New Post
Search
Helpdo you know any Kohanim Jews?
in reply to a message by bananarama
Because if you do, it would be interesting to know what they really think.
I am terribly irritated when white people randomly use Indian tribe names as first names. Dakota, Cheyenne, they're pretty popular across the board now, but stuff like Lakota, Sioux and Cherokee seem to be tryndee only among white people who have little or no connection to those cultures. "I named my daughter Cherokee Rose because we're like, part Cherokee." (It's *always* part Cherokee, not part Tlingit or part Zuni; Cherokee seems to be almost a synonym in these people's minds for "Native American.") Yeah, well, I am an actual Cherokee, grew up around other actual Cherokees, and I never once met a Cherokee child named Cherokee/ I don't think many Cherokee people feel the need to advertise their ethnicity, which is after all, not anything they had any kind of control over anyway. Most of the people I see using that name, the only part of them that's Cherokee is the part of their butt that touches the seat of their Jeep. You don't see people going around naming their kids stuff liek Japanese, Polish or Slovenian, do you?
Beyond that, some first names when paired with surnames of an obviously very different culture, can look pretty laughable. Mary Bridget Rosenberg, Mohammed O'Houlihan, Juan Manuel Yamamoto, Pierre-Jacques Washburn... they're just funny and mismatched.
I am terribly irritated when white people randomly use Indian tribe names as first names. Dakota, Cheyenne, they're pretty popular across the board now, but stuff like Lakota, Sioux and Cherokee seem to be tryndee only among white people who have little or no connection to those cultures. "I named my daughter Cherokee Rose because we're like, part Cherokee." (It's *always* part Cherokee, not part Tlingit or part Zuni; Cherokee seems to be almost a synonym in these people's minds for "Native American.") Yeah, well, I am an actual Cherokee, grew up around other actual Cherokees, and I never once met a Cherokee child named Cherokee/ I don't think many Cherokee people feel the need to advertise their ethnicity, which is after all, not anything they had any kind of control over anyway. Most of the people I see using that name, the only part of them that's Cherokee is the part of their butt that touches the seat of their Jeep. You don't see people going around naming their kids stuff liek Japanese, Polish or Slovenian, do you?
Beyond that, some first names when paired with surnames of an obviously very different culture, can look pretty laughable. Mary Bridget Rosenberg, Mohammed O'Houlihan, Juan Manuel Yamamoto, Pierre-Jacques Washburn... they're just funny and mismatched.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Correct me if I'm wrong...
... but isn't Cherokee the Indian tribe with the most caucasian influence? I am certianly not standing up for those who claim Indian heritage when they haven't experienced the inequality and racism of many Indians, but it's much likelier that a white person with Indian heritage would be part Cherokee than any of the mid or southwestern tribes.
(I agree wtih you though... I've known of students to claim Cherokee and get scholarships for college when they don't have an Indian bone in their body, while Apache and Navajo kids get rejected)
To keep it slightly on topic, I think for aesthetic reasons, folks wtih mixed heritage backgrounds should probably try to go with a more commonly American first name for their children. Just my opinion though. :)
... but isn't Cherokee the Indian tribe with the most caucasian influence? I am certianly not standing up for those who claim Indian heritage when they haven't experienced the inequality and racism of many Indians, but it's much likelier that a white person with Indian heritage would be part Cherokee than any of the mid or southwestern tribes.
(I agree wtih you though... I've known of students to claim Cherokee and get scholarships for college when they don't have an Indian bone in their body, while Apache and Navajo kids get rejected)
To keep it slightly on topic, I think for aesthetic reasons, folks wtih mixed heritage backgrounds should probably try to go with a more commonly American first name for their children. Just my opinion though. :)
1
And if you're of mixed heritage?
My kids will be almost completely German and Swedish, raised in an area surrounded by that culture and raised with a father who speaks German.
Just because he has an Irish last name means that I should chose a name that is more "American' for aesthetic reasons?
That's ridiculous to me, especially in this country.
My kids will be almost completely German and Swedish, raised in an area surrounded by that culture and raised with a father who speaks German.
Just because he has an Irish last name means that I should chose a name that is more "American' for aesthetic reasons?
That's ridiculous to me, especially in this country.
1
Yah, I think in America you can use whatever name you like because the culture is so greatly mixed. Thats not to say that other countries can't, but since America specifically was brought up I am
just particularly mentioning America.
