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HelpRe: Honest Question About Cultural Appropriation and Names
in reply to a message by RuralRuna
In my opinion it's fine.
I lived abroad for several years and loving another culture and using a name from it is not a bad thing. You are naming a child, a precious human being, not a toilet. I think most people would find it nice and see it as a good thing.
I like it when people use German and French names (even when they are often mispronounced *cough* Gretchen *cough*) because it shows me that people like my culture and appreciate it. It makes me happy just as it makes me happy when people learn German or cook Spätzle.
From my experience people who say that others are "stealing their culture" often have no international experience and haven't really come into contact with many cultures. They are also often one of those "holier than thou" people.
Also, where do you draw the line? If I give my daughter a Japanese name even though I'm not Japanese is that cultural appropriation? What if I speak Japanese and lived in the country for 5 years? What if my partner is Japanese but my child looks white (I know someone with a Korean mom who looks 100% white, like his dad, with green eyes). People are way too quick to judge others and belittle them these days. When is it okay to give my daughter a Japanese name, do I need a permission?
I once did a poll on this and to test people I didn't just add names that were 100% Japanese but also some that had a long history of use and etymology in other cultures (Mika, Aya) yet some people still voted "none of these names are usable for a non-Japanese child, use names from your own culture". I couldn't take them seriously anymore after that.
And yes, I would give my daughter a Japanese name (I don't have any boys names on my list at the moment). I have a long interest in the culture, lived with Japanese friends for a few years (who, by the way, thought it was nice and unproblematic) and have been learning Japanese for quite some time. So I would use Aya, definitely, and most likely also Mei, Ayaka, Kurumi and Hitomi if those names were high enough on my list and Hitomi wouldn't remind English speakers of "hit on me".
Maiara is very close to Maia and many other names and someone might just as well have made it up without knowing about its etymology. It reminds me of Kiyana, Kaiana, Kaiara etc.
Please rate my list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/6232
I lived abroad for several years and loving another culture and using a name from it is not a bad thing. You are naming a child, a precious human being, not a toilet. I think most people would find it nice and see it as a good thing.
I like it when people use German and French names (even when they are often mispronounced *cough* Gretchen *cough*) because it shows me that people like my culture and appreciate it. It makes me happy just as it makes me happy when people learn German or cook Spätzle.
From my experience people who say that others are "stealing their culture" often have no international experience and haven't really come into contact with many cultures. They are also often one of those "holier than thou" people.
Also, where do you draw the line? If I give my daughter a Japanese name even though I'm not Japanese is that cultural appropriation? What if I speak Japanese and lived in the country for 5 years? What if my partner is Japanese but my child looks white (I know someone with a Korean mom who looks 100% white, like his dad, with green eyes). People are way too quick to judge others and belittle them these days. When is it okay to give my daughter a Japanese name, do I need a permission?
I once did a poll on this and to test people I didn't just add names that were 100% Japanese but also some that had a long history of use and etymology in other cultures (Mika, Aya) yet some people still voted "none of these names are usable for a non-Japanese child, use names from your own culture". I couldn't take them seriously anymore after that.
And yes, I would give my daughter a Japanese name (I don't have any boys names on my list at the moment). I have a long interest in the culture, lived with Japanese friends for a few years (who, by the way, thought it was nice and unproblematic) and have been learning Japanese for quite some time. So I would use Aya, definitely, and most likely also Mei, Ayaka, Kurumi and Hitomi if those names were high enough on my list and Hitomi wouldn't remind English speakers of "hit on me".
Maiara is very close to Maia and many other names and someone might just as well have made it up without knowing about its etymology. It reminds me of Kiyana, Kaiana, Kaiara etc.
Please rate my list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/6232
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