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My family tree is filled with ancestors named Robert, Mary, Catherine, Martin, Elizabeth, Wiiliam, Anna, etc., going back many, many generations. I saw no reason to mess with success.
I mean... besides Mercedes. "Mercedes" is a cute name and could be any race. I do agree that people tend to trust WHITE SOUNDING names more. Simply because it's more common and familiar to them.
The same thing applies to Asians, if you will take notice.
Ever met a completely born and raised Chinese man named "Scotty" or some made up name like that? Yep. I have met them. At least many Asians realize their real names sound 'off' to us white Americans and use a name that they think will make them fit in and gain more respect.
Lower class blacks still like to use those names; middle class and higher blacks are mostly naming their kids something respectable that won't put them at any kind of disadvantage in the world.
Every successful person I know that was born with an ethnic or a name to be typically considered "black" has either used there initials or utilized a nick-name.
My haitian immigrant great-grandma even did it her birthname was Zo'Bertha-Marjorie and when she came to the states she shortened it Bertha to assimilate, but should minorities have to assimilate? I have a friend getting her PhD named Tanesha and she goes by "Tanny". I had another friend that moved here from Sri Lanka when she was 10 and her parents legally changed her name from Schutayta to Briana to assimilate and she hated it. In college she started going by her first given name again.
I still think its a bit biased. Are black names weird are you just racist? We live in a country with people of several different ethnic groups with different histories, I don't think if an Asian holds on to their cultural identity and names their child Yu instead of John they would be met with the name game, same thing a white person who names their child Phoenix.
The issue is Jamal, LaShonda, Trayvon, etc. aren't signs of advanced, successful, economically stable and crime free culture but we can't judge people based on their name but we do.
Last edited by IAMDWRECK; 05-01-2015 at 10:26 AM..
One thing to keep in mind is that alot of people apply for jobs that they are not qualified for, and going over resumes of these people is a waste of time. I almost made a mistake of not clicking on the resume of someone with a highly black name, and I admit I clicked on the ones above and below her first.
But I did click on it, and read it. Eventually interviewed her, and hired her. The first thing she told me on her first day was thanking me and that she was having such a difficult time getting interviews. She ended up doing well, and I personally have used it as my wake up call to never, ever, judge a person by name or by appearance.
So yes, I certainly have to agree with the findings of this study.
Lower class blacks still like to use those names; middle class and higher blacks are mostly naming their kids something respectable that won't put them at any kind of disadvantage in the world.
Not true there are many, many pretenious African-Americans who name their children with African or Black sounding names as act of defiance. I knew an African-American studies professor at an Ivy league university that named their child "Malik" and I knew a Black couple that were doctors and very into ethnocentrism that named their children "Zasmine, Zandria, and Zion".
Uppity white people do the same thing, but a child named "Declyn or Huntleigh" is acceptable because it's associated with white people. it’s because blacks remain at the bottom of America’s racial caste system. “Hunter†is just as unusual as “Malik,†but it’s understood as “normal†because of its association with white men. It’s arbitrary, yes, but it reflects who holds power. Indeed, if the situation were reversed, odds are good there would be plenty of jokes about “dysfunctional†white people who name their children “Paisleyâ€
I mean... besides Mercedes. "Mercedes" is a cute name and could be any race. I do agree that people tend to trust WHITE SOUNDING names more. Simply because it's more common and familiar to them.
The same thing applies to Asians, if you will take notice.
Ever met a completely born and raised Chinese man named "Scotty" or some made up name like that? Yep. I have met them. At least many Asians realize their real names sound 'off' to us white Americans and use a name that they think will make them fit in and gain more respect.
Lower class blacks still like to use those names; middle class and higher blacks are mostly naming their kids something respectable that won't put them at any kind of disadvantage in the world.
You are on to something with that. I see the same thing with many Indians. If you couldn't even pronounce the name you might not want to call them for an interview, but if they use a simple name that makes a difference.
It's interesting that some can't pronounce each other names. Last weekend I was told "I can't even tell you what that name is. That's like South India I can't pronounce it, they have all the weird names there. You won't be able to figure it out."
I don't know if I moved to another country I'd want to change my name. Names are a part of our identity but I might consider it or something a little different that is close to my name.
I have a unique name. When I was younger, people frequently thought I was black until they met me and found out my name is Hebrew. And I'm not Jewish. Having an odd name definitely has impacted my life. My mother loves it and I tell her all the time she wouldn't love it if she had to deal with it on a daily basis. I honestly hate my name. I have thought about changing it, but it's not that easy. And then I'd have to get people to call me by that name.
Both of her daughters have odd names. Her son is....Marc. Yeah we beat him up a lot growing up.
Nearly ten posts in and no one has yet claimed to know someone who knew someone who heard someone who met someone named La-a or Oranjello? That's progress!
I knew someone who knew someone named Chlamydia. Feel better now?
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