination, am I right?

And this is not just my opinion.  There’s solid research to back me up.

People were quick to add some of the…urhm…unusual names they’d heard and it is almost too hard to be believed:

  • Fuquan
  • A-Goddess
  • Alize (as in the booze)
  • Apostrophe
  • Clamydia
  • Sir Jaquaylin Demetrius III
  • A name pronounced, A-sho-lee, but spelled like the curse word
  • Orangello
  • Lemonjello

‘Da hay-ee-ll?

You are free to name your child, but that child will be shackled and defined by that name for the rest of her life, unless she changes it.  Like one wise commenter said, “Mothers, please get a grip. Don’t put that kind of stress/curse on your kids. Life is hard enough as it is.”

And please.  Hold your comments about that ONE dude you knew named ‘Elemeno’ who got the CEO position at XYZ.  Okay?

What are some of the more “interesting” names you’ve come across?

Christelyn D. Karazin is the co-author of Swirling: How to Date, Mate and Relate Mixing Race Culture and Creed (to be released February 2012), and runs a blog, www.beyondblackwhite.com, dedicated to women of color who are interested and or involved in interracial and intercultural relationships. She is also the founder and organizer of “No Wedding, No Womb,” an initiative to find solutions to the 72 percent out-of-wedlock rate in the black community.

 

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  • Matt

    As a counselor one of the worst names I came across was…Abcde.
    I’ll let that sink in for a few…..
    Ready?…it was pronounced Ab-cee-dee.
    When she explained her name to me it was painfully obvious she hated her name. Parents, get a grip on yourselves, enough said.

  • Victoria

    In middle school I knew these two white boys who were named "Random" and "Ever" lol

  • Sandra

    I went to school with a Marijuana Johnson. My daughter (Briana) has friends named .. Khatiti, Buttamiesha,Shalameisha and a set of sisters named after the seasons…Autumn, Summer, Winter, Spring & Seasons (that’s the one I have a problem with). I know first hand that employers look at names first to do decide who to call in for an interview.

  • Lynise

    And for goodness sake…IF you so choose to name your child something that would be considered "unconventional", please teach them the value of remaining under the radar…unlike South Carolina's "Dakalaikeya"…SMH

  • P.B

    it's pathetic when a parent (usually young, & dumb) names their child some made-up, ghetto name. it may look cute to you, but fast forward 20-30 yrs and see if lil' tonseniqua or denzelmalik feels the same then! i used to work in human resources and have held other positions where applications have come across my desk. you'd be surprised what goes on when one of those names come up. did we throw away the application? no… but unfortunately the applicant never received anything more than a "thank you for your interest" letter. when i have my son (unless his dad suddenly decides he WANTS his name to be junior – he hates his first name & doesn't want to subject the child to it), i want to name him isaiah naquon. i'm holding onto my african heritage yes, but i'm also being realistic and trying to give my child a fighting chance. and before some of you start putting me down for putting a jewish name first, that was my grandfather's name. i never met him, but heard so much about him and wanted to honor him in some way.

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