Giving your kid a name usually associated with different ethnic/cultural/religious background

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a very uncommon Hebrew name (>5 babies are named it every year) found in the Tanakh that is similar to a different Hebrew word-turned-name becoming very popular with the young white Christian set in the past five years or so. I’ve never met someone with my name. No one has ever assumed I was Jewish because of my name, I don’t think—white people actually tend to assume I’m black, I’ve been told because they think “name they’ve never heard before = black” which is...interesting. I was raised Christian.

Similar story. We are Jewish, not US born, we gave our daughter an uncommon Hebrew name. Turns out it was at one point very popular among AA, when I posted it on DCUM, people also assumed we are black. As long as no one is screaming cultural appropriation, we are good.

A lot of Mormon names are mistaken for AA.

[Anonymous]

Alonzo in the little house on the prairie books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alonzo in the little house on the prairie books.

Sorry, auto correct
Almanzo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's super weird that a white couple from America named their daughter India.

India Wilkes was a character in Gone With the Wind. It’s a pretty well established American name at this point.

India was not uncommon in the 19th century US, along with state names (Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee, Carolina are all names I've run across). Philadelphia and Liberty were also not unknown.

I'm pretty sure India was used in 19th century Britain, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of Jewish Ryans are a bit disconcerting.

We’re not allowed to use non-Jewish names?

Do as you choose but it’s disconcerting to hear so many Jewish boys with the very Irish and Catholic name of Ryan. Our rabbis in ten years are going to be Rebbi Ryan... As a Jew, it’s weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's super weird that a white couple from America named their daughter India.

India Wilkes was a character in Gone With the Wind. It’s a pretty well established American name at this point.

India was not uncommon in the 19th century US, along with state names (Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee, Carolina are all names I've run across). Philadelphia and Liberty were also not unknown.

I'm pretty sure India was used in 19th century Britain, as well.

India was the name given to the country by Greeks/Persians and later used by the English. India is known as Bharat or Hindustan to people in the country (and I believe there’s a few others, desh meaning my land and desi is someone from the homeland).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of Jewish Ryans are a bit disconcerting.

We’re not allowed to use non-Jewish names?

Do as you choose but it’s disconcerting to hear so many Jewish boys with the very Irish and Catholic name of Ryan. Our rabbis in ten years are going to be Rebbi Ryan... As a Jew, it’s weird.

Would you feel that way if your rabbi was a Jew-by-choice?