Names in the African-American community are usually originated from something the parent has made up to display originality. This is not really a feat of 'who can make up the wierdest names' or anything, it's just that many of us may do someting like use unused letters and sounds like 'Q,Z,X,Sha,Qua, La, Na,or -ita; or even place different names together to make one. (Not like Mary-Ann or anything, which to many blacks is a type of bland and unoriginal name.') African Americans just like to stand out from the crowd and be unique. It's also not really that serious to us, either. Hey, what's in a name? It really doesn't make or break you.
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Name : Nyla, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Willingboro, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Most black Americans, like most Americans in general, give their children traditional 'American' names. More than likely, the more 'non-traditional', 'extremely unusual names' as you say, are more memorable to you. I'm black and all of my 7 siblings have common American names like Eric, Jane, etc., as with most blacks I know. So we blacks don't all have extremely unusual names. However, there is a trend by many (not most or all) blacks to give their children less 'Euro-centric' names.
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Name : Gina, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : black/indian/white, Religion : Atheist, Age : 48, City : Hercules, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : researcher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, This was a hard question to answer. I had to go back and think of why I chose my own children's names. For me it was the desire to be creative and to give the child a sense of originality. My twin girls are named Damaris and Damani. I wonder if you would ask the same question about Indian children's names or Russian children's names. I'm sure some of those are obviosuly names that we've never heard of because we are of different cultures. The Caucasian culture may feel comfortable with everyday names, and many African-American children have everyday names. Now that I think more about it, during the times of slavery, African Americans were not given choices. I'm sure lots of children were named by their slave owner, with names like Ruth, Sue, May etc. Maybe the creative names have developed as we gained more choices and opportunity. That was a great question, a good topic for someone's thesis in African-American Studies.
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Name : Nakena, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 28, City : Charlotte, State : NC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, I believe it's an attempt by some of us blacks to rebel (not really the word I want, but I'll use it) against the European culture we've been forced to adopt. We have been stripped of our true heritage - our true language, religion and culture. Now that we can once again name our children what we want, we don't really know what to name them. We reject the Western names, but we don't really feel comfortable with (or even know) names from our ancestors. This knowledge was stripped from us over the course of several hundred years, and even now is often looked upon in a negative light. So if you want to deny the predominant culture, and if you can't draw on your own actual heritage, what do you do? Well, you can make something up! Something original that in effect starts a new cultural tradition based on your unique circumstances. Now, I don't believe those who are naming their children these 'strange' names are giving it that much thought. They usually just like the sound of the name, and know that its 'non-traditional.' But it is what they are doing subconsciously.
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Name : Wayne24411, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 44, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Names like many other things are a reflection of a person's culture. If African-American names sound unusual to you, then I would think you also believe African, Asian and Hispanic names are also unusual. Names that you are familiar with are probably unusual to people who do not share your culture. Try not to see other cultures' traditions that are different from your own as something negative. The white American way of doing things is not the right way, it is just one way, and everyone has their own way.
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Name : Keisha26537, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Many 'black' names are actually traditional Muslim names - such as Aaliyah.
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Name : Meg, City : Gainesville, State : FL Country : United States, I think black people are attempting to recapture some of what was lost during slavery. Africa is looked down upon in the Western culture. Few black people will name their child an African name but they want some connection to that heritage despite the negativity. Think about it, when you see these names, is their any denying that it belongs to a black person :)
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Name : Lisa, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Understandably some names reflect the family's heritage. But I once heard a black woman chasing a child calling out 'Allante, get back here!' (Allante was a popular model of Cadillac that year.) Why do you give a child a name that will get him laughed at? Kids have enough troubles as it is! Let's educate the parents and the children will fall in line....
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Name : Jeff Bailey, City : Lynchburg, State : VA Country : United States, I was wondering if these names are made-up,sounds like some of them have to be.What I mean by made-up is they have no meaning,most other ethnic names have meaning's e.g.flowers,nobel men,religious...
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Name : Scott28183, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Being Black what makes my name 'weird' to have a black name. My name is Hassan and my daughter's name is Nylijah. Why do we must continue to comform to the American way of naming our kids. Forget that, and we always's claim some type of racism because our names derive from our heritage. I am not white so why should i have a name like that. There is nothing unusual about having a black name. And as black people we are quick to have names from other cultures but get frowned on for having our own names. I know black people with Russian, Hispanic and even German names. Black people should not have the name Kaitlan!
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Name : hassan21434, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Muslim, Age : 31, City : abdulluah, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, While its true that, in the 1970's, Afro-American children were named African or Muslim names ie Kenya or Muhammad, the break into 'creative naming' came when we started making up African and French SOUNDING names like Quinesha or LaShonda. Over the past 15-20 years, I've noticed that we are naming our children after luxury items. I went to school with a Porche and 3 Mercedes. My mother is a secretary at an elementary school and has admitted students festively named Lexus, Prada, and Gucci (no lie!) Maybe it is an attempt to give the child a classy moniker in an increasingly materialistic society. Seems crazy to me. Maybe you can explain why there are 2 white 4th graders at my mother's school named Bud Weiser and ESPN (you can't make this up!)
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Name : Erika T., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 31, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I agree with Kristy....but I think it also goes deeper than that. I think both sides are right to a degree. While I don't mind personally if someone is name Jameequiah or whatever, it does matter to some people when making decisions for filling positions etc. While it may not be right, that's the reality.....and I think it puts some of the very intelligent and talented young people at a distinct disadvantage in a job marketplace. As a young person (relatively lol), I shake my head sometimes at some of the names I hear, and wonder why a parent would give a child that name when they must know the reality that life is not still not fair in regards to race in this country. I am totally against any sort of affirmative action policies etc....I'm from the school of 'Best man/woman for the job.' However, given equal qualification for a job, expecially one that interacts daily with white America, discerning between a Bethany and a Sharequia unfortunately probably goes to Bethany. My $0.02
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Name : Paul30469, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 27, City : Silver Spring, State : MD Country : United States, Occupation : Software Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I believe the names stem from wanting to be original. I was one of 13 Jessicas in my grade one year and in fact another girl had the exact same name as me, first middle and last. It was very confusing when parents were called for confrences and what not. I don't want my child to suffer that, and while my son has to (Michael, he was named for his father) I plan on making sure that my other children have unique names. Besides, not just blacks do it. i've known many unuasualy named white people (its seems mostly in the lowers classes however) girls named Star, Fawn, Aishya, Audrienna, boys named Buck, Shadow, Stormy. Trends run in names. Back in when my grandmother was born, naming you children after gems and flowers was popular. Thats how she got stuck (no pun intended) with Pansy Rose Thornes. Todays trend calls for originality, not normality.
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Name : Jessica G., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : Greenville, State : SC Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, How is that these names are part of African-American culture? Culture is a conglomeration of customs and traditions that dictate beliefs and behaviors. Black Americans used to name give their kids ordinary American names. If they were good enough for the last generation, why not this one? Did the culture just change overnight?
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Name : Cathy-Coyle32439, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 53, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, teresea, I met a (white) lady through my work some years ago who named her kids after plants! Speaking of plants, a (black) lady I also worked with unwittingly named her son 'Kale', which happens to be a leafy green vegetable. People who give their kids weird names need to look (as in dictionary) before they leap.
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Name : Cathy-Coyle32440, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 53, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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