"Blackest" Names

[icebrAKA]

Under the top 20 guys names hey forgot: Jermaine and Jerome

From the article:

"What kind of parent is most likely to give a child such a distinctively black name? The data offer a clear answer: an unmarried, low-income, undereducated, teenage mother from a black neighborhood who has a distinctively black name herself. Giving a child a super-black name would seem to be a black parent's signal of solidarity with her community—the flip side of the "acting white" phenomenon. "

Does anyone agree with this? At one of my previous jobs, I dealt with A LOT of low income AA's and Latina's. To me, this statement is about 99.9% true. I certainly don't think these names are out of the ordinary, b/c I'm sure I know someone with every name on the lists. I just don't understand why it gets out of hand, like making up names that are impossible for others to pronounce (even though I know it's not about everyone else). Sometimes I would have to spell the child's name out b/c I didn't want to mispronounce it. A lot of kids were named after liquor and cars was common. One lady, I will never forget this, had daughters named Alize and Remy.

[Private I]

I think all of it rings true except Xavier. I've met way more Hispanic Xaviers than AA ones.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by MsSweetness
From the article:

"What kind of parent is most likely to give a child such a distinctively black name? The data offer a clear answer: an unmarried, low-income, undereducated, teenage mother from a black neighborhood who has a distinctively black name herself. Giving a child a super-black name would seem to be a black parent's signal of solidarity with her community—the flip side of the "acting white" phenomenon. "

Does anyone agree with this? At one of my previous jobs, I dealt with A LOT of low income AA's and Latina's. To me, this statement is about 99.9% true. I certainly don't think these names are out of the ordinary, b/c I'm sure I know someone with every name on the lists. I just don't understand why it gets out of hand, like making up names that are impossible for others to pronounce (even though I know it's not about everyone else). Sometimes I would have to spell the child's name out b/c I didn't want to mispronounce it. A lot of kids were named after liquor and cars was common. One lady, I will never forget this, had daughters named Alize and Remy.

In one of my previous roles at my company, I saw an application for twins named Praise and Blessings. That is all.

A lot of factors go into naming children -- being different/unique, being EXTRA, in addition to ones mentioned above.

I think what some might be overlooking is not that these names are not found with Caucasians or Latinos or Asians, i.e. Jasmine, Xavier, etc., but within the Black community, a lot of these names predominate and/or are common.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by Private I
I think all of it rings true except Xavier. I've met way more Hispanic Xaviers than AA ones.

Yes, but they were probably Javier, instead of Xavier, but it's pronounced the same.

[mulattogyrl]

Originally posted by MsSweetness
From the article:

"What kind of parent is most likely to give a child such a distinctively black name? The data offer a clear answer: an unmarried, low-income, undereducated, teenage mother from a black neighborhood who has a distinctively black name herself. Giving a child a super-black name would seem to be a black parent's signal of solidarity with her community—the flip side of the "acting white" phenomenon. "

While I agree that inner city African Americans often give their children 'unique' names, I don't agree with the reasoning here. I think it's more what we think sounds attractive, or religious reasons, and yes I'm saying we because my name is Malika and my daughter's name is Imani, I guess 'black' names. Like I said, my mother was white, so we really don't fit in this example. I also wasn't a teenage mother nor am I undereducated. So I don't know, I would like to see the 'data' that this person is referring to.

[Honeykiss1974]

My, I didn't know Xavier (pronounced like Savior, not Jah-ve-air) was considered a "black" name.

[MeezDiscreet]

it's pronounced "Savior?" hunh, didn't know that. i just spend an entire school year calling this boy X-avier...

[kddani]

Originally posted by MeezDiscreet
it's pronounced "Savior?" hunh, didn't know that. i just spend an entire school year calling this boy X-avier...

that's how they pronounce it in X-men!

[mulattogyrl]

Originally posted by MeezDiscreet
it's pronounced "Savior?" hunh, didn't know that. i just spend an entire school year calling this boy X-avier...

I always thought it was X-avier too. Oh well.

[Dionysus]

Originally posted by mulattogyrl
While I agree that inner city African Americans often give their children 'unique' names, I don't agree with the reasoning here. I think it's more what we think sounds attractive, or religious reasons, and yes I'm saying we because my name is Malika and my daughter's name is Imani, I guess 'black' names. Like I said, my mother was white, so we really don't fit in this example. I also wasn't a teenage mother nor am I undereducated. So I don't know, I would like to see the 'data' that this person is referring to.

Naming your child Imani is one thing. Naming your child Tae Kwon Da is another.

[BlueWinter]

Originally posted by Dionysus
Naming your child Imani is one thing. Naming your child Tae Kwon Da is another.

Amen on that!

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by mulattogyrl
I always thought it was X-avier too. Oh well.

I pronounce it Zavier, as in xylophone as opposed to x-ray.

I think that Imani is a pretty name.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by Peaches-n-Cream
I pronounce it Zavier, as in xylophone as opposed to x-ray.

I think that Imani is a pretty name.

Thanks PnC. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to spell the pronouciation, and "Savior" was all that would come to mind. LOL

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by mulattogyrl
While I agree that inner city African Americans often give their children 'unique' names, I don't agree with the reasoning here. I think it's more what we think sounds attractive, or religious reasons, and yes I'm saying we because my name is Malika and my daughter's name is Imani, I guess 'black' names. Like I said, my mother was white, so we really don't fit in this example. I also wasn't a teenage mother nor am I undereducated. So I don't know, I would like to see the 'data' that this person is referring to.

I think "Imani" means "peace" doesn't it?? What language is it?? I love that name.