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I think when people say names sound Southern, it's mostly a reflection of stereotypes about the South...rural, conservative, old-fashioned, religious, eccentric.

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Based on stereotypes I have of other regions...

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If something sounds German, I'm most likely to associate it with the midwest or Pennsylvania.
If something sounds unusual and French, I'm likely to associate it with Maine, Louisiana, or African Americans.
If something sounds Arabic, I'm likely to associate it with African Americans (anywhere) or recent immigrants (likely in California or the north half of the country?).
If something sounds Hispanic, I'm most likely to think Florida or the Southwest.
If something sounds unusual and Italian, I'm most likely to think Northeast.
If something sounds Asian, I'm most likely to associate it with the west coast.
If something sounds liberal or hippie or hipster, I'm most likely to think west coast or urban.
If something sounds preppy, I'm most likely to think east coast.
And predictably, with place names, I think of the place: Dakota sounds midwestern, Brooklyn sounds east coast, Oakland sounds west coast, etc

This message was edited 1/25/2019, 3:12 PM