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HelpRe: Middle name question about appropriation
in reply to a message by PrincessZ
I’ve been wondering about this as well.
After asking opinions on “foreign” names myself, there were some very strong opinions on how it is disrespectful to use these names if you are not from that particular culture.
It made me wonder where the limit is. A French name on a English child seems to be accepted, as do most names from European countries, but names that are”exotic” like for example Midori or Hadiya are being frowned upon. Yet Leilani (Hawaiian) and Corentin (French) are accepted? What makes the difference?
It makes me wonder too if it’s “alright” if I were to name my son Saul Ezekiel despite us not being Jewish. The same that is said about Sakura can be applied to Saul Ezekiel as well, but I don’t read discussions about that.
It’s all a question of personal opinion.
Personally I don’t see how naming your daughter Sakura or (in my case) your son Saul is being disrespectful.
After asking opinions on “foreign” names myself, there were some very strong opinions on how it is disrespectful to use these names if you are not from that particular culture.
It made me wonder where the limit is. A French name on a English child seems to be accepted, as do most names from European countries, but names that are”exotic” like for example Midori or Hadiya are being frowned upon. Yet Leilani (Hawaiian) and Corentin (French) are accepted? What makes the difference?
It makes me wonder too if it’s “alright” if I were to name my son Saul Ezekiel despite us not being Jewish. The same that is said about Sakura can be applied to Saul Ezekiel as well, but I don’t read discussions about that.
It’s all a question of personal opinion.
Personally I don’t see how naming your daughter Sakura or (in my case) your son Saul is being disrespectful.
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Replies
Yes it's getting really murky the longer I consider the subject. Leilani is a lovely name, but I understand that the tourist industry of Hawaii is actively harmful and so does that mean using Hawaiian names is wrong? Even the generally-accepted Leilani?
Then there's Yasmin, the Arabic variant of Jasmine (or the actual root of Jasmine? unsure) which is also a name I like a lot. Is that cultural appropriation?
But with my close roots to Ireland (my dad) but not Irish myself, and with the (very) recent conflict between Ireland and England, does that mean Irish names are wrong to use? How about Scottish? I've just given my comments on Alistair, a Scottish variant name.
Perhaps some people would consider Sakura okay because it's a flower, but in that case, what about other non-floral names like Megumi and Toshio?
I don't personally see any of it as disrespectful, but I do admit I still worry because of how prevalent "cancel culture" can be
Recently the showrunner of the new She-ra came under fire because she mentioned one of Bow's older brother's is a farmer called Sew. For context, Bow is a black character of two black scholar fathers and he fought alongside She-ra using his bow and arrow. Bow has twelve older brothers, all with names rhyming with Bow and Sew and all names are somehow related to their occupation. But she was called out for racism for saying one of Bow's brothers is a farmer called Sew. I. Don't. Get. It. Like I do (the history of black slaves and farming) but also isn't it racist to say, in this day and age, a fictional character cannot be a farmer because he's black?
And if something like that can happen, then I worry myself tbh and where this line is
Then there's Yasmin, the Arabic variant of Jasmine (or the actual root of Jasmine? unsure) which is also a name I like a lot. Is that cultural appropriation?
But with my close roots to Ireland (my dad) but not Irish myself, and with the (very) recent conflict between Ireland and England, does that mean Irish names are wrong to use? How about Scottish? I've just given my comments on Alistair, a Scottish variant name.
Perhaps some people would consider Sakura okay because it's a flower, but in that case, what about other non-floral names like Megumi and Toshio?
I don't personally see any of it as disrespectful, but I do admit I still worry because of how prevalent "cancel culture" can be
Recently the showrunner of the new She-ra came under fire because she mentioned one of Bow's older brother's is a farmer called Sew. For context, Bow is a black character of two black scholar fathers and he fought alongside She-ra using his bow and arrow. Bow has twelve older brothers, all with names rhyming with Bow and Sew and all names are somehow related to their occupation. But she was called out for racism for saying one of Bow's brothers is a farmer called Sew. I. Don't. Get. It. Like I do (the history of black slaves and farming) but also isn't it racist to say, in this day and age, a fictional character cannot be a farmer because he's black?
And if something like that can happen, then I worry myself tbh and where this line is
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