I am NOT trying to be racist...But I seriously have a question for black females:?

Question

Why do many black females name their kids the weirdest names? I mean, "Karmesha", etc...And the apostrophes? "Shar`mee"? And the misspelled names like "Ashlee", "Tam`ra", etc?

Is it the need to come up with a unique name or is there something else I am not aware of?

Answer 1

A very interesting question, and a valid one. The reason is very esoteric, and surprisingly, rooted in history a long time ago. The names they choose seem rooted in French origins "Latosha", Charmaine, etc. but they (black people) have no connection to French culture. It started in Detroit area ghettos in the 1940's, and they seem to have picked up on it, and it spread to Buffalo, NY, and then southward throughout the USA.

I agree, it is weird. A lot of it has to do with some weird stubbornness to adhere to 'Ebonics', so even if a name can be spelt in a conventional way, they like to spell it "creatively"
A lot of it is also traceable to illiteracy, which is why you see names like "Ice T" or "Sho-Bote". There really is no valid, intellectual reason to explain this trend, but again, you are to be praised for having noted it, and asked about it.

Answer 2

I understand you're not trying to offend, Ive been asked this question so many times by non-black people.

Your first assumption, the need to be unique, is the most common reason black mothers choose such names as Shar'mee, and etc.

And the apostrophe, nowadays, people are doing it to be unique, yes, but in the past, it was the Southern mothers who gave their kids names with apostrophes. That's why me and my sisters have the names that we do, and alot of the girls I grew up with also had apostrophes in their names.

As for the misspelled names, that's a matter of opinion. Growing up, I knew 4 Ashleys, 1 white girl, 3 black girls and they each had different spellings. The white girl spelled hers Ashley; but the others were spelled: Ashlei, Ashlee; and Ash'lay.

Hope that helped. = )

Answer 3

I feel I can speak on this issue. All black Americans do not name their children names such as this, and many take issue with these names as well. I myself find it to be a habit particular to blacks where many of the parents are not married. Often the mother desires to leave a stamp upon the child as to their fathers name when they choose not to give the same last name so they combine prefixes from the mothers name and fathers as to impress paternity. Such as Father's name is Tre' and the Mother's name is Shawna, so the child's name will be Treshun, or Treshawn, or Treshaun.

Plus, there is a contingent of blacks that celebrate things that are perceived as ghetto by whites and like to continue and uphold such things in rebellion of things perceived as "white" and "right". However the previous statement isn't to be taken as totally negative as some of this stems from the desire to have something perceived as ones culture that whites cannot tamper with, or that does not need their approval.

I believe the apostrophe stems from past when France was viewed by blacks as a Utopia where blacks could live. So the La Shaes, and La Tasha etc, all stem from that. I think its out of a desire to make a name sound high class at times.

But mostly, I believe it stems from a desire to give a child a name that seems African, when these names are nowhere near African and people's attempts to tag them as African based is incorrect. There are legions of African names rooted in language and culture and sound beautiful. The Aisha's, Kenya's, and Imani's are examples of this. The made up names strike the English speaking ears as strange as black American's speak English, and the names have no cultural or phonetic meaning in the language or any other for that matter. Other ethnic names, such as African, Asian, Indian etc, may sound strange to our ears, yet it is understood such names are rooted in their native language and culture, ie Jin Ling (China) Hans Durling (Norway) Aishwarya Rai (Indian) and others.

However, with that said, some of these names make up the culture of some black americans. But don't assign that to all blacks. All blacks don't assume that backwoods and country whites that live in trailers with no teeth make up the contingent of white Americans so why don't you do the same. Black culture embodies many parts, and all aren't the same. Some blacks are ghetto, some are not. Some whites are white trash, some are not.

As for mispelled names, sometimes, such as the name Ashlee and Tam'ra, sometimes that is simply a desire for a different spelling, a way to make a common name unique to a specific child. I don't see a problem with that. Ashlee Simpson's name is spelled that way and it isn't perceived as a black thing.

However, with all of that said, at the same time this is all subjective because what makes Jessica such a great name? Or Kate, or Julie? What's a Julie? Its all about what one is used to.

Answer 4

When I was in elementary school there were girls named Shafreaka, Fallopia....etc. I was just conversing this with my husband the other night, he's from Egypt and he's been here for 3 years now and has noticed the same. I also noticed they like to use french sounding names which makes them feel real fancy like: Monique, Marquitta, Ariana, Shanequa...and on and on I can go. I don't mean to offend anyone, I just happen to know alot of black girls, and have alot of black friends.

