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HelpRe: Naming your kids something that is not your culture
in reply to a message by Anya Mel’nik or Mel’nyk
I gave my daughters what I call "international names." They're not in common use in my culture today, but I drew on my heritage and lineage to find them. People will be able to read and say their names intuitively where they will be growing up and if they travel across borders, their names will still be familiar. I have French, Dutch, German, Basque and Frisian heritage in my family and I don't have to go very far back to trace it. I considered names from all those cultures. Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a Polish name for a child raised in Ukraine, but I also don't know the cultural norms. I do agree that choosing a name from, for example, Japanese culture when a child's family has 0 ties to it is weird. It reminds me of a wedding I attended years ago where the men whore kilts despite 0 connection to Scotland or anything Scottish. It's awkward.
Replies
International names are fine. My short name (Anya) I believe is international enough.
> Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a Polish name for a child raised in Ukraine
There is not really, but I just wonder if people would think wrong about me because these people would be from West Ukraine (probably Lviv) and I am from Donbass where you would find kids with Russian names...
> I do agree that choosing a name from, for example, Japanese culture when a child's family has 0 ties to it is weird.
Yes, I agree. It would be like if I called my kid Luknė or Étienne.
When I see non Slavic people with Slavic names (American friend knows not at all Slavic kid called Nikolai) it is very very... weird. Same feeling when I see western "USSR kid" stereotype (13-15 year old who romantisise USSR and Russia and communism, try to seem "slavic" doing accent or following stereotypes like squatting wearing ushanka listening to hardbass)
> Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a Polish name for a child raised in Ukraine
There is not really, but I just wonder if people would think wrong about me because these people would be from West Ukraine (probably Lviv) and I am from Donbass where you would find kids with Russian names...
> I do agree that choosing a name from, for example, Japanese culture when a child's family has 0 ties to it is weird.
Yes, I agree. It would be like if I called my kid Luknė or Étienne.
When I see non Slavic people with Slavic names (American friend knows not at all Slavic kid called Nikolai) it is very very... weird. Same feeling when I see western "USSR kid" stereotype (13-15 year old who romantisise USSR and Russia and communism, try to seem "slavic" doing accent or following stereotypes like squatting wearing ushanka listening to hardbass)
Here there are many people who choose popular English names for their children, but they can't even speak English. It makes me cringe. I have seen the romanticizing of the USSR in America for many years. I don't know where it comes from, but it's very ignorant to say the least. I think also, with the war in Ukraine, western youth don't understand the difference between being supportive and appropriating other people's suffering. They see it as a way get attention. It's very disrespectful, but social media encourages it.
I have seen people who call their kids English things in Ukraine too, and yes it is weird and cringe.
> I think also, with the war in Ukraine, western youth don't understand the difference between being supportive and appropriating other people's suffering.
I see this too. It makes me feel disgusted when people use our suffering for likes.
> I think also, with the war in Ukraine, western youth don't understand the difference between being supportive and appropriating other people's suffering.
I see this too. It makes me feel disgusted when people use our suffering for likes.