What is up with African American names

Factual Questions
121

You’ve offered no proof that the popularity of “Madison” is due to the name of a character in a 1984 movie. In 1990, the name Madison ranked 216 among most popular baby names; the following year it shot up to 133. When fad names are inspired by characters in pop culture, there is not a delay effect; the highest number of babies named so occur around the movie or television show’s release. For example, over 80% of the American-born babies named Kunta were born in 1977, the year of the miniseries Roots. The popularity of the name (see AnyBirthday.com) dropped precipitously after that year.

Madison as a given name is hardly new; the Social Security Death Index shows 2,490 persons in the U.S. with that first name died in the period 1962-2002.

The given name Destiny follows a long established practice, found throughout the Western world, of naming a child after a particular quality. For examle, Faith, Hope, Charity, and Prudence, were popular girls’ names among English-speaking peoples the 18th and 19th century, while Desiré and Desirée were popular among French-speaking peoples.

Mackenzie also follows a long-established shift of surnames to given names, a practice that was already gaining in England in the late 19th century.

122

Yes, I posted this on the flaming Tarpal thread but I figure most folks stay away from the shitstorm that is the BBQ pit.
NPR had a piece on Morning Edition about a study by Marianne Bertrand of the University of Chicago which showed that people with Caucasian names were fifty percent more likely to be called back than people who had black names.
http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.jhtml?prgId=3&prgDate=current
It seems that someone like Tarpal is most likely the norm rather than an aberration.
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/soc/2002/pd121202d.html is Ms Bertrand’s report but it seems a bit thin.
Since everyone’s so god damned sensitive about this kind of subject, I’m not trying to be an apologist nor am I trying to troll.

123

So…because it happens a lot we should just let it go? Give me a break.

124

Only to someone determined to see it in that light. I don’t think any of his remarks implied racism or singled out anyone for ridicule, you are over-reacting.

125

Lets not include “Michaela” among weird names, either. This is obviously the feminine version of Michael.

I have met a German and a Mexican with this name.

126

It is probably not entirely coincidental that the young girls who would have idolized Daryl Hannah in a 1984 film would have just started hitting childbearing years around 1989-1990.

The “Madison” effect is certainly boosted by the current trend towards last names being used as first names. But it absolutely, unquestionably started with “Splash.” Had that movie not been released, “Madison” today would not be the #2 girls’ name in America, and probably would not be in the top 1000. Prior to 1984, “Madison” as a girl’s name was essentially unknown; it was used, albiet rarely, as a boy’s name.

And my point stands anyway; the silly made-up-name thing is not a “black” phenomenon. The flood of “TaQuishas” is no worse than the ridiculous proliferation of little girls named “Madison,” “Dylan” and “Mackenzie,” or the bizarre white suburban drive to misspell every child’s name with any phonetic equivalent the alphabet will allow, such as “Aschleigh,” “Crystyna,” “Camrin” and “Kortny.” We have an entire generation of white girls who first names, on paper, look like stage names for cheap strippers.

As for boys’ names, as one person put it, “I shudder to think of how many little boys are being named, as we speak, “Samwise.””

127

raisinbread, I heard that report. Yes, it is true that Tarpal seemed to fit this pattern. We might say he’s but one of thousands of HR people who have a bias against candidates with certain “ethnic” names.

But what made his admission particularly startling was the fact that he was aware of and was unapologetic for it. He wasn’t doing it unconsciously, but actually heave-hoing the applications and believing that this was good for the health of his business. I also don’t like the fact that he tied to to class. He essentially said that not only did he do this, but that he believed his workplace was better for not having low-class black people on the payroll. I suspect that’s what made people so incredulous.

128

There are 3,328 persons with the given name Madison in the 1930 U.S. census. That’s not rare.

But as for the transformation of a boy’s name to a girls’ name, what is equally interesting is that of the 2,562 persons with the given name Ashley in the 1930 U.S. census, only 6% were female, and 94% were male. That ratio has just about been reversed today – despite the prominence of the name used for one of the central male characters in Gone With the Wind.

The rule of thumb in Western cultures is that given names migrate from male to female, but never in the reverse direction.

129

Corrections to my numbers above. There are an estimated 4,559 persons with the given name Madison in the 1930 U.S. census. There are an estimated 3,510 persons with the given name Ashley.

