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Help[Opinions] Why would Jerome be a "black" name?
in reply to a message by shangrila_la
Jerome is Greek and also used in France, so why would the name be suitable only for an Afro-American? I don't get it.
Cinnamon sounds a bit hippie but actually I think any name can sound professional. I mean, it is the person who is professional, not the name. I would not name a daughter Cinnamon, but luckily this company was more interested in her qualities than in her name.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Cinnamon sounds a bit hippie but actually I think any name can sound professional. I mean, it is the person who is professional, not the name. I would not name a daughter Cinnamon, but luckily this company was more interested in her qualities than in her name.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
This message was edited 10/27/2005, 9:35 AM
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Replies
You'd be amazed. In the States especially, Jerome is seen as a black name because like Tiesha, LaKeisha, etc. it has been used in recent decades primarily by blacks. All of my friends find it hilarious that they have an older white professor named Jerome, who teaches minority studies. It's the subject of much amusement and speculation, right or wrong.
Personally, I don't find Jerome attractive for anyone.
Personally, I don't find Jerome attractive for anyone.
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How rude: "blacks".
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I don't understand what you mean...
As a young black woman, I don't find the term blacks to be rude at all. I find it to be very accurate. African-American and Afro-American are more rude to me because they single me out. I am an American, first and foremost. There is no African to it...I was not born in Africa, I have never been to Africa and I have little desire to go.
My family has been in America since it was founded, as have the families of many of my white peers. No one calls those same peers German-Swedish-French-Native-Americans, so why should I be called African-American, just because my skin is dark?
Anyway, I didn't say that stereotyping names is good or even ok. I just said that it happens, and it isn't a novel or foreign concept.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
As a young black woman, I don't find the term blacks to be rude at all. I find it to be very accurate. African-American and Afro-American are more rude to me because they single me out. I am an American, first and foremost. There is no African to it...I was not born in Africa, I have never been to Africa and I have little desire to go.
My family has been in America since it was founded, as have the families of many of my white peers. No one calls those same peers German-Swedish-French-Native-Americans, so why should I be called African-American, just because my skin is dark?
Anyway, I didn't say that stereotyping names is good or even ok. I just said that it happens, and it isn't a novel or foreign concept.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
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Why are people so fond of stereotyping? I could understand LaKeisha b/c this looks like a made-up name, but Jerome is traditional and international.
Amusing? Well, we have a saying in my country "Little things amuse children", I don't know if there is something similar in English.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Amusing? Well, we have a saying in my country "Little things amuse children", I don't know if there is something similar in English.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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Well,
I don't think it's any more fair to say that LaKeisha is a black name because it looks made up than it is to say that Jerome is a black name. They're both names. If stereotyping one isn't ok, than stereotyping either isn't ok.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
I don't think it's any more fair to say that LaKeisha is a black name because it looks made up than it is to say that Jerome is a black name. They're both names. If stereotyping one isn't ok, than stereotyping either isn't ok.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
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I got the impression that LaKeisha was only used
in black communities. Do you know of anyone who is not black using this name?
It is interesting b/c I read somewhere that the black slaves lost everything, their languages and their names (Kunta Kinte became Toby). So therefore some black people wanted to use either made-up names which did not sound "white" or real African names. Of course I prefer the real African names to the made-up names.
I also saw in the film "Crash" when Ms Johnson said her name was Shaniqua Johnson, and the white racist policeman immediately understood that she was black. A lot of racism in this film, from all sides. And a lot of anger.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
in black communities. Do you know of anyone who is not black using this name?
It is interesting b/c I read somewhere that the black slaves lost everything, their languages and their names (Kunta Kinte became Toby). So therefore some black people wanted to use either made-up names which did not sound "white" or real African names. Of course I prefer the real African names to the made-up names.
I also saw in the film "Crash" when Ms Johnson said her name was Shaniqua Johnson, and the white racist policeman immediately understood that she was black. A lot of racism in this film, from all sides. And a lot of anger.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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There are plenty of blacks that do like made up names, although not out of a desire to not be white, more out of a desire to be "unique" and also because the sounds (for some odd reason) are pleasing to their ears. I know white Tiesha's, Keisha's, TeAhnna's, etc.
I know this may sound negative, and I really don't mean it to, but many times in American culture, black culture is eventually absorbed into white culture and then whites "own" it (if anyone can even own a culture). I think this is why you find some white people naming their children what would once be considered black names.
And Sheniqua, Shaniqua, is a stereotypical "black woman" name. That isn't to say there really aren't black women named this, but for most American whites and blacks, it's what one immediately thinks of when they think of created black names. I've never actually met a black Sheniqua.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
I know this may sound negative, and I really don't mean it to, but many times in American culture, black culture is eventually absorbed into white culture and then whites "own" it (if anyone can even own a culture). I think this is why you find some white people naming their children what would once be considered black names.
And Sheniqua, Shaniqua, is a stereotypical "black woman" name. That isn't to say there really aren't black women named this, but for most American whites and blacks, it's what one immediately thinks of when they think of created black names. I've never actually met a black Sheniqua.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
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Agree--
The original poster displayed what I can only describe as ignorance in serveral different instances. Using inappropriate adjectives to describe a racial background, and stereotyping a specific culture both show that there was, at the least, a lack of understanding of politically correct language, and, at the most, a racial bias.
I am saying this as a white American, for the record.
The original poster displayed what I can only describe as ignorance in serveral different instances. Using inappropriate adjectives to describe a racial background, and stereotyping a specific culture both show that there was, at the least, a lack of understanding of politically correct language, and, at the most, a racial bias.
I am saying this as a white American, for the record.
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