Opinions on baby names chosen in immigrant families?

[TN Mama]

Well, I think they should be able to name their children whatever they wish, no matter where they are from. I think it makes it easier on the children if their names are easy to pronounce/spell - but then there are people from the US, whose families are from the US, whose native language is English who don't always follow that. So...

[TN Mama]

I know many people whose families have been in the US for many generations that chose unusual and hard to spell/pronounce names for their children. Why should we expect someone from another country to do any different?

 

:iagree:

[Michele B]

My "thoughts" are that it isn't anyone else's business what names a family chooses for their children.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[BeckyFL]

I think it's completely up to them what name they choose. If I moved to another country, I wouldn't expect to be told that I should name my child in any particular way at all. I WOULD, however, expect to learn the language of that country. I would NOT expect telephone prompts, signs, etc to be in my language just to accommodate me. When I travel, I take my little dictionary and I study ahead. (little rant there... sorry)

[JFSinIL]

An immigrant parent can name their baby anything they want. Look at all the hard to spell or pronounce names some Americans dream up to make their kids stand out! Or that Hollywood folks come up with :D

[My3Monkeys]

Other - their baby, their choice, whatever it is. If they want to name the baby Siobhan Rodriguez that's their decision to make :)

[tex-mex]

My "thoughts" are that it isn't anyone else's business what names a family chooses for their children.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Jennifer3141]

My "thoughts" are that it isn't anyone else's business what names a family chooses for their children.

 

:iagree:

 

And the question is a bit offensive unless you're talking with Pocohantos or Dances with Wolves. :D

[leeannpal]

I'm sorry you are getting comments on your chosen name. You'd surely get comments no matter what your choice, even Mary or Jason. Like many people I know, you might decide to not share the name until after the baby is born.

 

It's the parents' business what to name their child. It is not up for debate among other family, friends, or acquaintances. Unless asked specifically by the parent, it's no one else's business what name you choose.

 

:grouphug:

 

I agree. When we chose our daughter's very Biblical, traditional name, my dad hated it. He said it sounded like an old washer woman to him:D. In the year that she was born, DD's name was #4 in popularity that year. I guess my father got used to hearing about all the old washer women out there!:lol:

[JennyD]

nm -- double post, AGAIN.

[Peela]

My "thoughts" are that it isn't anyone else's business what names a family chooses for their children.

 

:iagree: It's just not my business.

[JennyD]

I agree. When we chose our daughter's very Biblical, traditional name, my dad hated it. He said it sounded like an old washer woman to him:D. In the year that she was born, DD's name was #4 in popularity that year. I guess my father got used to hearing about all the old washer women out there!:lol:

 

LOL. When I was pregnant last year, my mother called me to tell me that she had heard a Jewish boy name that was just so lovely and unusual: "Jacob! Isn't that nice? You don't hear that every day." Actually, Mom, you do. Jacob was the #1 boys name in America in 2009. :001_smile:

Edited April 27, 2011 by JennyD

[Rosie_0801]

Quite often, in very heavy accents, they introduce themselves as, "Mary, and this is my husband John." :001_huh:

I would love to know their given names.

 

And somehow it doesn't seem polite to ask, does it? One of Rich's friends has an English name, but all his mates refuse to call him that. Probably because it's longer than his actual Korean name. :lol:

 

Rosie

[Britomart]

I think parents can name their kids anything they want. I mean, I think it's nice if they don't name their kids things like "Plaid Shirt" because that's just not nice to the kid.

 

But . . . I think parents can name their kids anything they want. I think you should feel free to use names from your heritage. I think you should feel free to use names from someone else's heritage, if you're being respectful about it (i.e., you're doing it out of admiration for the name, for its meaning and sound and history).

 

And I think any American parent should be free to teach their child to politely say, "Excuse me, Mrs. X., it's actually pronounced _______."

[pgr]

Thank you for all the replies!

 

(I was hoping that the people I'm surrounded by are the ones with the thinking that is out of line, and not me....)

 

I've edited my original post, explaining why I'm posing this question in the first place, and why I worded the poll the way I did.

 

Thank you, Dear Hive, for your support in this matter!

:)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Other - anyone should choose whatever name they want.

 

FWIW - People of Filipino descent often choose names that are a blend of the names of the parents coming up with a name you won't find in any country!

 

Christine + Ralph might equal Ralphene or Christalph.

 

We chose to buck that trend in our family. (My dh is Filipino.)

[OrganicAnn]

I think it is nice if people choose names that are easy to spell and pronounce - mostly benefits their own kids. I also think it is great to celebrate the diversity of the orgins of people in the US.

 

I believe in not telling people the name until the baby is here and named. So they can't try to influence you.

[Ibbygirl]

I disagree that it's only about a different culture. Names represent other things besides merely one's ethnic origins.

 

I have a name that is very easy to spell and is in English. Yet, in childhood, when nearly everyone's name was Jennifer, I got an enormous amount of grief -- mostly from adults -- about my name. I, on the other hand, actually like my name! And I've noticed that now that I'm an adult, no one thinks my name is weird anymore, and many more people have a larger range of names. I think it's great.

 

I think people who want to impose themselves on others because they are lazy and/or uncomfortable with others who are not JUST LIKE THEM are boring and need to expand themselves. Everyone does not need the same plain Jane name!

 

AAAAAMEN!! My name is Jennifer. Normal, W.A.S.P.y sounding name right?? Do you know how many people call me Jessica instead? I get that all. the. time. And hardly anybody spells my name right. They always spell it with two "f's" and one "n" and these are "been here for generations, came on the Mayflower" Americans!!

 

The weird other side of the coin, is that my name was often mispronounced IN MY OWN FAMILY by family members who struggled with English and didn't speak it well. My great grandfather could never master the "ur" sounds in English and he could NEVER pronounce my name right. He always called me "Jennyfo" which if you speak Spanish you know is pretty horrible. ("Fo" is what you say in Spanish when you smell something stinky :rolleyes: )

 

I think I'd have chosen the anglo version of ds2's name if we'd known he'd grow up in the US instead of Venezuela. Oddly, ds1 and dh's very, very Spanish, no anglo version names never get mispronounced or mangled, but Andres throws people for a total loop.

 

Not in my neck of the woods! :) :grouphug: One of my nephews is named Andres actually. :)

 

It is definitely not you. :)

 

Since my younger son has been playing violin in a youth orchestra I have had the opportunity to meet a number of families who have lived in the US for only 8 or 10 years. Quite often, in very heavy accents, they introduce themselves as, "Mary, and this is my husband John." :001_huh:

I would love to know their given names.

 

If they're Spanish speaking probably Maria and Juan. My family does this as well. All of them (with the exception of my mother who was named after an American actress that my grandmother loved) have a Spanish given name. They are often named after someone else in the family to honor and respect that family member. So my great grandmother Luz Maria had one daughter named Luz and another daughter named Maria. When they were speaking with Anglo Americans they called themselves Lucy and Mary. My mother's sister is named Marta, she calls herself Martha when she's speaking with English speakers. I think that is an easy way to get around the name thing. When they were at home with their family, they were called by their given names and nobody struggled with it, when they were out with English speakers they went by their Anglicized forms and nobody struggled with it. That, to me, is better than Jennyfo! :glare: :lol:

[alpidarkomama]

We're Jews. Our kids have Jewish/Hebrew names, and not the Anglicized versions. None of their names is easily pronounceable unless you know how it should be pronounced. Of course, within our community everyone knows how to pronounce their names because they're normal to us! :)