Black people give their kids crazy names

[SpeakNow]

At least, according to this charming blogger

"For those who say that Swanzetta or Kanthony are actually a throwback to their African heritage I would say one thing–go to Africa. There is no question that honest African names are quite different from those chosen by white Westerners. But they have nothing to do with modern black American names.

The sad fact is that the way black people in America name their children reflects an abandonment of culture, and an abandonment of history. However optimistically disingenuous white liberals like David Zax spin it, the reality is that their names have no grounding in a larger coherent culture, and there are not larger truths being passed on to black children by their parents. If anything, they are being taught–on a basic level–that rejection of white Western culture is their cultural ideal, their highest truth. So when young Kanthony asks his mama where his name came from, she just shrugs and says, “Well basically I made it up. At least it ain’t white.â€"

bigtruth.net/2013/09/08/black-names/

[Rachel333]

So when young Kanthony asks his mama where his name came from, she just shrugs and says, “Well basically I made it up. At least it ain’t white.â€

Well yes, because black people wanted names that didn't reflect an identity forced on them by slave owners. So many people can get racist when they start talking about black names. It's pretty common these days anyway for white people to essentially make up names as well.

[Stephanie66]

Although naming a child a "black" name does lead to problems in life, according to Malcolm Gladwell. Although Barack Obama may have killed that theory.

[jenny_islander]

For every Qu'neieishia and Lavender (pronounced "Levonder" cuz it's a boy donchaknow ), I can cite a Kryslyn and a Mhaverick (the H is silent donchaknow ) from the annals of my people . Westerners have been giving their kids awkward and embarrassing names ever since the rule about naming kids after either grandparents or saints went away. Check out censuses from centuries past if you don't believe me. (Permilia? King? Seriously?)

[Rachel333]

Although naming a child a "black" name does lead to problems in life, according to Malcolm Gladwell. Although Barack Obama may have killed that theory.

It's true. Resumes with "black" names are much less likely to be called back than the exact same resume with a white name. Just shows the effects of racism in society, I think.

[Wenny]

Although naming a child a "black" name does lead to problems in life, according to Malcolm Gladwell. Although Barack Obama may have killed that theory.

Just to be devil's advocte. Barack isn't stereotypical "black" name, his name is Hebrew/Arabic orgin. One could blame poverty on uneducated naming choice (like Female said Femolly or shithead said shi-theed) but then we see wealthy people picking names like North or Isoreina.

[Stephanie66]

North, Moxie Crimefighter and Apple likely won't suffer the full ramifications of their names. North is the daughter of Kanye West, Moxie's dad owns Las Vegas and Apple...well...maybe she will. :)

I really dislike people naming their children stupid, misspelled names, but I also see more white people doing it than black people. When you have names like Abcde, Espn, Tater and Raige, those are white people.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

For every Qu'neieishia and Lavender (pronounced "Levonder" cuz it's a boy donchaknow ), I can cite a Kryslyn and a Mhaverick (the H is silent donchaknow ) from the annals of my people . Westerners have been giving their kids awkward and embarrassing names ever since the rule about naming kids after either grandparents or saints went away. Check out censuses from centuries past if you don't believe me. (Permilia? King? Seriously?)

Haha this is true. deadspin.com/5924827/american-baby-names-are-somehow-getting-even-worse

[guidedbybobafett]

One of the worst thing about this is that it's a phenomenon that is basically forgiven in the white world.

"OH JAYDEN IS SUCH A COOL UNIQUE NAME!!!!" 5 years later every other white kid is named Jayden, and while the parents may be angry about it, it's actually incredibly helpful for the child later in life.

While those ~crazy black people names~ experience the same phenomenon, in that many of them become popular across black culture around the same time, it doesn't have the same normalizing effect because "black culture" is considered separate from "white culture", which is essentially "culture". Because our country is racist. Incredibly, deeply, totally fucked racist.

[Rachel333]

Aside from celebrities, it seems like these days rich white people tend to name their children fairly traditional names (and hey, if I had a kid I'd probably use one of those "old people names" that hipsters seem to love). I actually think a lot of the mocking of the "bad white people names" has some classism to it.

I'm kind of a reforming name snob, I guess. One thing that bothers me less than it seems to bother other people, though, is common names. I get the desire to want your child to have a unique name, but I think it's silly when parents get upset that someone else named their child the same thing. I grew up with a really common name, and I actually liked it. As a kid it was like instant camaraderie to meet a girl with my name.

