Don’t Wear It Out: What’s in a Name?

Art illustration by Zariah Taylor depicting the many mispronunciations of her name

Hello! How are you? My name is… A classic way to meet new people, just be sure to listen to the important part: their name. A name is more than pleasant sounding syllables, it can be an indication of an individual's purpose in life. In a more worldly sense, it is an astute part of our identity. 

For a long time most names were rooted in religion; some of the world’s most common names are Mary, Mohammad, and John. Most notably, baptismal names mark the beginning of spiritual rebirth. The name is usually placed on a certificate, similar to a birth certificate. In Judaism and Islam, followers believe that there is a great significance with having a name connected to the belief. In both, newly established followers are encouraged to choose a new name to remind them of their spiritual promises. Comparatively, virtue names – a Protestant tradition as well as a secular trend – represent the type of character parent’s hope their child will inherit. Some traditional virtue names are Grace and Victor but now more modern ones include Journey and Ever. 

There is still more research to be done to determine if a name can dictate a personality but there has been plenty of research that shows that a name can influence how people perceive you. The University of California Berkeley and the University of Chicago conducted a study by sending thousands of job applications to fortune 500 employers, half with generic white names and the other half with stereotypical black names. The applications had the same qualifications but the ones with black names were called back 10% less than the ones with white names; a classic example of name discrimination.

Name discrimination is a microaggression as well as a reason many people of color may choose eurocentric names for their children. Oftentimes when immigrants arrive in a western society they choose simpler, usually English, names to help them assimilate into the culture. There’s a fear that their ethnic name will be “too hard to pronounce” which is a rejection in of itself. So why not save themselves the embarrassment and pick a name that they know will be acceptable?

However, the issue is not pronunciation but a lack of effort. We live in a western centered society that believes anything non-western has to be inferior or not worth learning. An employer or maybe a colleague may not take the time to learn a fellow employee’s name but instead create a nickname for them. A nickname is meant to be used for endearment or at least representative of the person who answers to it. It shouldn’t be a lazy alternative to a name that a family lovingly chose for their child. Even if a name is uncommon, at least making the attempt to learn how to say it is basic respect. People take pride in saying names like Fyodor Dostoevsky but it wouldn’t be too much of a leap to say Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It’s not as hard as it looks, the question is: are you willing to try? 

Our individualistic society has definitely recognized the importance of a name. There is an ongoing trend of parents trying to pick unique names that they believe will make their child more of an individual. Black Americans, an ethnic group who at one point in history weren't even allowed to name their own children, tend to pick distinctive names that are now considered “Black” and sometimes ghetto. While the creativity of Black parents is demeaned, White parents pat themselves on the back when they name their kids NayVee or Irelyn. Whether it’s naming their child after a plant, remixing a common name, or choosing a bold middle name, people want to be different. Different doesn’t mean bad, in this case it means it means new. For Taylor Humphrey and many others it means a new business venture. Humphrey gets paid thousands of dollars to help people name their children. She believes the reason for this is that today’s names are a “telltale sign of our cultural values and our aspirations”. Equally important, there is a noticeable preference for unisex names due to progressive ideas about gender. Not everyone will identify as the gender they are assigned at birth and choosing a name that’s more non-binary coIt won’t be long before there are plenty of Oakleys milling about the latter half of the 21st century. 

A woman signing her name on a marriage certificate

Individualism is a significant factor for this shift in culture; women and children are no longer considered property. However, there is still some controversy surrounding a woman changing her surname. Of course, everyone has to make their own choice, but the choice doesn’t suggest a woman loves her partner any less or any more. Notably, once again, it is mostly western cultures that carry on this tradition. In many eastern countries, it is almost completely unheard of for a woman to change her last name because it isn't considered a last name but a family name, and that makes it too sentimental to change. A reason some women choose to change their surname is so that the name matches the name of their children. Getting the proper documentation to prove your identity can already be difficult but a name change insinuates your completely different person on paper. There isn’t a right or wrong choice but outside politics does add pressure.

A name is more than the letters it contains, like any other word it has a definition that depends on the bearer. A name represents a culture, longstanding tradition. Names can carry ideologies and beliefs. It is the first gift a person ever receives and it is one of the first facts you learn about a person. Therefore, the next time someone tells you their name, listen, learn, and you might learn even more about them.