130

OK, maybe I was wrong about Elvis. But that was the only Southern white funny name I could think of off the top of my head when I first posted to this thread. I had a feeling it wasn’t enough to make my case with, so I looked up the Thomas Pyles article (cited above) which cites scads of funny white Southern Baptist names. And provides an explanation for the phenomenon.

131

my sentiments exactly! and what about chief white boy j danforth quayle. danforth? and i really can’t come to grips with these white people walking around with the name dick

132

Now, this is a horrible story, and I really feel for this little girl, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s related to Larry Bagina?

133

I’ve been avoiding even reading this thread for a while, but wanted to post much the same thing. The names in my own (“white”) family are a constant source of shame and embarrassment to me. I think it’s a class thing. My parents gave my sisters trailer-park hyphenated names: “Sherry-Lynn” and “Peggy-Sue”. Not too, bad, you might say. Peggy-Sue, (I suspect as a result of suffering having such a silly-ass name,) made an effort and gave her daughters sensible names. Sherry-Lynn, on the other hand, embraced the Cletus-factor. She named her first two daughters Christy-Lee and Darleina-Lynn. She then had some boys, and named them A.J. and T.J. Those aren’t initials for “real” names. Those are their names. My niece, Christy-Lee, had a baby last year, (within a month of the birth of her youngest brother*, if you can believe it,) and named the poor thing Makayla.

(Why yes, as a matter of fact, I do resent that people can tell from my Christmas cards that I spent part of my childhood living in a trailer.)

I have friends who named their kid Sativa. Have fun crossing borders when you grow up, girl.

If someone wants to give their kid a Swahili name because they’re proud of their ethnic background, more power to them. Much better than giving someone a name that isn’t even properly a name, but a diminutive, or initials, for god’s sake. Or simply stringing a few syllables together in a novel arrangement that sounds euphonious to the parents but doesn’t actually refer to anything.

*That one lucked out and is named “Taylor”, which doesn’t sound bad to me – probably because I’m used to it-- it’s my proper surname.

134

I’ve been avoiding even reading this thread for a while, but wanted to post much the same thing. The names in my own (“white”) family are a constant source of shame and embarrassment to me. I think it’s a class thing. My parents gave my sisters trailer-park hyphenated names: “Sherry-Lynn” and “Peggy-Sue”. Not too, bad, you might say. Peggy-Sue, (I suspect as a result of suffering having such a silly-ass name,) made an effort and gave her daughters sensible names. Sherry-Lynn, on the other hand, embraced the Cletus-factor. She named her first two daughters Christy-Lee and Darleina-Lynn. She then had some boys, and named them A.J. and T.J. Those aren’t initials for “real” names. Those are their names. My niece, Christy-Lee, had a baby last year, (within a month of the birth of her youngest brother*, if you can believe it,) and named the poor thing Makayla.

(Why yes, as a matter of fact, I do resent that people can tell from my Christmas cards that I spent part of my childhood living in a trailer.)

I have friends who named their kid Sativa. Have fun crossing borders when you grow up, girl.

If someone wants to give their kid a Swahili name because they’re proud of their ethnic background, more power to them. Much better than giving someone a name that isn’t even properly a name, but a diminutive, or initials, for god’s sake. Or simply stringing a few syllables together in a novel arrangement that sounds euphonious to the parents but doesn’t actually refer to anything.

*That one lucked out and is named “Taylor”, which doesn’t sound bad to me – probably because I’m used to it-- it’s my proper surname.

135

Just to prove blacks haven’t cornered the market on outlandish names, here’s a sampling of the more bizarre examples from my throughly white, Southern, Methodist clan:

