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Definitely. Names don’t exist in a void.

Yes

I can't judge a name unless I know its cultural context.

Absolutely. Too many people don't seem to realize their own culture isn't the only one in the world.

Yes

I think context is important in every situation, since many situations have a gray area or a white area that has been mislabeled as all black. Some names that are controversial in the West carry good omens and prosperity in the East, and vice versa. In some country, Dick or Fanny wouldn't raise an eyebrow. English might be spoken there, but it might not have the same slang, or be influenced by the slang as negatively. Aryan, Adolf, Adolph and Lolita might be taken kindlier by the group of people who did NOT invent or popularize the name. To foreigners, the names might just sound "strange" or even attractive. Not vulgar. It really depends on the individual, though. A name is what the bearer makes it; if that wasn't true, people wouldn't be avoiding names solely because one terrible or unfortunate person had it. People have the power to shape names and trends without purposely doing so. Publishing a book with a controversial character is all it takes to make or break a name. It says more about society than the person who actually bears it. I admit that I'm not brave enough to use any controversial name on children of mine, as far as I know. I'd hate for them to hate me for not giving them something "easier to live with".

Speaking as one of the few Korean users on this site, I think it's important. (But I'm not sure if I cultural context is taken into account when judging English names. I apologize if that wasn't the case.)

Yes, of course. Names like Anass and Basemath, for example, were harshly judged by commenters and posters, but very few of them implied that they had checked the specifics of the names such as the language, pronunciation and meaning. If we didn't check these things, we would be linking them to blind associations and ignoring the actual importance of the name in question -- only the surface would be left, and that's hardly meaningful. My own name is considered "harsh" and "ugly" and "old-fashioned" by some, but there exists a rich, luscious layer of meaning beneath the letters. This is true for all names.

This message was edited 3/16/2024, 6:36 PM