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Help[Opinions] Re: When naming a child, how much do you worry about how the name will sound on a resume someday?
in reply to a message by ChanaRose
I wouldn't worry about it, or at least, I'd be willing to name my child something that might be seen as weird, as long as it was meaningful to me, because my culture seems open to them and because I think names connect to identity (I wouldn't want the implication to be that my child should sacrifice meaningful things to conform to prejudice? unless I thought the danger was extreme). Even though I can't say it would have no negative impact.
I've encountered a lot of rare names (Icyalite, Fanny, Rudo, Marvella, Mahogany, Velvet, Maame, etc) working at spas and hotels, and considering they can afford those places, I assume they don't struggle to find employment. The manager where I work now is black and has a rare name with an apostrophe. Sometimes weird names are neutral/positive talking points or even a plus for some professions (Cinderella for a pediatrician would be cool, right? I think so).
One time I did hear a boss (an older white lady with a common name) comment negatively about a name on an application for a housekeeper. She said, "Wow, her parents must have hated her!" but did an interview and ended up hiring the person (who was great to have as a coworker imo). The full name sounded exactly like Aryan Hate but both were spelled differently. I would be embarassed by a name like that, but even so, I don't think it should really matter when it comes to employment, and anyway, I wouldn't want to work for a boss who made hiring decisions based on names unless I was really desperate.
You could think about it as helping your child weed out racist employers. It's possible they'd be more likely to find a positive work environment where they're valued for their skills that way.
I've encountered a lot of rare names (Icyalite, Fanny, Rudo, Marvella, Mahogany, Velvet, Maame, etc) working at spas and hotels, and considering they can afford those places, I assume they don't struggle to find employment. The manager where I work now is black and has a rare name with an apostrophe. Sometimes weird names are neutral/positive talking points or even a plus for some professions (Cinderella for a pediatrician would be cool, right? I think so).
One time I did hear a boss (an older white lady with a common name) comment negatively about a name on an application for a housekeeper. She said, "Wow, her parents must have hated her!" but did an interview and ended up hiring the person (who was great to have as a coworker imo). The full name sounded exactly like Aryan Hate but both were spelled differently. I would be embarassed by a name like that, but even so, I don't think it should really matter when it comes to employment, and anyway, I wouldn't want to work for a boss who made hiring decisions based on names unless I was really desperate.
You could think about it as helping your child weed out racist employers. It's possible they'd be more likely to find a positive work environment where they're valued for their skills that way.
This message was edited 12/1/2024, 3:02 PM
Replies
This is a great way to think about it. Thank you so much for your thoughtful answer!