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HelpWould you use
Would you use a name that's not your ethnic backround. I like really exotic names and people around me and in post have told me it looks wierd if it's not your ethnicity. So would you stick with a name from your heritage, native country, or just cause you like it. Thanks in advance.
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 12:50 PM
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What worries me is that people tend to choose names according to what they find appealing, without considering the usage and image of the name in its country of origin, or among people of its ethnic background. If I was a Jew, I'd probably laugh when a Christian family named its son Cohen, but plenty of Jews find it offensive and this should surely be respected.
Indian names ending in -a or -i seem to look feminine to (some) Western eyes. Once again, a little research could have clarified this, if the Western namers wanted to clarify it. If they didn't, then using it is arrogance.
Then there's Kaia, Kaya etc. Which means 'house', as in Makaya Ntini. Unfortunately, when used by white Africans, it tends to mean 'outhouse' (especially in the form PK = picannini kaya = little house i.e. outdoor toilet and, by extension, indoor toilet), or the kind of shack built by the homeless out of scrap metal, cardboard and plastic. Pretty name? Really?
I suppose that what I'm most concerned about is cultural imperialism in this specific form: industrialised country moves in and strips assets of third-world country, leaving soft-drink tins and KFC boxes in its wake, and included in those assets are souvenirs of various kinds, including but not confined to 'cute' names.
A Buddhist or Moslem family, or a Christian family of course, wherever they live, might well prefer a name reflecting their own heritage. Which is fine: they know what they are doing. Same with a non-American family who select, say, Elvis and Marilyn for their children, admiring the iconic holders and, perhaps, hoping for success by contagion. Knowledge is good; ignorance has pitfalls.
Me? I've never seen a name from outside my own heritage that I've liked more than the very mainstream English names I choose and use. That's not to say they don't exist; but if I spotted one, I'd certainly do my homework before using it.
Indian names ending in -a or -i seem to look feminine to (some) Western eyes. Once again, a little research could have clarified this, if the Western namers wanted to clarify it. If they didn't, then using it is arrogance.
Then there's Kaia, Kaya etc. Which means 'house', as in Makaya Ntini. Unfortunately, when used by white Africans, it tends to mean 'outhouse' (especially in the form PK = picannini kaya = little house i.e. outdoor toilet and, by extension, indoor toilet), or the kind of shack built by the homeless out of scrap metal, cardboard and plastic. Pretty name? Really?
I suppose that what I'm most concerned about is cultural imperialism in this specific form: industrialised country moves in and strips assets of third-world country, leaving soft-drink tins and KFC boxes in its wake, and included in those assets are souvenirs of various kinds, including but not confined to 'cute' names.
A Buddhist or Moslem family, or a Christian family of course, wherever they live, might well prefer a name reflecting their own heritage. Which is fine: they know what they are doing. Same with a non-American family who select, say, Elvis and Marilyn for their children, admiring the iconic holders and, perhaps, hoping for success by contagion. Knowledge is good; ignorance has pitfalls.
Me? I've never seen a name from outside my own heritage that I've liked more than the very mainstream English names I choose and use. That's not to say they don't exist; but if I spotted one, I'd certainly do my homework before using it.
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Excellent reply
Xpres
Xpres
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I love a lot of really "exotic" names also. I think for me it kind of comes down to A) how relevant and exclusively common the name is, in its own culture B) how personally connected I feel to that culture. I have a lot of French ancestry and so it feels easier to view French names as honoring. But, my prospective children will be such a blend, I'd still hesitate using Philippe, even though I love it.
If it's sort of all around obscure and unplacable, I'm more likely to feel its usable. I would consider using Fairuza in real life, but not Farouk.
If it's sort of all around obscure and unplacable, I'm more likely to feel its usable. I would consider using Fairuza in real life, but not Farouk.
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It depends on the name and the other parent's ethnicity. If I was married to a Japanese man and we had kids, Japanese names would make sense for the kids, even though it isn't my ethnicity. Also, if a kid is adopted from another country, I'd be willing to use a name from that country. And if the name looks and feels 'ethnic neutral', it's okay. Aliyah is one name that became 'ethnic neutral', since I know a few white girls with this name, which is Arabic and became more widely known when the singer Aaliyah was on the charts. Lakshman, however, is still ethnic, since the only image in my mind is an Indian male.
Ethnic neutral might not be the best term. What I mean by that is that there isn't a definite race that I think of when I hear the name.
Ethnic neutral might not be the best term. What I mean by that is that there isn't a definite race that I think of when I hear the name.
