[Hebrews 11:6]

The White and Black lists are notable for the complete lack of Biblical names--the Asian list has a majority of them or their derivatives. Parents who do not name their children after Biblical characters or virtues are, I suspect, less likely to inculcate into them Biblical values.

If the Asians are only interested in assimilating into what they see as the dominant culture, rather than emulating the Bible, then their next generation will have names like Cameron and Antwaine, too.

[Kevin Curry]

The White and Black lists are notable for the complete lack of Biblical names . . .

The real list (at least the ones I've seen over the years) includes old stand-bys including Michael, David, and Christopher, Rachel, Elizabeth, and Sarah.

No one has yet commented on Jewish American baby-naming conventions. So I'll do it. A lot of Jewish parents are very careful to give their children--the male children anyway--traditional Hebraic names, many of them found in the Old Testament. The German-Ashkenazic surnames ending in "stern" ("star"), "stein" ("stone"), "baum" ("tree") etc. are fairly reliable indicators that the bearer has a Jewish ancestry, but find them coupled with first names of David, Nathan, or Benjamin and all doubt is removed. This baby-naming convention persists to this day among new Jewsish parents.

Then there is the rural, cowboy/country & western subset of Americana. Just as country & western music is noted for its deliberate puns and clever word imagery and associations (e.g., "Thank God and Greyhound She's Gone"), these parents sometimes name their children in a similar fashion. For example there is the Rhoades family and their three sons Rocky, Clay, and Dusty.

[gitmo]

The White and Black lists are notable for the complete lack of Biblical names--the Asian list has a majority of them or their derivatives.

I was working in retail once, and noticed that a black client's name was Obadiah. I commented he was named after the Old Testament prophet. The guy started stomping around, cussing, and throwing things. He got so mad he left without making his purchase.

I thought it was a compliment.

[glory]

Settle down Hebrew 11:6, here is the ACTUAL top ten names of 2001--plenty of biblical names in that top ten:

Boys: Girls:
Jacob
Michael
Matthew
Joshua
Christopher
Nicholas
Andrew
Joseph
Daniel
William

GIRLS

Emily
Madison
Hannah
Ashley
Alexis
Samantha
Sarah
Abigail
Elizabeth
Jessica

PS I didn't name mine biblical names. I don't tend to think that those who do are any more righteous than those who don't since probably most don't know or don't care of the origin of the name they are using or only know it as a family name.