Answer 5

I don't know where your logic comes from. Why do white people call their kids john or bubba or micheal? There are no grounds to naming people. The other thing is how can you question misspelling of names. The english language is mixtures of other languages. Heck the language makes no sense.
For example

The bandage was wound around the wound.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
the word color is spelled colour not color for any one who is american

It is all relative. what ever answer you can give for you having your name can be given to a black woman who has given their child what seems to you an odd name. It only seems weird b/c you are seeing it from your culture and not another.

Answer 6

"I am NOT trying to be racist...But "-- It's useless that you even tried to "not be racist" because as soon as you use the word "but" it negates everything before it. In other words yes, dear, you are racist in that you overlook all the unique naming that goes on across all culture to try to point out black people only. If you go South at all you will find many people of various races and classes named names such as Lucretia and Charmaine.

The answer to your question, where Black people are concerned, is because somewhere down the line (50's, amostly 1960s with black nationalism), some of us decided that we didn't want our children in the tradition of Anglo-Christian names that did not reflect culture of origin. More importantly, we did not want name our children in reflection and therefore honor of the oppressive culture that stole millions of our ancestors and put them into slavery, killed, destroyed and lead to the non equaly civil rights people were entrenched in fight for at the time.

So people began to name their children names that were reminicescent of what they believed to be African. And while every girl who names here child something unique, or sometimes down right eccentric, does not know the historical reason for why they are inclined to make up a non-traditional name, they do know one thing-- That they don't want their child named something reminds them of simple-minded white girls such as yourself.

Answer 7

i understand what you r saying but a lot of time people are lookin for orginalaty thats all people dont want to be the same now dont u think the world would be a very boaring place if everyone thinks the same way i even want to be diffrent i i would name mi child Zalicya and Zanadia i just think that they r cute and als everyone doesnt have the same taste just think like this eveyone is diffrent and it is not the name that makes the person it is the heart and too whites asians whatever have wierd names to

Answer 8

I thought Ashlee Simpson's mom was a white lady? Black people aren't the only people who name their kids "weird" names. And I wonder what you mean by weird. Do you mean non-white names. If a black person named their kids white people names (American white names) you wouldn't have asked this question. I'm black and have a "regular" aka white name. Just because people (by the way, black people aren't the only people who do this) don't want to have boring "white American" names doesn't make them weird.

Answer 9

I'm thinking that it started around the civil rights movement when many blacks started seeking out names from Africa that meant something. They also learned Swahili and other languages in an attempt to reconnect with a part of thier heritage. I started noticing the weird names in the late 70's early 80's, when primarly young, unwed mothers started creating names that sounded pretty to them, sometimes which were a combination of their name and the child's father's name. At another point in time, everything had a "La' " preceding it, like La'Quisha, La'Tina, La'Donna, ect.

Answer 10

This one is easy...

In case you're not aware of the history of Blacks in America (and the Caribbean), we were kidnapped from our countries and dispersed amongst America and the Caribbean islands against our wills. As if this weren't enough, we were stripped of our names, cultures, traditions, languages, and religions and given that of the White men. Now that slavery has been abolished, it seems unfeasible to return to a country which we are not familiar with after hundreds of years. Using these "weird" names, which are unfamiliar to you is OUR way to have something of our own which wasn't forced upon us. At one time in America's history, we were not allowed to choose our own names or the names our children. Now we are able to and if I so choose to name my child something unique, I have the right and the freedom.

FYI... many of the names are actually names originated from the countries of Africa. Additionally, this question should not only be directed toward Black females as there are many fathers who take part in the naming of their children as well. As a matter of fact my brother-in-law named one of my nieces one of those "weird" names.

It is so sad how racist some people can be, but I guess racism is stemmed from fear and ignorance.

Answer 11

A Black lady "ASKER" in here didn't want to give her kid a "Ghetto name" as she called it, but came up with one anyway. Too bad, because the kid is labeled black and ghetto for life and has to fight that as well as all the other obstacles that a minority of 15% must fight deal with when living with others. I cannot understand why a parent would subject their kid to that.

An adult named Jane will be let in to a job interview before a Jayamamamia will be; and always will be, folks.