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I wouldn't, but I would try to use something that would work anywhere in the world. Something with simple enough spelling, pronunciation, etc.
My reason is that if I use a name, I want to be able to feel its culture and history in my bones. I want to be able to imagine different kinds of people with that name, from different kinds of families and time periods. That's what makes me like a name. And I don't get that with exotic names. I can like them superficially, but it's not the same, I wouldn't be comfortable with them.
This is about my own taste, for my own hypothetical kids. I can meet people with names that don't match their cultures and think it's awesome.
My reason is that if I use a name, I want to be able to feel its culture and history in my bones. I want to be able to imagine different kinds of people with that name, from different kinds of families and time periods. That's what makes me like a name. And I don't get that with exotic names. I can like them superficially, but it's not the same, I wouldn't be comfortable with them.
This is about my own taste, for my own hypothetical kids. I can meet people with names that don't match their cultures and think it's awesome.
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"An ethnic group or ethnicity is a socially defined category of people who identify with each other based on common ancestral, social, cultural or national experience."
So I guess it depends on how broadly you define "ethnic background". I wouldn't use a name I have no connection to or that I don't identify with in some way...so I'd say no, because I feel like my cultural experience is the main influence on which names I identify with and like, but that's also assuming a pretty broad definition of "ethnic background".
So I guess it depends on how broadly you define "ethnic background". I wouldn't use a name I have no connection to or that I don't identify with in some way...so I'd say no, because I feel like my cultural experience is the main influence on which names I identify with and like, but that's also assuming a pretty broad definition of "ethnic background".
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Maybe. Really if you think about it, most Biblical names are not from my ethnic background and I'd use them. Names evolve and move around and it's not such a black and white thing.
But I think if I branded a name as "exotic" I automatically am a huge outsider to that culture and it would probably be inappropriate. It's less about sticking to names from my culture (where's the progression in that?) and more about being respectful to other cultures.
Here's a conversation some of us had on the name Winona a few months back that has stuck with me: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/4611592
But I think if I branded a name as "exotic" I automatically am a huge outsider to that culture and it would probably be inappropriate. It's less about sticking to names from my culture (where's the progression in that?) and more about being respectful to other cultures.
Here's a conversation some of us had on the name Winona a few months back that has stuck with me: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/4611592
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I tend to think of cultural appropriation as being when people take an element from a foreign culture and then distort the meaning of it...like using ceremonial headdresses as fashion statements...
Names like Cheyenne, Dakota, and Cherokee annoy me for that reason.
Winona doesn't.
Names like Cheyenne, Dakota, and Cherokee annoy me for that reason.
Winona doesn't.
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 2:43 PM
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Maybe, but I'd have to know enough about the culture of the name's origin to have some idea what the associations were with the name for those people (it could be the name of a locally famous murderer, or it could sound extremely religious, etc), and I'd have to be comfortable pronouncing it correctly, and it couldn't be an exotic form of a name that is common in English (seems too shallow, like treating foreignness as a fashion accessory). I'd need to go on more familiarity with it, than just having seen the name around on someone, or having found it in a database.
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you need to stick ...
To one posting name. You're signed in but you keep changing your posting name.
To one posting name. You're signed in but you keep changing your posting name.
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I'm sorry but that had nothing to do with my post. Big deal with the rules. Some people are just no fun. My personal decisions do not involve you.
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Sure, your decision about how you identify yourself on the board does involve the people who read your messages. It's not all about you. Putting the same name every time would just be a gesture of respect and support of the reason for the rule (the reason there is a rule is so that people don't pretend to be more than one person and troll the board that way). So, some people are bound to think you are trying to seem petty and flip if you don't do it.
It doesn't bother me that you don't, but that's because you're the only one who doesn't and you're always signed in. It would be pretty annoying, though, if everyone who posted frequently like you, put a different name each time. Since the only apparent reason to do that, would be to try to make it look like you're someone different each time - and why would you need to do that?
You can set a default name that will automatically fill in when you post, by editing your profile and using the "edit settings" tab. There's a field for "Default name."
It doesn't bother me that you don't, but that's because you're the only one who doesn't and you're always signed in. It would be pretty annoying, though, if everyone who posted frequently like you, put a different name each time. Since the only apparent reason to do that, would be to try to make it look like you're someone different each time - and why would you need to do that?
You can set a default name that will automatically fill in when you post, by editing your profile and using the "edit settings" tab. There's a field for "Default name."
