All Articles Tagged "black names"
What Would You Name Your Baby? You Lose $3,600 Per Year For Every Extra Letter In Your Name
New research from online job-matching service TheLadders found that there’s a link between the length of a person’s name and how much they’re paid. The more letters in your name, the lower your salary, to the tune of $3,600 annually for each additional letter. So, for instance, a “Bill” makes more than a “William” and a “Debbie” more than “Deborah.” The company, which took a look at the names, industries, and salaries for its six million members, even noticed a difference between “Michele” and “Michelle.”
The one name that’s doing well, turning up prominently on lists of executives and those with the highest pay, is “Christine.” Women, across the board, however, make much less than men.
Names are a heavy topic for African Americans, with studies finding time and again that resumes with a name that “sounds” too ethic have a problem getting to the interview stage. This a topic we tackled just today over on MommyNoire, with many commenters saying they will be cautious not to choose a name that would “put their child in a box” or “sound too ghetto.” As if this ongoing debate about race and name choice isn’t enough, The Boston Globe, published a big story about how name choices reflect society’s tastes and behaviors. For instance, back when Puritans were building the colonies, names like “Abstinence” were big.
“Economists Roland G. Fryer Jr. and Steven D. Levitt used data from a California state agency in 2004 to ask why black parents in racially isolated neighborhoods began giving their children “distinctively black names,” like DeShawn or Shanice, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, while other black parents’ name choices became more similar to whites’. Fryer and Levitt write that the ‘ghettoization’ of black names is likely a consequence of the black pride movement’s influence on black identity.”
So what names do you favor and why? Are you taking a future career into account when choosing a baby name?
The Age Of Quvenzhanè: Why You Should Consider Giving Your Child A Distinctly African American Name
Source: WENN
Growing up with the name Ashley Iman I was granted a sort of flexibility. When I wanted to appear racially ambiguous I would simply write Ashley and when I felt more comfortable I’d write the full Ashley Iman. Ashley is an Old English name and my spelling is very common in the United States across races. Iman, on the other hand, is Arabic, meaning faith and although I know a couple Iman’s now as an adult and it’s not quite as common. In the wake of September 11 I decided to drop Iman altogether not picking it up again until nearly ten years later. As a child, I was trying to seem as “American” as possible. But what is an American name? Furthermore, what defines American?
Too often “American names” are thought of as traditional European names; Ashley, John, Brittany, and Frank are just a few examples. Meanwhile, traditional African or Arabic names are labeled as foreign and the assumptions that come with that label can be questionable at best and downright racist as worst. Then, there’s a third category. These names are more traditionally African American names, newly created and nearly always creative. These names can be combinations of beloved relatives’ names, twists on traditional European names, or new takes on positive abstract concepts (ex. Neveah, which is Heaven, spelled backwards.) Unfortunately, the third category tends to experience the most bias in this country. From the everyday microagressions like coworkers refusing to learn the pronunciation of your name to systematic discrimination like the refusal to hire applicants with distinctly African American names, there is no doubt that America has a long way to go toward racial equality. However, despite all of the negative aspects, we are now living in the age of Quevenzhanè and I’d like to make a case for why you should consider giving your child a name from that second or third category.
Before I make my case I want to put this in perspective, all names were created at one point or another. Our language is constantly evolving, for example Ashley was first considered a boy’s name but with time it evolved to be used mainly for girls with multiple different spellings. So when we hear gripes from those that wonder why you wouldn’t just choose an existing name we have to wonder how much of this is simply shaming African Americans for being African American. We all know that doing anything while black is likely to bring criticism.
Read more on MommyNoire.com.
Did You Say Your Name Was Jebediah? Old School Male Names We Haven’t Heard In A Minute
I’ve already gotten into all the grannyish little old lady names that we no longer think twice about, and now its time to dig up the male names as well. All mothers want their sons to have a strong, respectable name, which will be the first thing that people identify them by in life, but you also don’t want your son laughed at in school. Here are a couple of boy/grown man names that probably won’t get your son on top of the popularity list:
Source: WENN
Clarence
This name does have a respectable sound to it but let’s be real, what 4-year-old boy wants to go by a name more fitting of his grandpappy?
Asher and Pippa?
Asher tops the list of hottest boys’ names so far this year and Pippa is #1 for girls. Pippa of course is the cutie pie little sis of Kate Middleton, Prince William’s new bride. Rounding out the top five for boys names are Arlo, Everett, Flynn and Archer.
Elula comes in at #2 for babygirls followed by Elula, Luna, Hadley and Mila.
Do those names sound cute to you? Are there any celebs or celeb children you would name your future munchkins after?
Is Your Child’s Name ‘Creative’ or Just Tacky?
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?
The Blackest Name in America Is…
(AP) — George Washington’s name is inseparable from America, and not only from the nation’s history. It identifies countless streets, buildings, mountains, bridges, monuments, cities — and people. Oddly enough, most of these people are black. The 2000 U.S. Census counted 163,036 people with the surname Washington. Ninety percent of them were African-American, a far higher black percentage than for any other common name.
The story of how Washington became the “blackest name” begins with slavery and takes a sharp turn after the Civil War, when all blacks were allowed the dignity of a surname.
Are Black Parents Attacked for Using “Ethnic” Names?
What’s in a name? Almost everything, apparently.
During the The Black Power movement of the 1960s, folks dumped what they deemed as “slave names” and opted for the more meaningful Afro-centric ones. Back then, blacks repossessed their names, and that was good. But was the “new black name revolution” good for all?