I am Irish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Canadian, Scotch, Polish, Russian, Danish, etc. I am quite a mutt. Yet, my last name is German. Does that mean that I should go with an "American" or a "German" name simply for aesthetic reasons. Nay.
Also, what exactly is an "American" name. In my opinion, there is no such thing unless you are referring to native American names.
just particularly mentioning America.
I am Irish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Canadian, Scotch, Polish, Russian, Danish, etc. I am quite a mutt. Yet, my last name is German. Does that mean that I should go with an "American" or a "German" name simply for aesthetic reasons. Nay.
Also, what exactly is an "American" name. In my opinion, there is no such thing unless you are referring to native American names.
This message was edited 8/16/2008, 8:09 PM
1
I agree. IMO "American" names don't exist unless referring to Native Americans.
1
I don't think it is possible to get a scholarship by just claiming to be part Cherokee when they truly are not. You have to have a card and documentation stating your native American heritage and ethnicity and how much of each native group you are to even be considered for such scholarships. They really aren't given out willy-nilly. However, I don't know if they give scholarships to someone who is full native over someone who is say, 1/16th native more often.
1
Thats correct. Your ancestors had to register and you have to have a tribal number. You can just get given it. Even if you can prove NOW they were tribe members, if they didn't get it done in their lifetime, you get nuffin.(sore subject, i have a high enough percentage, but my ancestors didnt trust the american government, with good reasons, so there went college :P)
1
Complete ditto! It is somewhat offensive to me as well
1
What if you're like my boyfriend
And 3 quarters German with an Irish last name? I wouldn't dream of using an Irish name for our children. I'm three quarters Swedish, he's three quarters German and the Irish between us is negligible. However I'd be happy to use a name like Katarina, Anders or Tomas. I know a young man with an Indian movie and an Irish father - they gave their son an Indian first name.
America is such a melting pot that I don't flinch at all when I see a "mismatched" first and last name.
And 3 quarters German with an Irish last name? I wouldn't dream of using an Irish name for our children. I'm three quarters Swedish, he's three quarters German and the Irish between us is negligible. However I'd be happy to use a name like Katarina, Anders or Tomas. I know a young man with an Indian movie and an Irish father - they gave their son an Indian first name.
America is such a melting pot that I don't flinch at all when I see a "mismatched" first and last name.
1
Indian mother, not movie.
Sorry!
Sorry!
1
Well, he could have both, I suppose!
My kids are the unlikely mixture of Scottish and Egyptian. Not that we were thinking much about it, however, the three have very mainstream North American first names. More of a concern, living where we do, was to have names that worked well in French or English.So no Ruth or Meridith; the "th" sound is difficult for French speakers.
My kids are the unlikely mixture of Scottish and Egyptian. Not that we were thinking much about it, however, the three have very mainstream North American first names. More of a concern, living where we do, was to have names that worked well in French or English.So no Ruth or Meridith; the "th" sound is difficult for French speakers.
1
Ha ha ha!
As for the second part of your comment, I agree. They are funny. Except in places like Latin America, it's not unusual for a person to have a name like, say, Roberto Ming, Lorena Spears, Juan Portelli, Vidal Schwartz, or Eulalia Darwish. That's because millions of people immigrated there from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It does look a little strange for a person to have a Spanish or Portuguese first name and a German, Irish, English, French, Polish, Chinese, or Arabic last name, but it's perfectly acceptable there.
I was talking about names like Cohen, Gypsy, and Dakota, because I feel they are inappropriate to use on children and offensive to the cultures where the words come from.
As for the second part of your comment, I agree. They are funny. Except in places like Latin America, it's not unusual for a person to have a name like, say, Roberto Ming, Lorena Spears, Juan Portelli, Vidal Schwartz, or Eulalia Darwish. That's because millions of people immigrated there from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It does look a little strange for a person to have a Spanish or Portuguese first name and a German, Irish, English, French, Polish, Chinese, or Arabic last name, but it's perfectly acceptable there.
I was talking about names like Cohen, Gypsy, and Dakota, because I feel they are inappropriate to use on children and offensive to the cultures where the words come from.
This message was edited 8/16/2008, 2:28 PM
1
That reminds me of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, whose parents were from Japan and Mexican president Vincente Fox, whose paternal grandfather is from Ohio.
1
I think Mary Bridget Rosenburg is alright!
1