Nancy Wilford, Sylvester Demosthenes, Flourice Anapathis, Ather, Palmon, Rheubertas, Olous, Cullus, Euree, Derwin, Ambee Lace, Damiel, Cansas, Hildra, Chancey, Pheshia, Braddis (a woman!), Jennifier, Violoit, Ferrall, Elnor, McKagure Wondell, Roscoe Eudell, Dovie, Dicia Fay, Vonda, Authorine, Gleen, Ladonn, Cradus, Buron, Talmadge Duane, Latrice, Undean, Clyma Glyeen, Larochelle, Clyma Glyeen, Addison Barbary, Gay May (a man!), Cyrenus, Lamberth, Demple, Gervis, Burnice, Olon, Talton, Tabrina, Aleta, Burlon, Ophia, Creig, Aubert, Kerney Latrell, Travis Rulon, Sharonda, Harliss, Jerricho, MaRanda, Labertta, Eula, Deaine, Ambrie Reanna, Elebert, Terek, Pharrah Tennille, Mondell, Skylor, Buel Orien, Rufus Neoma, Jason Lucifer, Nelia, Loedith, Twyla, Randa Kaylen, Searce, Ance, Elihue, Elifus, Whitmell, Reubin Attison, Aquilla, Orbie Sylvester, Mecie, Leona Deller, Clemia, Huey Flavies, Luna Leona, Kennon, Vardaman, Elighia, Marfield, Orland Leviticus, Buford Aldene, Lamoyne (a man!), Lenwood, Lawana, Ciera, Teshea, Phallyn, Earshel, Hildred, Truett, Pauletee, Junita, Kolean, Amel, Otha (a man!), Fayetta, Pearline Maybelle, Culom, Gussie Adolph (a woman!), Guian, Ogain, Gwenda Merl, Cordice, Una Leora, Thaddius, Kyless, Leedora, Bura, Leeatrice, Dalboss, Desota, Dewette, Syvera, Burnan, Zeno Benjamin, Elre, Earma, Absolum, Rozella, Persada, Burges, Floy, Saleta, and the absolute winner of them all, my great-grandfather, Bunnie LaRou.

.:Nichol:.

136

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Cartooniverse *
**My wife simply refused. This is 3rd grade, this child is already the object of intense verbal abuse that is hidden by USING her own name… This child was for all intents and purposes named after the female genitalia.[/]

But Cartooniverse, what about Regina?

137

'Tis then of course the “queen”'s prerrogative to choose whether to have it pronounged with the middle syllable as “jeye”, “jee”, or hard-G “Gh’ee”[was that the original??].

(Of course, she would be right to say it’s a straight rendering of “Queen” – she could also say it’s a Catholic name, as in Salve, Regina…etc)

I DO know of an “established” latinate name that is “BaLgina” – which, btw, also reminds me that down here (similarly to with the Jebediahs and such in Anglo-America) a name of a really obscure Catholic saint sometimes stereotypes you as a senior citizen (from the old tradition of choosing names from the list of saints fêted on the day of birth/christening).

Exotism/creativity is relative – Back in 1942, my mother was brought to the church for christening. My grandmother had her heart set on “Olga”, a character in a novel she heard readings from (she was illiterate herself). The priest insisted on a saint’s name. Grandma countered, OK, “Olga María”. The Padre said make it “María Olga” and you got a deal. Of course, she has been for all intents and purposes just Olga all her life, and the “María” just kinda hangs there.

In 1964 my sister was born. The 'rents agreet to name her after Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia. The registrar apparently never heard of that name, dad wasn’t paying too close attention when he signed the forms, she ended up being Zaskia. Hasn’t hurt any.

138

[quote]
5th Generation: Maurice Lafontaine
3rd Generation: Morris Spritzwasser
< event: Immigration to America >
1st Generation: Moishe the Pischer

[quote]

This was originally a newpaper or magazine cartoon in Weimar Germany.

I must state I don’t like a lot of the “new” naems, whether its Moesha, Latisha, Dakota, Madison, etc. However, i am pleased to see the “new” “black” names have some history behnd them. I remember them sort of spontaneously appearing. Rather silly actually. Oh well, none of my business.

I want to name my firstborn son:

Nicolas Slyvester Vash Vaques Raziel Tyrias Dmitry Bryant

We’ll justc all him “Sly”. :slight_smile: I know, I could be conviceted of Child Abuse.

139

But I thought I’d add my 2¢:

On an SNL episode, one of the sketches showed two “rap artists” (members of the cast). At one point they lamented the passing of a “pioneer rapper” at the age of 87 (whose name I don’t recall.)

“He leaves behind three children, Bob, Tom, and Margaret, and three grandchildren, Shaniqua, Ashante, and Dorito.”

White people have also used goofy names in history. Remember “Cotton” Mather, and his dad “Increase” Mather. One of George Washington’s relatives was named “Bushrod.”

140

You may be thinking of St. Balbina.