What’s in a name?
Naming a child has always been characterized as an important step in parenthood. Since ancient times, parents have aspired to give their children the most befitting and meaningful names. Although many parenting tactics of old have been replaced by newer methods, giving your child a significant name should not be abandoned.
Several psychologists and professors have given implication that a lot of weight does lie in a name. Professor James Bruning of Ohio University says, “The impact of names comes from how people expect to see you.” According to this educated professional, individuals tend to follow career paths that fit their name. Whereas a child named Lamar or Chris may grow up to be a famous sports player, Alexander or Julius may become great political figures.
A name also implies one’s social standing. According to David Figlio, professor of Economics at Northwestern University in Illinois, children with unusual names are viewed as persons coming from lower social classes while those with common names are considered members of higher social standing. Figlio states, “In the US, there are distinctive names that signify higher classes, and names that might connote lower class.” David believes that children with uncommon names are treated differently by teachers.
What are your thoughts? Are children with uncommon names treated differently? Is there great significance in a name? Or, Is the current name game a product of stereotype?
9 Comments to “What’s in a name?”
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I’m only commenting on the question “Is there great significance in a name?”. I don’t think I have enough life experience to comment on the other two questions.
My dad has the number V after his name yet he did not give the name to his first or second son. I kept asking my dad why and finally he gave me an answer.
My parents showed me a video of my oldest brother holding my younger brother (my dads third son) on the day he was born. My dad told my brother that when he was born he did not name him VI because he did not feel as if there was any honor in his name. He was not going to give his son a WORTHLESS NAME FROM A WORTHLESS MAN.
My dad was named after his father who had him and his brother with a woman outside his marriage. His father did not choose well in his choice of wife and he repeated that with his mistress (a 15 year old Black American girl from Long Beach ). His father died when he was nine and had not made proper arrangements for the children he had outside his marriage. After his death, my dad, uncle and their mother were sent back to the US from Sicily with NOTHING. My dad’s mother abused him, blaming him and his complexion for them having to leave Sicily.
My dad got out of Long Beach, went to college, then Medical School, but his name was like an albatross around his neck. His name would be called _MD V and he could see the disbelief on peoples faces. They were expecting to see the blond haired blue eyed son of the IV and got him instead, a 6’6” man of ambiguous race who identified as Black and wanted nothing to do with the German/Sicilian side of him. The side where his name came from.
My dad wasn’t protecting his future and was making the same mistakes as his father. During his residency he married a woman he had gotten pregnant. He later divorced her getting sole custody of his sons.
My dad who swore he would NEVER get married again; met my mom. The end result was their marriage, my parents adopting her brother and my mom adopting my brothers. Through my mom, my dad slowly assimilated himself back into the “other” side of him (my parents share a similar racial background and coincidentally both of their paternal grandfathers were classmates at Oxford, both becoming physicians like their fathers before them).
Through his grandfather the III he learned the history of his ancestors who came to Sicily with nothing but became Solicitors and Physicians who owned the patents that paved the way for a company that is still family owned, and wealthier than King Croesus, my parents joke.
He learned that his father had provided for them in his will. He learned just how honorable the name was that he carried. To see my dad humbling himself and asking my oldest brother for permission to give the baby the name that should have gone to him made me cry. The decision was totally in the hands of my brother who was like 14 at the time. With his blessing the baby became the VI.
Is there great significance in a name? YES. You can live up to it or you can let it bring you down. In the end it’s all up to YOU.
Let me try this again my last comment didn’t post! I’m a regular on BCK my real name is Shaniqua! I love it others consider it to be ghetto that’s their opinion! My name doesn’t define me my smarts and beauty does! I’m think it’s sad to think lower of someone that doesn’t have a business savy name! Can u guess who I’am?
misunderstood? PlainMean? Seriously?
I’m just guessing, playing around, as your first comment didn’t post. I’m not sure about others, but on thing I can say for myself is this, it’s not a name like Shaniqua that is considered ghetto, rather it is the person who usually is named that, is ghetto themselves. Now that doesn’t mean I wont smh when I see a cooky name, but I don’t automatically assume the name defies the person.
I’m on BCK every single day my real name is Shaniqua and I’m proud of it! People call it ghetto but I don’t care I’m not ghetto! My name doesn’t define me my beauty and smarts do! Can you guess who I am!
I think society is slowly changing. I do feel that “the current name game is a product of stereotype” in many cases. One time I watched a show (I think it was Tyra) that had a panel of people who gave their view on a list of names and what kind of person they thought each would be like. There are stereotypes, but they are being proven wrong very often. I am Muslim and my husband and I and those in our community believe that we should give our children names that have beautiful and noble meanings, as God has instructed. And yes, many of us hope for our children to live up to their names.
Children are always going to be picked on for some reason or another, it’s not exclusively one thing, at least not in America. I also think there is a difference between unusual and different and straight up made up and ghetto. Like I have no problems with the names Morocco/Moroccan, I know that Morocco is a country and that there is Moroccan food,music, etc. Different names but not made up. Now when we start getting into name like Cashondre and anything that seems like it’s 5 different names squashed together, I think it’s silly. Other than that, IDC because I have more important things to do with my life than worry about someone’s name. As much as names are important, they’re not the end all be all.
My name is Ashley an my sister name is Amber. Very common names. My daughter name is Khloe’. I named her Khloe’ not because the name sound “white” but because the name is common. I think naming your children uncommon names are up to you and regardless of your name life can be hard. If you were rich and your name was Bonquisha would society see you the same???
I disagree with this one all my kids have different unique names I dont know if they’re talking about ghetto different names. None of my kids are treated different, Everleigh isnt being treated different the Sarah or Mya and Sage is being treated the same as Michael(a girl) and aida. And the same with Serenity.
“…children with unusual names are viewed as persons coming from lower social classes while those with common names are considered members of higher social standing…”
That seems to be how our society sees it and I kinda agree. It may not be “right” to classify children by their given names, they had no control over, but that is the norm.
It’s difficult to name your children because you don’t know how society will see it. Althought we shouldn’t care, but I know I do. I named my children Caila and Cameron because I wanted “nice” names, but not ghetto ones. I didn’t want peopel to know my children were black before seeing their faces. People say my children have “white” names and I hate that, but Caila and Cameron sound MUCH better than made up names such as Cymphonique and Cashondre, in my opinion, obviously.
In the end it’s to each their own. If you’re happy with extremely unique possibly odd names then go for it.