What's wrong with giving your child a name from a "different race"?

Question

like say you're white and you give your child a "black" name...or you're black and give your child a "white" name. What is really wrong with that?

I was talking to a friend of mine...and she's pregnant and we were talking about names, and i told her i was thinking of naming kids after my favorite singers and such, and my favorite member of the BeeGees was Maurice...and she goes "thats a black person's name"...*its not pronounced the way she thinks its prounounced*....

anyways...What's wrong with giving your child a name from a "different race"?

*the name is "morris" (Maurice)

Answer 1

I didn't realize that races own names? Name your child a name that you feel comfortable with...don't listen to what others have to say.

Answer 2

Look, some people here might want to be all "progressive" and "PC", pretending there is no such thing as a black name or a white name but the truth is there are different names that are associated with different races. It's just a fact of life. Pretending these delineations don't exist doesn't mean they don't. How many Hispanics out there you think name their kid Connor? Or how many white people do you suppose name their boy Tyrone? It just isn't typical. It doesn't make it wrong to assign a traditionally "black name" to your white child, or the reverse, but just be prepared for the backlash. It's hard enough being a kid in today's day & age. To me, giving your kid a peculiar name is just setting them up for unnecessary hardship.

Answer 3

What the h*ll is a black or white name? Goodness people grow up and name your child whatever you want. Besides the last time I checked none of the Bee Gees were African American. If you like the name Maurice use it and stop worrying about what others think.

Answer 4

There was a book called Freakomics on the best-seller list a couple of years ago. The author did a study which correlated family incomes to baby names. It was interesting which names were high class and low class, or belonged to one race or another. The most interesting thing in that chapter was the true case of a poor southern black man who named his two sons "Loser" and "Winner"- Loser went to harvard and became a lawyer, and winner ended up in prison. I say give your son whatever name you want. Too bad there aren't more people with these names so that a meaningful study could take place. Unfortunately, one case does not prove anything about causation. What really matters, I think, is how you raise your child, regardless of what you name them. Good luck.

Answer 5

I'm sorry I don't understand what the problem is. I know that there are names that are more common to a particular race but that doesn't mean that the name belongs to that race. The naming of your child is exclusively up to you the parents and should not be restricted becuase of what society thinks is black or white. In my life, I have white and mexican friends named Maurice and I know a white kid named Darius and a white girl named Chantelle. I know black people named Cleighton, Preston, Jane and Elizabeth. I don't know if this helps but my advice is to name your child what you think will fit him or her best and don't worry about what your friends thinks. Their input is nice but its not necessary.

Answer 6

A name like that could go for any race i would think. Now, if you have a real african name, or one that is stereotypically a so called black name then it might be hard for a white child to identify with it. What if a white girl was named Oprah? The kid may be made fun of because of it. Same as if you named a white kid with no italian heritage Giovanni or Luigi. Someone might ask him where his name came from and he has no explanation because he is not italian. Maybe you have a black child named Pedro or Lupe, who is not spanish or mexican. Because of society's norms, its best not to do that to your child to spare them all the ridicule that would come along with it. But, a name like Maurice i would not say is associated specifically with any race.

Answer 7

Nothing is WRONG with it. Its just stereotype. That's just how it is. Black people have their own style names and white people have their own style. (Mexicans so on and so on) When u look at someones resume u can pretty much tell their race.

Little Quiz for you
Tell me which Race each name belongs in.

1. Landon
2. Carter
3. Liliana
4. Mackenzie
5. Phan Fang
6. Alberto
7. Phylicia
8. Deandre
9. Kaitlyn
10. Tran Phong


That's just how it is girl! but jumping outside of the box will never be wrong. You just might start something!

Answer 8

I know many people who would agree with your friend. I find it really interesting. But I have to agree with you - I just don't see the problem with it. If anything, I think it's a GOOD idea to do - we should not still be assigning ideas/things with a race, in this day and age. For example, I had a black friend named Consuelo, I know a little puero rican girl named Isabella, and I think they're beautiful names.

But I suspect there will always be some who will prefer to see names traditionally associated with a particular race stay within that race.

Answer 9

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!! just be aware of what the name might mean.......your friend has no right to be judgemental and if you wish to call your child maurice then do it, just try to make it easy on the kid......i've heard quite a few doozies........children named after wines or ....other various things that you'd never name a child.....anyway back to the subject...... there are so many pretty names out there that are from a different race.......don't let your friends opinion worry you

Answer 10

Races own certain names? I think you should go with whichever name you like. It is going to be your child's name-just don't make it something they will get picked on for when they are little. Maurice is a good name,especially if you like it.

Answer 11

Some names are given more often to people of a particular race. i.e. Jose is normally hispanic. However, I know I black Jose. All names have an origin somewhere.... but I don't think any names are exclusive to a single race. Name your kids whatever you want (as long its not like "Superman" or something that will get them picked on.) Your kid... you pick the name.