African-American children’s names

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 70 total)
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  • #7255

    Lizzie S.
    Participant
    Why do African-American children always have extremely unusual names - names most people have never heard of?

    User Detail :  

    Name : Lizzie S., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 72, City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 
    #16476

    Anne23871
    Participant
    Many times the names have a special meaning in the family's ancetroral country. Also, black families value name individuality more than others, perhaps due being known by only 'hey you,' 'boy' or some owner given name during slavery.

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    Name : Anne23871, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Catholic, Age : 21, City : Cedar Falls, State : IA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Middle class, 
    #47288
    Uh, excuse me, but my name is Rhonda...my best friend's name is Kim, her mother's name is Helen, The black woman who owns the salon in my neighborhood is named Linda, my co-workers are named Juliette, Lynda, and Ann...get my point?

    User Detail :  

    Name : Rhonda-P-Outlaw30018, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 42, City : Laurelton, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #14859

    ED25498
    Participant
    Black kids do not 'always' have unusual names (my sons are Mike, Vic and Matt). However, I do know of one kid named (I am not making this up) Orangejello (pronounced or-AN-zhello). I guess his folks must have been smoking the same stuff as the parents of Dweezil and Moon Unit, huh?

    User Detail :  

    Name : ED25498, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 48, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, 
    #13761

    Jones Ingram
    Participant
    I don't exactly know where you are going with this, but I can tell you that it's not only blacks. There are grown 20-year old white women I have met with names like Nickata and Jamisha. I don't think the names are that unusual if you know all of your vowels.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Jones Ingram, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 27, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Occupation : Real Estate, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #18059

    Monique-J
    Participant
    Children have the names their parents have every right to give them no matter what their color. Where can you find person's of color with names such as Buffy, Bip, Dakota, and Emily?

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    Name : Monique-J, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Full Time Law Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #43536

    TP27584
    Participant
    Some blacks feel as though the average name is too simple or mostly used by whites. We try and move away from the typical names and become more creative, in order to distinguish ourselves from what is considered a name for a white person. That's one thing we do that will not be taken over or imitated much by white people.

    User Detail :  

    Name : TP27584, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 28, City : RAEFORD, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : MILITARY, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #34342

    CEPS
    Participant
    Usually to be set apart, unique, and distinctive. Sometimes to combine names, places or things important to the parent. I created my children's names and I did it so that my children wouldn't be the 'norm'. I was young then now I know that names have serious meaning and can impact the personality. But I made what I thought was beautiful and creative for each of my beautifully created children... For their 16th birthdays I will present them with detailed meanings of their names with their strengths in character...

    User Detail :  

    Name : CEPS, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 30, City : South, State : NJ Country : United States, 
    #46636

    Anonymous23733
    Participant
    Hello Lizzie, There's nothing unusual about some of the names African American children are given, they are simply different from those that you are obviously accustomed to. No better, no worse, just different. Many names simply reflect our African heritage, such as Kadeesha or Lakeisha, which are Swahili.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Anonymous23733, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, City : Anon, State : SC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #41932

    Kim26347
    Participant
    The names may seem unusual because they have a different cultural root than most american names. For example, names like Isis or Menelik come from African mythology. In other cases the name may just be a creative derivative of an existing name, such as Devonte (pronounce De- vaughn- tay) which is derived from Devonne, an English name meaning Divine.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Kim26347, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 19, City : Palm Coast, State : FL Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 
    #45074

    Tia G.
    Participant
    I consider it creativity. I do not have an extremely unusual name and none of my siblings do either. However, I do see a lot of 'ethnic' names nowadays. I don't like plain jane names like jane or billy, but also don't go for the country names like shaneequah either. But I have known white women named Acquanetta as well as other names I have never heard of. I think it is cultural.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Tia G., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 32, City : St. Louis, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Technical, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #45340

    Lyonside
    Participant
    First, A-A children do NOT always have 'unusual names.' By 'most people' I assume you mean European-American (i.e. white) Americans. The Civil Rights Movement for African-Americans really started in the 1860s through the 1970s, and it's not over. But during the hey-day (1960s-1970s), many people started to feel as if the 'traditional' names did not reflect their heritage. Malcolm X and the miniseries 'Roots' are often cited as examples of this. Many people chose to give up 'slave' names and use names that are of African descent and/or Arabic/Islamic descent. There were some areas of West Africa that had been influenced by Islam, and some enslaved tribes were practicing Muslims. Over time, people have also given children 'traditional' (i.e. European) names, but spelled a unique way. This may reflect a need for individuality, to stand out, to express yourself through your children. This may be more important when you are lower-income, politically invisible, and/or socially oppressed, regardless of ethnicity.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Lyonside, Gender : F, Race : biracial: African-American, European-American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 27, City : Philadelphia, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : Environmental Scientist, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #28016

    MIchelle
    Participant
    Well, it started back in the 1970s when afro-centric names of names with African roots were popular. Then in the eighties it spun out into names that sounded afrocentric. Now, it's just unusual and creative names. I kind of liken it to the popularity among white couples to give their kids 'interesting names like Cateline/Caitlin/Kaitlin or Parker or something like that.

    User Detail :  

    Name : MIchelle, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 23, City : Fort Worth, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #28484

    Kali26988
    Participant
    Their names are made up, the first thing that comes to mind and then add a 'sha' to it somewhere or something stupid like that. Everybody's trying to give their kids some 'special' name something no one else has, taking words or phrases, sometimes they have some sentimental something or other behind it like 'Heaven Sent' but usually they're just dumb. But then again some names are just foriegn for example I have a friend with names that are just plain different like, Eunice, Mekeme, Ediomi, and Osagefo they're Ghanaian. I think my friend Larice's name sounds made up but she's Liberian. Just saying you never know.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Kali26988, Gender : F, Religion : Baptist, City : Willingboro, State : NJ Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 
    #44902

    Southern-Girl
    Participant
    This is strange phenomenon - even to those of us who are African American. But, if I had to guess I would say that this is a cultural statement shared by some in the African American community who are trying to make a statement of some sort. However, the names are very unusual, difficult to pronounce and usually have no meaning so I am not certain that those who are creating these unusual names know the statement they are trying make.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Southern-Girl, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 32, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Director, Human Resources, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 
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