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. 
Oh pish-tosh. It bugs me that EVERY young kid and most younger people have these “unique” names, and basically NO traditional names. Society is throwing out its roots. Wouldn’t be so bad if only a few boys were named Aiden and Jayden rather than every one in the neighborhood and on TV.
I can despise trends if I want. Doesn’t mean I’m interested in regulations.
BTW, I’m Kristin, named after a Nobel-winning novel, no family names at all involved.
Uh, there is no Nobel Prize for novels.
OMG...I LOL’d through those!
Yeah, all the normal names are oriental.
I’m not crazy about Sinutab, but I’d be OK with Dristan.
I’m sick of Madison (who thought it’s best as girl name?), and every other “last name” first as well. That is another trend I am tired of!
AUTHOR.
There’s always ‘Chlorine’.
All names were strange once.
“Laquintas”
Named after where conceived?
Louise and Patrick are in the Bible?
What no ‘Trayler’?
I went to junior high with an Aquanetta.
Some popular redneck names around here . . Dakota, Cheyenne or Shyann, or Shian, Shawn, or Sean, or Shawna, or Seana, Amber, Crystal, or Krystal . . these are okay names, but have been driven into the ground with lots of repeats.
So, here’s something on this topic from 2006:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1606343/posts
A few years ago at the Minnesota state girls high school basketball tourney, someone counted 14 variant spellings of ‘Caitlin’.
Then those groups should feel free to leave, and go live in other countries, where they would find out what "oppression" is. They have it better here than anywhere else in the world.
The names thing is really one facet of the huge numbers of soulless, atheist, feral people in the world.
And they come in all races.
The sheer ignorance of all standard concepts of civilization.
The complete lack of curiosity about history.
The complete obtuseness and luxuriating in stupidity and fecklessness.
The moronic tattoos, the speech and thought devoid of any meaning or significance.
Their minds are sewage, pure and simple.
Naming their kids is one way they show their grasp of the meaning and significance of an individual human life vis a vis the Creator, and the eternal and infinite universe.
Nihilism.
A woman (race will not be mentioned) at the Food Bank I founded had twins. She told me she found the most beeyouteeful names for her new daughters at the hospital where they were born. Then she showed me pictures of her identical girls Gonorrhea and Syphilis. . . I am not kidding.
Fox 25 Boston used to have a news anchor named Anqunette Jamison. They called her Q for short.
“I suppose this is one freedom you would all like to see go away?”
Good question to ask little “Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii”? Remember her?
My own legal name is a nickname for a more formal name. My Mom thought the formal name was too long and they would call me the nickname anyway, so why bother naming me the formal name. The nickname would do. Thanks mom, not. I can tell her why she should have named me the formal name and called me by the nickname. The answer is simple R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That’s why.
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