[walnut]

I like traditional names, like George or Daniel or Oliver.

Chinese people tend to choose wild English names, too. Unfortunately, they pick their English names in first grade most of the times... Or their parents choose unimaginable names for them, brand names (like Helper after Hamburger Helper).

[Rachel333]

I like traditional names, like George or Daniel or Oliver.

Chinese people tend to choose wild English names, too. Unfortunately, they pick their English names in first grade most of the times... Or their parents choose unimaginable names for them, brand names (like Helper after Hamburger Helper).

Yeah, I knew two sisters in high school who moved to the US at ages 9 and 11. One chose the name of a state and the other the name of a country. In high school they were both going by more normal English names. I'm sure I would have eventually regretted my choice if I named myself as a kid, too. I also enjoy the ones with traditional names that just sound a bit odd on a younger person now, like Frank and Stanley (both guys my age with Chinese parents).

[walnut]

Some states have really nice names (Indiana, Dakota, Oregon), but also, some cities, rivers, counties sound good enough and are decent enough to be a person's given name. What was the country's name, can you give out that much, I'm curious.

[DaffyDill]

I like traditional names, like George or Daniel or Oliver

Same. My sons are Andrew and Daniel. Names that are always around. I did want a Michael, but I married one instead, and didn't want to do the whole "Junior" thing. Daniel has a few Daniels in his classes, but Andrew rarely had another Andrew.

[scc12]

I recall Alfreda,Waltranette and Adrena as black classmates when I was in school.

[miffy]

Yeah, I knew two sisters in high school who moved to the US at ages 9 and 11. One chose the name of a state and the other the name of a country. In high school they were both going by more normal English names. I'm sure I would have eventually regretted my choice if I named myself as a kid, too. I also enjoy the ones with traditional names that just sound a bit odd on a younger person now, like Frank and Stanley (both guys my age with Chinese parents).

Chinese parents were way ahead of the old person name trend. 15 yrs ago there were kids called Esther Yang & Kenneth Chen, now every hipster is doing it.

[miffy]

I recall Alfreda,Waltranette and Adrena as black classmates when I was in school.

Alfreda is a really, really old name & the feminine version of Alfred.

[walnut]

Looking at Miffy's avatar it reminds me: Barbie is a pretty common name, they even have celebrities called Barbie. But they favored pony names, too. They were Bronies before it was cool.

[scc12]

Alfreda is a really, really old name & the feminine version of Alfred.

thx,I didn't know that. :)

I always thought of the snack Frito's when I thought of that name. LOL.

[scc12]

My son had a black classmate named Precious in his Kindergarten class.

The poor girl was so misnamed...she was anything but precious.She got her desk moved to the corner on the first day of class.

[walnut]

bellofthesouth.blogspot.com/2004/12/ghetto-baby-names.html

This... cracked me up. Baby sites also shamelessly call these sh- and q-loaded names ghetto names... I wonder where these names come from. Some are just a bastardized version of decent names (DaJarvis). Some, like... Shantaniqua?! The heck does it mean? The hell it comes from? Bonquisha?! Lord... LaQuenda? Is this supposed to be a mix of French and Hispanic?

Another thing, people in Mexico name their sons Jesus like it was a name like David or Daniel. Their name their kids Jesus.

[Rachel333]

Some states have really nice names (Indiana, Dakota, Oregon), but also, some cities, rivers, counties sound good enough and are decent enough to be a person's given name. What was the country's name, can you give out that much, I'm curious.

I'm actually not sure where she got it from--probably wasn't from the country, and it doesn't resemble her Chinese name either--but it was Belgie (the Dutch form of Belgium). Her younger sister was California, which I actually think is a pretty cool name but I can understand why an immigrant teenager would want a different one. Those were their official names, but they never went by them.

[mausi]

This from a blogger who likely sees nothing wrong with the name Jinger.

[formergothardite]

My son had a black classmate named Precious in his Kindergarten class.

The poor girl was so misnamed...she was anything but precious.She got her desk moved to the corner on the first day of class.

There was a white kid named Precious in my daughter's class one year. She also wasn't precious.

[Clementine]

10+ years ago, I used to watch Ricki Lake and some of the guests had unusual names like L'Tasha and D'Shawn. Where do these kind of names come from? (Capital letter, apostrophe, name begining with a capital letter.)