"if a Chinese were to walk in here with the name of Patrick Murphy you would think he was crazy because Patrick Murphy is an Irish name, a white man's name, and a Chinaman is a yellow man and has no business with a white man's name, I don't see how these black people can walk around here calling themselves Murphy, Johnson and Bunche and Powell, which are actually white people's names." - Malcolm X The culture of names like Mequan and Dar'miesha are black Americans. The descendants of a culture lost and destroyed. I have no issue with people rejecting names of European culture and creating their own.
I don't think we should be creating our own, but instead choosing names of West African origin and learning about those cultures. Jaisee is totally correct about these names being inventions that result from having our original African ethnic group cultures destroyed, but you don't right a historical wrong by just making up nonsense. You right the wrong by restoring the links. Culture without historical continuity is just ad hoc improvisation to me, sort of like Kwanzaa. I may be wrong, but it's easier to just learn from my friends from Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, etc, and begin to participate in those cultures and become comfortable in them.
You obviously haven't read this thread. It's been said from the start that there's a rich culture of African names to choose from. One's with deep meanings. Why is so hard to research for a bit, rather than lazily name your child after a car?
if jaisee refuses to knock me round and up with his staff of life (we already have our triplets named), i shall go have a sprog with some random on some rainy night, like that heart song, and call it torana
I remember that malcom x quote. I think the reason a lot of (american) black people give their children such odd names is to purposely keep them from sounding too white; my mothers side of the family is largely afro-latino and most of my cousins have "normal" names (Marc, Ryan, Brittany, Gwen to name a few). My grandparents were immigrants so they gave their kids "american" names on purpose. African-americans are probably the only "americanized" ethnic group that tries its best to be as far from white as possible. And it's that type of thinking that keeps us at the lowest end of america's hierarchy. At thr very least we can keep the names but have "normal" alias's for business purposes, that's what the arabs do.
I am friends with a couple who gives their children Ghanaian (more specifically, Ashanti) names for their first names, and then traditional Western names as their middle names. I personally think it's a meaningful and beautiful way to honor both cultures, their ancestral and current backgrounds.
Exactly when they make up names it sounds like some dumb childish shit. It's no coincidence that people like that do dumb shit and get the kid's name tattooed on their damn neck
Among my Latino relatives everyone has either Spanish names or 'Christian' ones, but not Celtic ones. As for black people trying to create distinct names, I feel that it's because we're the only group that had their culture obliterated and for whom the prospect of being in this society is so traumatic. People are trying to pick up the pieces of a broken history and culture. Lack of education and connection with actual West Africans plays a role I think. But reaffirmation of ethnic naming is on the rise among all ethnic groups. I have more Irish and Scottish-American friends naming their kids Colin, Bryce, Declan and the like than ever. Same among most of my Italian friends. I think this is a great idea.
That's how it is for the older generation in my family. My mother's relatives (aunt, uncle father, etc.) have names like Rosario, Miguel, and Catalina. But they gave my mother's generation more american names.
Same here, especially those from my dad's generation that were half African-American, because their parents came out of that super-serious old-school black community vibe with the English names (Warren, Nelson). Then my dad and his siblings hit the Black Power/Young Lords era and after that it was either Anthony, Christopher (my middle name), Michael, Samuel or Hector, Demetrius, Jorge, Erica. If it's English it has to have that biblical hook-up, lol.
I never said there wasn't a rich culture of African names to choose from. I said they are creating their own culture. It is their right to do so, regardless of how much it offends you.
negro please. The culture is not lost or destroyed...We just won't re-establish it. Mequan is not African...the people giving those names wouldn't go to Africa if you gave them a free ticket. Mequan is a deep-seated expression of self-hatred and loathing for that child's father...that's all that shit is. Seems to me the best way to reject european culture is to SIMPLY jettison european LAST NAMES. Nothing is as dumb as an African named cancelled out by a european surname. Kwame Kilpatrick for example Fuck is that?...Somekind of a pathetic African leprechaun:smt043 If the tables were turned you best believe white americans wouldnt still be carrying African surnames. You wouldn't see any Billy Bob Olajuwons running about...that's for damn sure..lol
