Stupid "black" names...why?

[Ree]

Just a note that I have slightly edited the title of this thread.
I took out the word "people" as I found it very offensive to look at the shortened for space version of the title in the thread list and have it say, "Stupid black people".

It may only be because of the size of my netbook screen and it may not show on other member's computer screens like that, but it does on mine and I did not like it so I changed it.

I felt the wording of the original title gives the implication that the OP, despite the disclaimer of not being racist, is calling black people stupid, rather than making a complaint about the invented names black people use which he finds ridiculous.

[fireheart17]

Is there actually a Madeline show?

Yes there is-as someone said you can find it on the web and it's done in a slightly similar fashion to the books. The narrator usually keeps the rhyming pattern and in some cases, the characters also keep in with the rhyming theme as well, but it's still a good show and it nearly always starts with "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines", usually with the girls walking downstairs and Madeleine sliding on the banister. Then the church bells would be ringing and it would turn into the girls.

[RavenStarr]

I know that people like to give thier kids unusual names and I can respect that.

But...Don't give your kid a name that will cause them to be teased and bullied during thier school years. Really? Do you hate your kid that much?

I have to say about the name Latrina. WTF? Because every girl wishes her name meant latrine. Poor little Latrina would have to go through school with nicknames like: latrine, toilet, the can, crapper, shitter..But nevermind that because her name is unique and has special meaning.

There is a lady that comes in the store whose name is Uretha. I know it's not like Urethra but still that's messed up.

[KnitShoni]

But...Don't give your kid a name that will cause them to be teased and bullied during thier school years. Really? Do you hate your kid that much?

Considering just how many "normally named" people I went to school with who got picked on because of their names (the majority of people)...what's your point? Because, honestly, by that logic, no one should name their children, ever.

[AdminAssistant]

KnitShoni has a point there. I have one of the most common female names of my generation. I was still teased about it. Kids are cruel, and there's little you can do about it.

[Hyena Dandy]

Considering just how many "normally named" people I went to school with who got picked on because of their names (the majority of people)...what's your point? Because, honestly, by that logic, no one should name their children, ever.

That's a point I've tried to make here.

I mean, my parents were worried about me being associated with the Iran Contra scandal so they decided to change Oliver to Matthew. Should I not name a kid Elizabeth because they could be taunted with Lizzie Borden?

Kids make fun of people's names. Because at a certain age, you're not creative enough to make fun of anything else, so if they don't like you, they make fun of your name.

[Ginger Tea]

I don't know when in life each generation learns the word latrine, I forget how old I was, but it was through watching Nam movies, so I doubt many under teen's would know the name. But come High school ...

Same goes for Uretha, sure its close to Aretha in spelling, but no child is going to associate it with anything till biology classes.

Other names can be picked up on quite easily by children regardless of being a normal anglo saxon name, a traditional forign name or something that does look like a key mash.

Some times as with my Virginia Crank example, it's normal names with unfortunate pairing.
We had a regular customer we called 'Jimi' me and another guy just assumed it was his name, but it was just another co workers nickname for the guy who happened to have the last name Riddle, if it had been his real name, James Riddle would have heard the joke a gazillion times before.

[HYHYBT]

Use as unusual a name as you like, but please, please (unless it's a real name from another language and so has to be spelt a certain way) make it look reasonably like it sounds... and be pronounceable. For example, no matter how much you might like someone you know from a message board, you shouldn't name your kid a mix of numbers and letters.

[KnitShoni]

"Pronounceable" varies greatly, though. I know a few people named Nina. As far as I knew, the general pronunciation is "NEEN-a". However, they've told me their name has been pronounced "NINE-a". Or my name. Shonika is pronounced "Sho-NEE-ka", but I've heard anything from "SHAWN-i-ka" to Shawn-i-qua", never mind the fact that there is no "q" present in my name.

[Andara Bledin]

Or my name. Shonika is pronounced "Sho-NEE-ka", but I've heard anything from "SHAWN-i-ka" to Shawn-i-qua", never mind the fact that there is no "q" present in my name.

I'd pronounce it "Sho-nee-ka" if not told otherwise.

As for the addition of letters not present... My mother has a tale of meeting with one of my brother's teachers when he was in middle school. She gave the woman three chances to understand that there is no R in the name Mobley before she walked out of the conference and demanded that my brother be put in a different class.

Some people are far too ignorant and self-absorbed to care if they get other people's names right.

^-.-^

[Sleepwalker]

After having read through this longass thread, it seems the problem people have with black american names is that they make the recipients sound as if they are... black americans.

/sigh

[RavenStarr]

Considering just how many "normally named" people I went to school with who got picked on because of their names (the majority of people)...what's your point? Because, honestly, by that logic, no one should name their children, ever.

Because "normally named" people only go through the abuse in school and very rarely after they graduate. And I just realized this. The girl named "Toilet" ( Lets face it thats what "Latrina" really means.) will go through the rest of her life hearing snickers and giggles.

Lets face it. The girl named Pamela (which is my name by the way) doesn't get teased near as much as the girl whose name means "Shithouse".

Believe me I've gotten teased for my name. But at least things like. Being asked if I was named after the cooking spray. Thank God there isn't a toilet bowl cleaner named PAM. I'd have to change my name then lol.

[KnitShoni]

After having read through this longass thread, it seems the problem people have with black american names is that they make the recipients sound as if they are... black americans.

/sigh

Pretty much.

[Nyoibo]

Am I the only one who thought of Robin Hood men in Tights when Latrina was mentioned?

"you changed it to Latrine?"

"Yeah, used to be Shithouse"

"Good change, it's a good change"

[Tanasi]

When the wife and I were kicking around names for our oldest she went through several baby books. What we settled on was Quillen Elisabeth, I thought it is a pretty name and especially so for such a pretty little girl (now 24.) Elisabeth came from her mother and several aunts on both sides, the Quillen came form a mistake I made. A coworker always called his wife Quillen and I always thought that was her name. What I learned was Quillen was her maiden name, Laura is her actual given name. Color me embarassed, I mean I called her Quillen to her face.
Now my Quillen has always hated her name and vowed to change it one day. She got married about a month ago and went and filled out the paperwork to change last name. (In my AO you can also change the whole name if you want but you have to meet with the judge to do so.) This past weekend I found out that she just changed her last name, I asked why and she said that despite the teasing Quillen is unique and it was a special name from her daddy. All that being typed she goes by Beth.
The wife named our middle daughter Jordan Brook (I had no say in this one.) From the time she starting jabbering she's been called Jaws.
My sons are named after my father, FIL and brothers very traditional names, our youngest daughter was named after my sainted and beloved grandmother and an equally beloved cousin. She actually loves her name Zella Mae.