I would very much like the opinions of this board as they have always been pretty much right on the money in the past. After posting Black History Month some of you are going to assume that I am ambiguously racist and if by simply asking this question I cause you to think that, then I guess I have it coming. But I certainly don’t feel that I am racist. So with that said let me ask my question.
What is your opinion of the African heritage names that some black parents are assigning their kids these days?
I work in a public school building with a student population of 500+ and here is a small sampling of names that are in this building.
And these first names all end in last names as common as smith and jones.
Qwhytarius Lay-wan
DaJauron Dvonn
Shetavia Tra”Von
Laquela Shanae Sashe’
Kaqueesha Di’Necka
Schvynasti LeOcea
I could list many more.
What business is it of mine? None. I am just wondering if I am alone in wondering if names that are soo hard to pronounce or even understand are gonna help these kids through life? I would be interested in the board’s opinion on this. If it is your intention to ream my ass for asking… then go ahead.
By the way I have noticed that kids with these kind of names invariably end up by high school age with nick names that are a mere ghost of the names they began their lives with. For example…Dajauron Dvonn would end up simply DD And so on.
I think any name is just fine, whether it’s a hard to pronounce but legit name like “Kaqueesha” or a sounds-black-like name.
Other American minorities give their kids ethnic names: Jesus, Juan, Dieter, Oleg, Tran, Rajitha. They’re not being rebellious, but just being proud of their heritage.
The only difference that slave-descendant blacks have is that they’ve had to use “Christian” names for 3 centuries. Why start using African names now? Why not?
Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination.
I don’t think parents give these names just to be difficult to pronounce; I think a lot of the reason is a differentiation of identity, a desire not to give the child a mainstream white name. (Also, frankly, I think many of these names have little if any African origin.)
I can understand a desire on the part of Black Americans to establish their own names…I am glad that fewer people are feeling societal pressure to “conform” and give their children “white” names.
Regarding how difficult names will help the children, it’s been my experience that having a relatively unique name is generally a positive thing for a child, even if no one gets it right the first time. And there doesn’t seem to be a correlation between short names and name comprehension; my name has four letters and still no one gets it right.
signed,
Eden, aka Eve Erin Erica Enid Evie Edna Edith Eva etc.
Regardless of the purported ethnicity of any given name, loading a child with one oddly spelled or hard to pronounce can be a burden.
I have friends with common names oddly spelled, and it’s a minor thorn in their sides to get there name mispelled by others.
Alas, we too are guilty of this: Kandis.
although not too bad, she still has difficulty from time to time.
All that aside, a parent can name their child pretty much anything they want, as evidenced above by Frank Zappa. If it’s too out there, the child can legally change their name(s) upon adulthood.
I don’t think the oddly-spelled names are the problem, because then people ask how to spell them. The problem is common names that people spell in an odd fashion to be different.
e.g. Rohbert, or Kandasse, or Jozeph.
As far as the OP, I say more power to the people who try to choose original names! If everyone was called Bill it would be a sad world indeed.