Choosing a name from a different culture for your child

[Anonymous]

When I hear a name that is culturally inconsistent with the parents' culture, to me there is then a rebuttable presumption that the parents are either: (a) hopelessly dull and naïve and thought the name sounded super-pretty, or (b) affected, and seeking to be perceived as whatever the other culture would evoke -- e.g. we're cosmopolitan! we're woke! we're European! The presumption can be rebutted by the parents demonstrating that they are not dull, naïve, or affected, and/or that there is a clear valid other reason for the name.

[Anonymous]

The worst is when the parents take a name from another culture and then don’t pronounce it correctly.

[Anonymous]

OP, Only in the bubble of DCUM would anyone even contemplate such a question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I hear a name that is culturally inconsistent with the parents' culture, to me there is then a rebuttable presumption that the parents are either: (a) hopelessly dull and naïve and thought the name sounded super-pretty, or (b) affected, and seeking to be perceived as whatever the other culture would evoke -- e.g. we're cosmopolitan! we're woke! we're European! The presumption can be rebutted by the parents demonstrating that they are not dull, naïve, or affected, and/or that there is a clear valid other reason for the name.

So if the kids names were, say, Carmen, Rafa, and Leo and mom had changed her name to Hilaria when she was really an Anglo girl from Boston, what category would that be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like to chime in to these threads of cultural appropriation to remind everyone that people may have connections to a culture even though their external appearance does not make it obvious.

We are a multicultural and multiethnic family and gave our children names from all our family cultures (each grandparent chose a name from his or her country of origin).

Outside the naming department, I grew up in multiple countries due to my parents' work, and have a particular affinity for one of them, even though it's neither of my parents' countries, or my country of birth (see, I have to make all these distinctions). I love everything about that country, learned all the traditional songs, the dances, the myths, had the clothing and everything. Here it would be called cultural appropriation, since I don't look the part. But it's not. I love this country and for a while considered it my own.

Long-winded way of saying: do whatever the heck you want.

My son is blue eyed and blonde haired and named Alejandro.

That you think this makes him unique just shows why you should not have named him Alejamdro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I’d never say anything out loud but it’s a little bit of an eye roll from me. Every single person I know who did this though also does a bunch of other crunchy nonsense that generates eye rolls. It’s definitely a type.

A Jewish Connor or Ryan? An Asian girl named Wendy? An African American girl named Abigail?

[Anonymous]

I’m totally fine with it. Stupid thread.

[Anonymous]

People need to do the research necessary to use a name out of their cultural understanding. There can be signifiers that you aren't aware of.

And there's a big difference in a POC trying to assimilate using an "American" name like Brian and a white person randomly picking a name from Swahili to seem cool and edgy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I’d never say anything out loud but it’s a little bit of an eye roll from me. Every single person I know who did this though also does a bunch of other crunchy nonsense that generates eye rolls. It’s definitely a type.

A Jewish Connor or Ryan? An Asian girl named Wendy? An African American girl named Abigail?

They are trying to assimilate to the hegemony of whiteness. Calm down. You probably yell about racism towards whites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just wish people would think about how the name sounds on a resume or as a Supreme Court Justice. People are saddling their kids with really crappy names.

Times change.

Your kid is probably not going to be a supreme court justice.

I also feel like this is a little racist -- "ethnic" named are dinged on DCUM under this euphemism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People need to do the research necessary to use a name out of their cultural understanding. There can be signifiers that you aren't aware of.

And there's a big difference in a POC trying to assimilate using an "American" name like Brian and a white person randomly picking a name from Swahili to seem cool and edgy.

This. I grew up with a girl whose parents did this and she didn't appreciate her parents attempt at being enlightened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I’d never say anything out loud but it’s a little bit of an eye roll from me. Every single person I know who did this though also does a bunch of other crunchy nonsense that generates eye rolls. It’s definitely a type.

A Jewish Connor or Ryan? An Asian girl named Wendy? An African American girl named Abigail?

They are trying to assimilate to the hegemony of whiteness. Calm down. You probably yell about racism towards whites.

DP. I’m from Latin America. Practically every Elizabeth and Emily I know in it is because the parents liked Elizabeth or Emily. Just like your little Isabel.

[Anonymous]

My blondes are Raina and Zara (I'm South Asian, their dad is the whitest white person alive).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like to chime in to these threads of cultural appropriation to remind everyone that people may have connections to a culture even though their external appearance does not make it obvious.

We are a multicultural and multiethnic family and gave our children names from all our family cultures (each grandparent chose a name from his or her country of origin).

Outside the naming department, I grew up in multiple countries due to my parents' work, and have a particular affinity for one of them, even though it's neither of my parents' countries, or my country of birth (see, I have to make all these distinctions). I love everything about that country, learned all the traditional songs, the dances, the myths, had the clothing and everything. Here it would be called cultural appropriation, since I don't look the part. But it's not. I love this country and for a while considered it my own.

Long-winded way of saying: do whatever the heck you want.

My son is blue eyed and blonde haired and named Alejandro.

That you think this makes him unique just shows why you should not have named him Alejamdro.

How do you know Alejandro's mom or dad or grandparents aren't Spanish or Latinx?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like to chime in to these threads of cultural appropriation to remind everyone that people may have connections to a culture even though their external appearance does not make it obvious.

We are a multicultural and multiethnic family and gave our children names from all our family cultures (each grandparent chose a name from his or her country of origin).

Outside the naming department, I grew up in multiple countries due to my parents' work, and have a particular affinity for one of them, even though it's neither of my parents' countries, or my country of birth (see, I have to make all these distinctions). I love everything about that country, learned all the traditional songs, the dances, the myths, had the clothing and everything. Here it would be called cultural appropriation, since I don't look the part. But it's not. I love this country and for a while considered it my own.

Long-winded way of saying: do whatever the heck you want.

My son is blue eyed and blonde haired and named Alejandro.

If he is latinx they should have used Alejandrx. Inclusivity please people


That you think this makes him unique just shows why you should not have named him Alejamdro.

How do you know Alejandro's mom or dad or grandparents aren't Spanish or Latinx?