Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

On Strange Names and the Curse of Individualism
Archdiocese of Washington ^ | December 7, 2012 | Msgr. Charles Pope

Posted on 12/08/2012 12:50:55 PM PST by NYer

Living and working the African American Catholic Community I have been subject to some time with names that are often unpronounceable. It is a controversial practice even in the Black community for parents to name their children all sorts of crazy, made-up names that are often intentionally misspelled.

DeQuanna, Sharkeisha, LaDarrius, Shamyra, Marketta, Shontella, LaRochelle, Shandrika, Charmonique, Myosha, LaKeisha, DeQuan, Rhondella, Raviona, Rominthia, Tomika, LaVenia, Trishela, LaTasha, ABCDE, Tyeisha, Mootron, Knoshon, Keyshawn, Tarquisha, Q’J'Q’Sha, Laquintas, Jamarcus, JoNathans, et al.

I trip over this especially at Baptisms when I am supposed to solemnly pronounce the name of the child. Even after the irritated mother tells me the third time, I still can’t get it right. But why be angry with me? Why name your child such a strange name? Its all so crazy. They put in apostrophes where none are needed and there seems a minor obsession with the letters ‘Q’ and ‘K’.

Now some may speak of racism, but I have been in the Black community too long to be deaf to the fact that an awful lot of African American folks hate the practice too.

Oddities are spreading to other ethnic groups too. In a recent article in The Atlantic Phillip Cohen writes:

The number of girls given the name Mary at birth has fallen 94 percent since 1961…..The modernization theory of name trends, advanced most famously by the sociologist Stanley Lieberson, sees the rise of individualism in modern naming practices. “As the role of the extended family, religious rules, and other institutional pressures declines,” he wrote, “choices are increasingly free to be matters of taste.” Mary—both a traditional American name and a symbol religious Christianity—embodies this trend.

Second, America’s Christian family standard-bearers are not standing up for Mary anymore. It’s not just that there may be fewer devout Christians, it’s that even they don’t want to sacrifice individuality for a (sorry, it’s not my opinion) boring name like Mary. In 2011 there were more than twice as many Nevaehs (“Heaven” spelled backwards) born as there were Marys. (If there is anything more specific going on within Christianity, please fill me in.)

The Full article can be read here: Why Don’t Parents Name their Daughters Mary Anymore

I have referred in this brief article to the “curse” of individualism, because frankly I think some of these names become a hindrance later in life and mothers trying to be creative and individualistic, often saddle their kids with troubles later. Frankly people don’t like to be embarrassed, and when someone tells you their name and you can’t pronounce it, or have to ask again, and even a third time, social relations, and things like job interviews tend to go badly. I mean how do you even pronounce Q’J'Q’Sha? A lot of things break down when you can’t even pass the “go” of exchanging names.

As you might expect, many of these children given strange names, end up going by other nick names. Like “Q” or Shawn or something easier. But really they should not have to, and their strange names will still have to come up at formal occasions and all the awkwardness. And even some of the names that are more pronounceable convey a kind of strangeness that makes people uncomfortable. While not necessarily fair, strange names convey an impression of the person who carries it. We tend to read a lot more in to names that perhaps we should, but the tendency is pre-conscious and is unlikely to change that much.

Interestingly, in Biblical times people were more creative with names than currently. However, they were careful to name their children with a name that was intelligible, that actually meant something. For example, Jesus means “God saves,” Michael means “Who is like God?” Sarah means “princess” and so forth. Thus, observing the essence of a child, the parents named the child on the eighth day after birth.

Controversial article? Sure. But don’t turn it into a race thing, there’s plenty of divided opinion in the African American community as well. Also if you feel offended, try not to take it personally. It is a cultural trend that is being critiqued, not you. The bottom line, in a culture where strange forms of individualism are increasing and exotica is proudly displayed by more and more, it’s good every now and then to ask about limits and encourage some moderation.

By the way, my name almost backward is Epop Selrach if your looking for a clever new name….for your pet, that is. :-)


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: childnames; children; childrensnames; daughter; daughters; girlsnames; mary; msgrcharlespope; names; namingyourchild; nicknames; saints
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-172 next last

1 posted on 12/08/2012 12:51:02 PM PST by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NYer

Don chu be gibin yo chile no plantation name!


2 posted on 12/08/2012 12:54:32 PM PST by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; SumProVita; ...
Some more examples of how selfish parents inflict their personal interests on children when naming them.

Parents Name Their Newborn Daughter 'Hashtag'

Parents Name Their Son ESPN

3 posted on 12/08/2012 12:55:26 PM PST by NYer ("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
the “curse” of individualism

maybe there is some hostility toward traditional American values by some groups that feel oppressed by them.

4 posted on 12/08/2012 1:00:06 PM PST by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Thanks to ‘exotic’ names a certain race uses, we can identify the perps even though the police report refuses to name them due to PC.


