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Why are We Doing This to Our Children?

Why are We Doing This to Our Children?
Posted By: Dr. S. Maxwell Hines on October 26, 2008


The phenomena of how we select names for our children just amazes me. Why would you give children names that set up negative expectations for them before they even open their mouths?
A school teacher friend sent this to me. This is a childʼs name!


'Le - a'


How would you pronounce this as a child's name???

Leah?? NO
Lee - A?? NOPE
Lay - a?? NO
Lei?? Guess Again.



Are you resorting to tongue clicks yet?

It's pronounced 'Ledasha ' oh yes...you read it right. The dash is not silent.


This child attends a school in Livingston Parish. (Louisiana)


Her mother is irate because everyone is getting her name wrong. SO, if you see something come across your desk like this please remember to pronounce the dash.

When the mother was asked about the pronunciation of the name, she said 'the dash don't be silent.'

Any comments?
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Jen Fad
Nurse at Healthcare
...It's pronounced 'Ledasha ' oh yes...you read it right. The dash is not silent...

Dr. Hines I am bawling. What kind of nonsense is that? If you think this bad Dr. HInes what about naming your child Clitoria?

http://www.bnvillage.co.uk/village-square/...
Sunday, October 26th 2008 at 11:26PM
Jen Fad
Nurse at Healthcare
(DETROIT) In a decision that's expected to send shockwaves
through the African-American community-and yet, give much relief to
teachers everywhere-a federal judge ruled today that black women no
longer have independent naming rights for their children. Too many black
children-and many adults-bear names that border on not even being words,
he said.

"I am simply tired of these ridiculous names black women are
giving their children," said U.S. Federal Judge Ryan Cabrera before
rendering his decision. "Someone had to put a stop to it."

The rule applies to all black women, but Cabrera singled out
impoverished mothers.

"They are the worst perpetrators," he said. "They put in
apostrophes where none are needed.
Sunday, October 26th 2008 at 11:28PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
Jen, Although I agree with the sentiment in many ways, the article that you published is bogus.
http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/blackna...
Sunday, October 26th 2008 at 11:33PM
Jen Fad
Nurse at Healthcare
Thanks Dr. Hines for the update. It really should be against the law though. LoL Haven't some of these women heard of baby names which give the meaning and spelling of names?
Sunday, October 26th 2008 at 11:36PM
Jen Fad
Nurse at Healthcare
Even the HollyWood celebs are right up there. Who names their kid Apple? It really should be a crime.
Sunday, October 26th 2008 at 11:37PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
Again, I agree with you, Jen, lol.
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 12:03AM
Jackie Garrett
Prairie View A&M University class of 1976
I'm so glad that someone other than me is bringing this up. It's so stupid. Giving children names like this only identifies them early for discrimination. People wake up! Racism and discrimination is ALIVE AND WELL IN 2008.
Jackie garrett
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 10:11AM
Sharon Moore
Tax Associate at H&R Block
Children with names that make no sense should change them legally when they become of age.

I know a woman who actually named her child "Morticia" -- yes, after the Morticia in the Adams family series (back in the 70s). Everyone just called her Tisha or Tish.
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 11:18AM
Sharon Moore
Tax Associate at H&R Block
The link to the story "Judge rules that black women have to get permission to name their kids" is a SATIRE. It's not true, so don't get hyped about it.

I accuse my ex sister in law of being stupid in misspelling my niece's middle name. Shakira's middle name is pronounced Monet (the "t" is silent like the painter), but it's spelled Monia. So people pronounce it like Sonia (with an M). She (ex sister in law, age 45) is so ignorant that she never heard of Tawana Brawley! (The case that gave Rev. Al Sharpton his fame). I told her to look at the news EVERYDAY and read a newspaper at least once a week. Dumb ass!
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 11:31AM
Dee Gray
Provisioner at Cannot Say
LOL. I know this isn't true, but it's funny. The thing that gets me is that black people are the only ones.

Look at Apple, Gwenyth Patrow's daughter.

Or Rumer Glenn Willis, first daughter of Demi and Bruce Willis. And let's not forget their other daughter, Tallulah Belle. Demi, BTW, is short for Demetria.

And Julia Roberts named her twin girl Hazel. Who does that to a child?

And let's not forget even Will and Jada, who have a daughter named Willow.

Shannyn Sossamon (actress) and Dallas Clayton named their son AUDIO SCIENCE! NO joke!

Helen Hunt and Matthew Carnahan named their daughter Makena'lei. OKAY??

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook named their daughter Sailor.

And don't even get me started on Whitney Elizabeth Houston naming her daughter Bobbi Christina!!!!!!!


Monday, October 27th 2008 at 12:39PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
Dee, Kimberly makes a good point. When celebrities name their children these names, it probably won't impinge on their future but will Clitoria (as Jen said) be able to work in corporate America, LOL?
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 12:47PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
I used to think that these names were the purview of teen mothers but Sharon set me straight on that one, lol.
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 12:49PM
Marquerite Burgess
President/CEO at MCB Processing and Marketing Services, LLC
This is just ridiculous. Where is the pride that is suppose to be bestowed upon a child's name. Some of these names are a reflection of a persons educational level and just plain common sense. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to know that when you name a child that is a label they carry with them, unless they change it, into their adult years when it is time to be employable. They could have all of the degrees in the world and be wonderful people to employ, but if the manager can't even pronounce the name and associate uneducated with the name. The poor child is doomed. Sad, just sad.
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 2:41PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
I can't even find this funny anymore, Renee. I find it maddening. Everyone has the right to be ignorant, but to heap that ignorance onto your own child annoys me to no end!
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 9:39PM
Jen Fad
Nurse at Healthcare
...heaping that ignorance onto your own child annoys me to no end...

LoL Dr. Hines. I'm just thankful that my mom gave me a name that allowed me to have a fighting chance in the world.
Monday, October 27th 2008 at 10:18PM
I hear ya. I met a girl who said she named her children white names so they could get jobs. She was a welfare mother of now 6. I was called Belle until I changed my name to Johanna which is my middle name. I agree that hopefully the child will be intelligent enough to change their name when they are old enough.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 at 12:23PM
lol i find that hard to believe
and although i'm laughing it's really sad and distarbing to think what the hell was going on in that mothers head
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 at 3:37PM
I think this name beats all the others. I was listening a while back to a local radio station here in the NYC area and a day care teacher said African Americans were not the only ones with these outlandish names, but the one name that struck with me to this day was Abcde {pronounced Ab cee dee}. I don't know this is a boy or girl. This is clearly what you would call disturbing.
Thursday, October 30th 2008 at 5:30PM
Dr. S. Maxwell Hines
Professor at Winston Salem State University
Jacqueline, you sound like a person too young to have children or one who has named a child a name such as the ones we've discussed here. Which is it?
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 at 3:22PM
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