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 1:44 PM
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I'm only doing it to get a point across. And if you stick with the sand posting name your twice as likely to be hacked. This is my fun
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 1:58 PM
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I smell funny
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Lol
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Hacker alert
We got a hacker on board here people as you can see
We got a hacker on board here people as you can see
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Call the cyber police.
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Um, no. This makes no sense. You're still signed into the same account every time and WE ALL SEE IT. Same account, so how is that safeguarding you in anyway? If you're ACTUALLY concerned about getting hacked you would not have an account
And frankly, your poor attitude makes you a bigger hacking target than anything else, if you ask me.
And frankly, your poor attitude makes you a bigger hacking target than anything else, if you ask me.
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 6:55 PM
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Having your account hacked has literally nothing to do with the name you post with.
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What's so fun about changing your name all the time?
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Watching people freak out like this
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That's basically the definition of trolling: doing something provocative for the sole purpose of getting a negative response.
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Personally, I think it's kind of sad that you have to ruffle feathers and draw attention to yourself for all the wrong reasons just to get some cheap kicks. :I Why not just get your fun like all of us here do, by discussing names (or going to the Lounge and discussing other topics)? If you can't have enough fun just by doing that, then I think you should deservedly be labeled a troll and banned, because, as it is, you're just kind of disrupting things for no reason at all and playing victim/cryptic superior when you're called out.
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I've never seen anyone who deserved to be banned as much as you do.
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What personal info are you hiding within this name etymology site for hackers to find?
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Like I said getting a point across
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You're not, though, are you?
Given no one knows what that point is. You're just purposefully being a nuisance.
Given no one knows what that point is. You're just purposefully being a nuisance.
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Yep. People arent smart enough to realize they shut up I stop. I love attention and your list. You have great tast.
This message was edited 10/7/2015, 3:30 PM
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oh, baloney
l7
l7
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Like I said getting a point across. Yes I am a crazy person. Yes I will continue this
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Hi Vladislava, this rule is listed on the rules page for this message board. Flouting the rules can result in a ban.
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Oh Snap!
THE authority has spoke vladislava. Shape up or ship out honey
THE authority has spoke vladislava. Shape up or ship out honey
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we all follow the rules here ...
Even preteens do.
Anything you or anybody else posts on here has something to do with everybody else.
If you can't or won't understand that, nobody on here is going to seem like any fun to you.
Even preteens do.
Anything you or anybody else posts on here has something to do with everybody else.
If you can't or won't understand that, nobody on here is going to seem like any fun to you.
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It really depends on how different the ethnicity is, how mainstream the name is, and how native the name is.
For example, Nadia is a fairly mainstream name that would work with almost any ethnicity without any confusion. Were I to choose a Native American name that is not widely known, such as Tecumseh, it would raise far more eyebrows.
Would I use a Manx name like Breeshey, a Thai name like Somchai, an Igbo name like Chidimma, or an Irish name like Ailbhe? Likely not. They are exotic and beautiful, yes... but they are so linked to their origin that using them wouldn't make much sense to me.
I have seen people using Chinese names on German children, or Egyptian names on South American children, etc... but in most of those cases the name is either used in many cultures, or it is mainstream in use (or looks like it).
For example, I am not Turkish but I my parents are Italian so the ethnicity isn't soo far off (geographically at least). I considered using the name Evren because it looks like many mainstream names, yet is simple enough that it's origin is not obvious.
To sum: I wouldn't stick with just names in my heritage (we went with French and are not French), but I do think there is value in using a native name. "Because I like it" is probably the most important factor, but how well the ethnicity of the name and the ethnicity of the child match is important as well.
For example, Nadia is a fairly mainstream name that would work with almost any ethnicity without any confusion. Were I to choose a Native American name that is not widely known, such as Tecumseh, it would raise far more eyebrows.
Would I use a Manx name like Breeshey, a Thai name like Somchai, an Igbo name like Chidimma, or an Irish name like Ailbhe? Likely not. They are exotic and beautiful, yes... but they are so linked to their origin that using them wouldn't make much sense to me.
I have seen people using Chinese names on German children, or Egyptian names on South American children, etc... but in most of those cases the name is either used in many cultures, or it is mainstream in use (or looks like it).
For example, I am not Turkish but I my parents are Italian so the ethnicity isn't soo far off (geographically at least). I considered using the name Evren because it looks like many mainstream names, yet is simple enough that it's origin is not obvious.
To sum: I wouldn't stick with just names in my heritage (we went with French and are not French), but I do think there is value in using a native name. "Because I like it" is probably the most important factor, but how well the ethnicity of the name and the ethnicity of the child match is important as well.
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Yep, I totally would and have.
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