I know you're just kidding around about the name thing, but I must share. A LOT of our people have changed their naming patterns of their children, making unsuccessful efforts to change who they are deep down inside by trying to pick "White-sounding" names for their children. The two most recently born children in my family have been named Alaine (pronounced A-laynee) because the mother wanted to avoid Hispanic-sounding names that her and my uncle had previously agreed on. This does not, in any way, sound White at all to me. The key to naming your child a White name is it's familiarity to White people, and if it is not familiar to them, they will assume it's not a White name. The other child was named Kelly, which sounds cute. The father in this case choose to name the child Kelly over a family name which he thought sounded Black but is actually a common White name. It's wild out there. I support the right of any parent to name the child whatever they want for whatever reason, but it's funny to see the reaction to the "don't give your child a ghetto name" movement in action.

I predict the result will be that Blacks will give their children one set of names that they feel appealing and familiar, but that they, for whatever reason, associate with White people. However, it will in no way match up well with the naming patterns of White people, and there will still be "Black-sounding" and "White-sounding" names because, when it comes down to it, we don't want to assimilate completely. There will eventually be a backlash when mothers are pressured to choose one -- Madison, Jordan, or Emily -- and they jusr really just want an Ebony.

(Note: my uncle calls his child Iliana, the Hispanic name him and his wife had agreed upon).

The two most recently born children in my family have been named Alaine (pronounced A-laynee) because the mother wanted to avoid Hispanic-sounding names that her and my uncle had previously agreed on. This does not, in any way, sound White at all to me. The key to naming your child a White name is it's familiarity to White people, and if it is not familiar to them, they will assume it's not a White name.

I think you have a point. Names invented using sounds typical of European names are still invented.

What's with the 'J' trend of late? I have two friends -- and these friends KNOW EACH OTHER -- who both decided to name their (girl) babies Jaiden. My sister's sons are both J-types. And I have another friend who's named his young son Jaylen. This is ridiculous. Is this a Canadian Black thing, or is this North America-wide?

If I ever have kids, can I name it Jacqueline or Jason?

Anyway, mebbe "black-sounding" names were an advantage in the more salad Affirmative Action daze. It's a clear flag to Quota Filler, the HR mgr, no? Mebbe subconsciously we wuz givin our kids a leg up?

So P6,
Is that your definition of a "Black" name, one that is invented by a Black person? If that is the going definition, then we could be in for serious identity problems. Alaine actually is not invented. The mother found it in a baby name book, and said the origin was English. I guess my point was that even when we try so hard not to be ourselves, we imitate the other in the most flawed ways. She scrunched her face when I suggested the name Elizabeth, and said she wanted something more unique. I guess I should have told her that if she is doing this for resume purposes, then she should choose the name that she feels would give the HR person a warm fuzzy and that the HR person will likely not have a book of baby names on standby.