5 posted on 12/08/2012 1:01:12 PM PST by patriot08 (NATIVE TEXAN (girl type))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
I love the traditional and biblical names. A few are:

John

Mary

Michael

Martha

Matthew

Joseph

Sarah

Samuel

6 posted on 12/08/2012 1:07:40 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
This has gone on throughout history. The insecure and dull-witted all feel the need to stand out and be different; and consequently, end up copying, or even worse, trying to one-up each other.

I first consciously observed this in college back in the days of the proto-goth, when (primarily female) liberal arts majors would don black clothing and paint their fingernails black in order to "be different." Eventually many of them all tried to be different and ended up looking alike. As a corrolary to this, I noted that the most truly unique and interesting people tended to dress and appear rather normal by comparison.

I suspect a similar thing goes on when dullard parents name their children.

7 posted on 12/08/2012 1:08:36 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Racist! s/. “Q’J’Q’Sha” will have a few job options: professional athlete, rapper, robber or welfare recipient.


8 posted on 12/08/2012 1:13:46 PM PST by manic4organic (It was nice knowing you, America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
The Bible has some real doosies for names so giving the child a Bible name can result in just as much of a oddity as any "trendy" name can.

Try having Kerenhappauch as a name and you can quickly see the problem.

Best to give the child one "exotic" name if that is your bent and one "common" name that they can use if they wish.

9 posted on 12/08/2012 1:16:35 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Fate plays chess and you don't find out until too late that he's been using two queens all along)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

This is nothing but hatred of the children. When a child cannot be legally killed, the parent give him a name ugly enough to kill his spirit.

Why do the priests agree to baptize under such names?


10 posted on 12/08/2012 1:17:53 PM PST by annalex (fear them not)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: manic4organic

I have a co-worker from American Samoa (husband is also Samoan)—She has a son named Tyrece, and a daughter named—Abc’De. I kid you not. When she had her fourth child, I asked her if she was going to name it Hij’kl. Fortunately, the child was given a regular name.


11 posted on 12/08/2012 1:26:40 PM PST by Mrs.Liberty (Somewhere in Kenya AND Delaware, villages are missing idiots.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: manic4organic

I have a co-worker from American Samoa (husband is also Samoan)—She has a son named Tyrece, and a daughter named—Abc’De. I kid you not. When she had her fourth child, I asked her if she was going to name it Hij’kl. Fortunately, the child was given a regular name.


12 posted on 12/08/2012 1:26:57 PM PST by Mrs.Liberty (Somewhere in Kenya AND Delaware, villages are missing idiots.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: NYer

They left out LoRenta, Urethra, LiNoleum and VaGina.


13 posted on 12/08/2012 1:27:36 PM PST by Noumenon (As long as you have a rifle, you STILL have a vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

My sister used to work at a “downtown” hospital. One mother said her daughter’s name was “Pay-jah-may”.

“How do you spell that?” my sister asked.

“P-A-J-A-M-A”.


14 posted on 12/08/2012 1:29:03 PM PST by BwanaNdege (Man has often lost his way, but modern man has lost his address - Gilbert K. Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

If they hate it so much, how come all the names in the NFL and in your own sphere of life have stupid names?


15 posted on 12/08/2012 1:29:42 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Actually this isn’t just a black problem. Everyone is being pretentious. Blacks do it by coming up with ridiculous made-up names. Whites do it by re-spelling normal names abnormally and using previously totally obscure Irish names.

They are all obnoxiously pretentious. My boy is just George.


16 posted on 12/08/2012 1:40:18 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
rule of thumb, the sillier the name,(white OR black) the more they will cost the welfare system...
17 posted on 12/08/2012 1:44:48 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: trisham

One of our Lebanese families began by naming their first son, Michael (after the Archangel). That child passed away 9 months later. He was followed by another son, this time, named Daniel. Then came a daughter, Joelle Marie followed by another boy, this time named for the Archangel Gabriel. The children reflect the strong character and holiness of those for whom they were named.


18 posted on 12/08/2012 1:52:58 PM PST by NYer ("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear
The Bible has some real doosies for names so giving the child a Bible name can result in just as much of a oddity as any "trendy" name can.

Not too many Hezekiah Uriah's anymore, but it was my great-great grandfather's first and middle name. :)

19 posted on 12/08/2012 1:52:58 PM PST by Gunslingr3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: NYer
I think creative naming is a part of southern culture to a degree, adopted and imported by the AA community. The problem with it as I see it is that there is no one to identify with, no sense of belonging, no continuity. When you are named after a father or uncle, mother or auntie whom you know, love and and respect, it matters.

To illustrate, adolescent psychiatrist offices are filled with rootless white Jasons and Jareds and Justins, none of whom have any known relative with those names.

20 posted on 12/08/2012 1:54:58 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-172 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson