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Old 04-30-2015, 06:18 PM
 
10,029 posts, read 10,857,297 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuck's Dad View Post
I spent a lot of years in the military, so this provides the background context.

We were traveling as a family during one of our many moves, and had a black waitress in some no name Midwestern town with the name "Latrine." My kids all giggled, and I had to suppress a smile myself, with a "Mom, what were you thinking?" thought running through my head.

She was a nice, friendly woman, and a great waitress; and I gave her a good tip, and her name was not relevant to her ability/professionalism, however, I can see how names can hurt a person when SEEKING employment, I don't think they are relevant once employment has been secured.

Odd and unique names (no matter the race) generally cause difficulty for the kid with the unique/weird name.

And to the poster asking about "Tagg" and "Saxby" (and "Mitt" isn't exactly a "common" name!) I suspect they have a similar problem to "African American" sounding names.

However, in Tagg's case, "Romney" is the important name. A kid named Buttwizzle Romney (if from THE Romney family) will get an opportunity faster than a kid named John Smith, whether John is African American, White, Hispanic, or Asian - sorry, but the reality is that there IS an element of patronage in the US for the 1%, even though business is mostly a meritocracy up through most management levels.
This is what is neglected and that's how famous and rich people can name their kids anything yet they have connections. Look at Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter Apple and Rumor Willis and all the assorted goofball celebrity names. Having a weird name won't hurt them because they have important connections. I do think giving your child a stupid name is a bad idea if you're a nobody.
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Old 04-30-2015, 06:21 PM
 
6,806 posts, read 4,419,095 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wonderwall View Post
I find it hard to believe that a business owner or hiring manager will choose someone based on name. I can't picture skimming through resumes and being like "that's a fantastic resume, but we don't do Sheniquas here". Factually, I understand it can happen, but it seems stupid.
It may seem stupid to you, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Rather than integrate oneself into society's norm, many seem bent on slapping down America society by adopting African names. And that's fine, but don't cry on my shoulder when your quest to stand with an African tribe loses you a job at an All-American, conservative-based agency.
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Old 04-30-2015, 06:50 PM
 
Location: Albuquerque area
244 posts, read 246,271 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Javacoffee View Post
And that's fine, but don't cry on my shoulder when your quest to stand with an African tribe loses you a job at an All-American, conservative-based agency.
You mean like the NFL?
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Old 04-30-2015, 07:24 PM
 
7,572 posts, read 5,282,695 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by War Beagle View Post
I'm not a fan of any made-up names or unusual spellings for regular names.
NEWS FLASH: All names at one time or another were made up and/or bare no resemblance to their original spelling.

[/quote]that doesn't mean that future employers might not want those names representing their organization.[/quote]

And why would that be? And why does the name matter when it is the work of the name owner that is important?
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Old 04-30-2015, 07:49 PM
 
Location: Staten Island
1,653 posts, read 2,292,379 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IAMDWRECK View Post
In the 1960s, Anglo-American names were common among African American children. Pre-emancipation enslaved African Americans were mostly named by owners.

It wasn't until the 1970s and the rise of the Black Power movement, which was a response to 35 years of separate but equal and decades of police brutality and housing discrimination. that this shifted in the other direction. The underlying philosophy of the Black Power movement was to encourage Blacks to accentuate and affirm black culture and fight the claims of black inferiority. The adoption of “black” names is consistent with other cultural changes—like “natural hair"—prompted by the movement. African Americans wanted to distinguish themselves from whites, and develop a culture unique to them naming was an easy means to the end.

40 years later According to a University of Chicago study, résumés with black-sounding names are 50% less likely to get a call back. Black constituents with typically "black-names" are 80% less likely to have white legislator return an email or phone call when their name is revealed.

Chicago GSB | Capital Ideas

Today on twitter "#thingsIput on my resume was trending" and I posted "if your name could be considered ethnic or black I would suggest using your 1st and middle initials instead of your full-name."

I was met with a mirage of resistance which I understand but if it won't get you any further in the work field let only get your foot in the door for the interview what's the argument. I know it's institutionalized racism but it takes decades and policy after policy to reverse that, so what is Kiara or De'Quan supposed to do in the mean time?

On the other hand people were spewing this like "Yeah we can you imagine a CEO name La'Quanda or Merecedes?" and I thought ummmm yes and a President named Barack.

"White people giving their kids names like Saxby Chambliss and Tagg Romney is a clear sign of cultural pathology.” If names like “DeShawn” and “Shanice” are fair targets for ridicule, then the same should be true for “Saxby” and “Tagg.”" - said Jamelle Bouie.

What's your view... should African American's just conform and make it is easy or is pride and ethnocentrism ok and even if you have a "black name you shouldn't initial or avoid it?
I understand 100% where you are coming from. Being of Italian decent and from Staten Island NY I have felt there were times during my career that I felt I was judged on the vowel at the end of my last name and residency. Not an easy thing to prove. Yes, it upset me very much but realistically there was not anything I could do because it was not something that was easily proven. I have felt it has happened a few times the past 25 years and each time I would just move on and try to forget about it. I never have though. It's not a Black issue, it's an ethnic issue that spans across many types of people.
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Old 04-30-2015, 07:53 PM
 
1,179 posts, read 8,693,253 times
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Is Kiara a "black" name. I see girls of different races with this name.

I hate the crazy spellings. Not that I have a problem with it only that it's confusing when they're are so many different spellings. The person might get offended if it is misspelled or mispronounced. As a child they will probably have to constantly correct people.

If I was hiring someone I wouldn't really care about names but I do believe some people will. Whether this is racist or not, as it doesn't always apply to African Americans. Any "weird" or different name might see scrutiny. It isn't always intentional some one actually saying "no don't want someone with that name working here" could be a subconscious biased at times. There are biased that might not apply to name either when you give an interview or even when some one turns in an app. People are constantly judging each other.

A lot of celebrities have kids with names and people do scrutinize them. Like it's been said though, if you're a somebody it doesn't really matter.
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Old 04-30-2015, 08:06 PM
 
Location: Wandering in the Dothraki sea
1,397 posts, read 1,609,918 times
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I think as the demographics shift and we become more diverse this issue will fizzle out. I live in Atlanta and work with many, many African Americans with 'unique' names. Doesn't seem to be much of an issue round these parts anyway.


Buttwizzle.
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Old 04-30-2015, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Lebanon, OH
7,046 posts, read 8,861,275 times
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They could always change their name to Toby.
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Old 04-30-2015, 09:07 PM
 
8,924 posts, read 5,573,449 times
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A classic case of this is Barack Hussein Obama. Despite his middle name he was elected twice. I still wonder why his mother put Hussein as a middle name. She should have known it may have caused him problems in adulthood. Sometimes striving to be different can bite you in the butt, it has caused him some trouble also.
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Old 04-30-2015, 09:36 PM
 
1,112 posts, read 1,138,021 times
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I find those names tacky, made-up and silly. I do not care what race someone is, names like that are embarrassing.
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