Posted on 03/30/2006 12:41:35 PM PST by twippo
Someone needs to sit our people down and have a healthy discussion about the names we as African Americans are giving our children. We are hurting our kids and putting their futures in peril from the moment they are born.
That’s right, I said it. We are KILLING our kids and crippling their futures with the names we give them. Don’t you want your kids to get JOBS someday? Good jobs, and serious careers? With a name like Jaquez Ja’Quan Diante’, you’re dooming your sons to a life of drug dealing on some seedy street corner.
Our Black men face enough challenges. I do not subscribe to the notion that we are giving our children names that “convey pride in their African Heritage”. We’re way off the mark. I’ve got dear friends from all over Africa, and their children have beautiful cultural names like Akos, Ama, and Fia.
Notice how neither of those names had a “quita” in it? Or an “eisha”? Or more than four syllables? That’s because even in the motherland, they don’t give their kids the crazy names that we do in Black America. Many Africans even RESENT the implication that these names stem from their culture. I’ve yet to meet anyone from any African nation named Shaquandiniquah Takei’sha, or any other of the ‘colorful’ monikers we’re pinning on brand new precious lives.
Parents, we are stacking the odds against our children from birth. We’ve been doing it for generations, but we get mighty cross when white and mainstream America laughs and mocks us. With a name like Quieshianiquita (I know, I can’t pronounce it either), you’re dooming your children to employment at no better than a dollar store or the nearest fast-food joint.
You are automatically relegated in the minds of many to second-class citizenry, because when they hear the name, they instantly categorize you as ignorant, ghetto, incompetent, uneducated, and not worthy of much respect or basic human considerations.
We hear so often about African American students who excel in school, etc. and “beat the odds.” Well, guess what? Often times, the “odds they have to beat” is the tough challenge of being taken seriously in America with the atrocious name you gave them...names like Jaqui’sheia Sha’qu’an Tai’isha. If they can get someone to look past the name (and quit laughing), there is remarkable talent there in that person.
Unfortunately though, much of mainstream America isn’t willing to find this out. Come in with the wrong name, and you are nothing more than fodder for stereotypical, distasteful jokes. We as African Americans face enough challenges as it is. Our kids deserve a better start and a way better shot than this.
You’re angry with me? I can live with that. Now answer this: when have you ever seen an IBM Executive or a fancy New York office with a fancy highrise office door nameplate that says “Quandaniquah Roshel-Shaquita, Chief Executive Officer”? When? You don’t, and you never have, because the reality is, corporate America and a huge chuck of mainstream doesn’t have a high regard for those names. Quite frankly, you won’t be taken seriously.
I’ve been behind many a closed door with white corporate America. Oddly enough, many of them still see the Negro in the room as ‘non-existent’ or invisible, so they talked like I wasn’t even in the room. I hear everything they say. When Nakia Shaniquah-Quashiqua fills out an application, they have a field day in the office. Once they get their fill of ghetto and ‘weave’ jokes and ripping you to pieces sight unseen, they usually toss the application, or it gets stuck in the ‘bottom of the pile’. If they do hire you, you’re relegated to some meaningless, inconsequential task behind the scenes so they won’t be embarrased by you.
I’ve learned the harsh truth that right or wrong, no quality mainstream company wants someone named (oh just pick a name) representing them in the forefront. We don’t hear that, though. We just want you to get the name right, and look at you funny if you don’t. I recall a time a young woman got really cross with me because her name was LaShi’quita and I forgot to capitalize the ‘S’ and left the little accent mark off the first ‘i’ - how was I supposed to know? But lawd ha’mercy...what did I do THAT for? She was mad, hostile, and ready to FIGHT! It was a BIG ridiculously overblown embarassing ordeal (for her), and that’s OUR fault, parents.
She wouldn’t have such a huge chip on her shoulder and be so defensive, confrontational and mean if we had just given her a name that the average person can pronounce or spell. No spell check in the world can help, so most of her existence is spent correcting the spelling of her name, and feeling disrespected because people can’t get it right. We set her up for this constant and unnecessary battle.
I do not advocate naming all our children Bobby and Susie. But let’s do our babies a favor and keep the syllables down to a minimum, leave out the suffixes “quita”, “sheika”,“eisha”, “niqua”, “quan”...anysuffix with the letter ‘Q’. I could go on, but you get where I'm headed.And if you want your child to have an authentic African or other ethnic name, do a little research. Don’t just make up a name and expect the world to be able to spell and pronounce it. You're not being original or cute. That child has to LIVE with that horrible name, and that's not funny...or cute.
Amen. Now pass the cornbread.
I have a student named Harley, and I like the name. In fact, I've have a boy and a girl with the name.
A friend of mine's wife had a patient names Siphyllis
(s eye feye llus)
She said she saw it on a poster at the Health Department and thought it was a pretty name.
i also went to high school with an Orangella
Same family?........
She also pulled this on me, apparently, when I was born. She didn't think "Scott" was a real name for a child, and for about a year, referred to me only by my middle name. Finally, my mother confronted her and set her straight.
Gee--thanks... < grin >
When I was training recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, we had one named
GARRISON P. MARINE
....And her brother Dwiezel........
Yes, but Dwiezel is a strange word. Moon Unit shows how you can saddle your kid with a really wicked monicker while using normal words.
Marion is the male spelling of the name, Marian the female spelling, although too many people have ignored that difference in the past. It's a name that seems to be dying out, in any case.
So often, it's a relief when names die out. My grandmother had friends named Blanche and Gertrude. I don't.
It's too cutesy. ;)
ping for later
Mercedes is my middle name, and my mother's first name.
"There is a girl named Gordyn (pronounced Jordan) at my daughter's school. The parents get upset when it is pronounced as Gordon and people assume she is a he."
I'll just bet they get upset. Poor widdle Gordyn...how could they not know how to pronouce her widdle name. She'll probably grow up with no self-esteem at all. Pity.
I've used the pseudonyms of "Bob Onit" and the ubiquitos "Ben Dover" numerous times.
BTW, my name isn't really Cletus....
My new name is:
Boobie Gizzardtush
http://www.ultsoftware.com/NameGen.html
Madycin? Isn't that a drug to keep you from going Mad?
Actually, the car was named after the designer's daughter (hint: Mercedes was a girl's name long before it was an automobile name).
"Shirley, Ashley; how about Courtney?"
Beverly was a not-uncommon name for boys two or three generations ago. Also, a couple of generations past in the South, Asa was a common name for both white and black males.
Momon name generator
http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/mormon/
It's not a black name, but we once had employee named Do Dang. Now that was a fun one to hear over the intercom.
"There's a call on line 3 for Do Dang"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.