African-American Name for White Child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at it as the first step to a more harmonious society, where the ethnicity of names is unimportant and one cannot tell one's race simply by his name. The day when race does not differentiate us.


Also, look at the transition of boys names to girls names. Sidney (Sydney) for example. When is the last time you met a boy named Sidney?

Sidney Crosby

[Anonymous]

OP, even a first name, pretty please.

[Anonymous]

Omg! I'm dying laughing at this thread. Fwiw, the Op's cousin asked for her opinion. She didn't just offer up that a rhyming "A-A" name was terrible.

I agree with the Op. Nothing worse than a rhyming name. The cultural aspect just kicks it up a notch of silliness.

Kwame Brawny is my favorite!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:L'Shawn
X'Shawn
D'Shawn

Le-ah (pronounced Le-dash-ah)

ROFL! As a former classroom teacher, I've actually seen a few like the last... people, seriously: where did that syllable come from!?!

[Anonymous]

OP was likely a troll. Odd that he/she hasn't returned. Was probably just looking to start some racial stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are giving OP a hard time. I love, love, love the name Finnegan. My husband and I are both Hispanic with a very Hispanic last name. Our son looks like very hispanic. While I know that it would be perfectly okay to name our son Finnegan (Finn for short!), I am sure people would look at him when he is older and be like, "huh? Finnegan Lopez-WTF? Then he would have to explain, No, I'm not Irish, (just one look would confirm that!), blah blah blah.

So, I don't think OP is automatically being rascist and people cannot seriously believe that there are some names that are so associated with a race/nationality that a person outside that race/nationality so named would at least cause some puzzlement.

I think that is all the OP was trying to get across.

I get your point (esp about Finnegan Lopez, when the first name contrasts with the last name), but I still disagree. I love a lot of Hispanic names and may use one even though DH and I are not Hispanic. Just because it's out of the norm doesn't mean it will cause puzzlement. Joaquin Phoenix, anyone? And I know a guy with a very Irish first name and very Indian last name, and I think it's great--unique. I don't care how typically African-American the name is--it's still fine for a white boy.

And Joaquin Phoenix, like his deceased brother, River--never caused even a moment's puzzlement. Totally regular guys.

[Anonymous]

Didn't Joaquin Phoenix go by "Leaf" Phoenix as a child actor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't Joaquin Phoenix go by "Leaf" Phoenix as a child actor?

Nope. River, Joaquin, Leaf and Summer were all siblings.... (I think there was even one more but I don't remember)

[Anonymous]

Also, look at the transition of boys names to girls names. Sidney (Sydney) for example. When is the last time you met a boy named Sidney?

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby IS a girl. (Signed, A Caps Fan)

[Anonymous]

Joaquin and Leaf are one and the same. He used Leaf when he was young because it was easier, then he switched back to his given name.

[Anonymous]

My friend, who is Caucasian, married a Korean-American man and chose not to take his name because she believed that she just could never be a "Kang". Certain names have very strong ethnic connotations. Th While Natasha, Patrick, and Anthony do have ethnic origins, I think they are common enough that no one raises an eyebrow if "Patrick" is AA or Anthony is Chinese-American. However, A white Latasha is much more uncommon.

I'm going to guess the name is Naveah. When I first saw this name in the top 10 of popular names I thought, how "What a pretty name, but I'm surprised it's so popular b/c I've never heard it before." I mentioned this to a friend and she told me it was a popular name among AAs.

No matter the name, I think your cousin can name her baby anything she wants. Do you think she knows it's a more predominately AA name?

[Anonymous]

I teach Pre-K to mostly Latino children. Over the years I've had Latino boys in my class named

Franklin
Wilson
Jefferson
William
Johannes
Darwin
Alvin
Joachim
Andrew

Really opened my eyes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend, who is Caucasian, married a Korean-American man and chose not to take his name because she believed that she just could never be a "Kang". Certain names have very strong ethnic connotations. Th While Natasha, Patrick, and Anthony do have ethnic origins, I think they are common enough that no one raises an eyebrow if "Patrick" is AA or Anthony is Chinese-American. However, A white Latasha is much more uncommon.

I'm going to guess the name is Naveah. When I first saw this name in the top 10 of popular names I thought, how "What a pretty name, but I'm surprised it's so popular b/c I've never heard it before." I mentioned this to a friend and she told me it was a popular name among AAs.

No matter the name, I think your cousin can name her baby anything she wants. Do you think she knows it's a more predominately AA name?

actually, naveah is quite popular among mormons, who are usually white. it's one of the most popular names in utah!

[Anonymous]

It's Nevaeh and it's 'heaven' spelled backwards. Or at least that's how it started out until people just liked the sound of the name and spelled it however they wanted. Any way you spell it, it's TERRIBLE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach Pre-K to mostly Latino children. Over the years I've had Latino boys in my class named

Franklin
Wilson
Jefferson
William
Johannes
Darwin
Alvin
Joachim
Andrew

Really opened my eyes.

total snark comment alert - harder to deport Franklin fernandez than Juan fernandez.