Black American parents of reddit, why do you name your kids weird names?

[Menerva Lindsen]

Before racism is called out, I have plenty of black friends. They, and their siblings have "normal" names, I.e. Justin, Jason, Chris, etc.
Just curious why you name your kids names like D'brickishaw, Barkevious D'quell (all NFL players first names) and so on. I don't know 2 people in this world named Barkevious. Is it a "unique" thing? My black friends don't know the answer so I'm asking participants .
I'm a minority too and I know all races have weird, uncommon names like apple and candy for white people, Jesus for Spanish, and so on.
You are welcome!

 

[Roadrunner]

I wish I had the Arrests section of the local paper.

It is my favourite part.

Mathphysmed Mitchell!!!

I laughed over that one for years.

 

[Roadrunner]

Before racism is called out, I have plenty of black friends. They, and their siblings have "normal" names, I.e. Justin, Jason, Chris, etc.
Just curious why you name your kids names like D'brickishaw, Barkevious D'quell (all NFL players first names) and so on. I don't know 2 people in this world named Barkevious. Is it a "unique" thing? My black friends don't know the answer so I'm asking participants .
I'm a minority too and I know all races have weird, uncommon names like apple and candy for white people, Jesus for Spanish, and so on.
You are welcome!

How about a big, strappin' NFL bound defensive back named Danielle?

 

[ninja007]

shaneykwa, lashanda, yolanda, etc...

 

[Roadrunner]

shaneykwa, lashanda, yolanda, etc...

I once had a Lakeisha, a Kakeisha, a M'Keisha and a T'keisha all in the same classroom.

Calling the roll was a trip.

 

[Sunni Man]

I was at the checkout line of a grocery store and noticed the name tag of the young black girl ringing up my items on the cash register.

Her name was Zentyne.

Curious, as to her unique name and spelling. I asker her how to pronounce it and was it a foreign name?

She told me that her mother like "Zen" buddhism and her favorite gum was "Dentyne".

So her mother put the two together and named her Zentyne.

Did I mention the girl was black?? .....

 

[katsteve2012]

All people regardless of race name their children some strange names.

I went to a predominately white middle school, and knew a kid named "pisswillie", one named "scooter", and yet another (girl)
named "moonbeam", and one other named "storm".

 

[Roadrunner]

I was at the checkout line of a grocery store and noticed the name tag of the young black girl ringing up my items on the cash register.

Her name was Zentyne.

Curious, as to her unique name and spelling. I asker her how to pronounce it and was it a foreign name?

She told me that her mother like "Zen" buddhism and her favorite gum was "Dentyne".

So her mother put the two together and named her Zentyne.

Did I mention the girl was black?? .....

When I taught, I was amazed at all the Jibrins, Jamals, Alis, and other names from the Muslims that sold their asses into slavery in the first place.

 

[Roadrunner]

All people regardless of race name their children some strange names.

I went to a predominately white middle school, and knew a kid named "pisswillie", one named "scooter", and yet another (girl)
named "moonbeam", and one other named "storm".

Hippy names were terrible.

Dawn Rain, Winter Storm, Summer Mist, even knew a Cozy Forest, and of course, all the fuckin' Dylans.

I always immediately doubt the upbringing of anyone named Dylan.

 

[Mr. H.]

My brother taught in a classroom where one of the girls' names was Synephrine Nyquil.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Knew twin sisters in high school named Windy and Stormy Weather.

 

[Swagger]

shaneykwa, lashanda, yolanda, etc...

Yolanda is a Greek name.

 

[Sunni Man]

When I taught, I was amazed at all the Jibrins, Jamals, Alis, and other names from the Muslims that sold their asses into slavery in the first place.

I am amazed that black people in America still name children after their ancestor's former slave owners; John, Sally, Patrick, Jane, Robert, Mary, Steve, etc. .....

 

[Roadrunner]

Knew twin sisters in high school named Windy and Stormy Weather.

There was once an old man named Delicious Peters in the phone book where I grew up.

Seems the interns at the Charity Hospital in NOLA liked to give kids prank names, or so I have heard.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Knew twin sisters in high school named Windy and Stormy Weather.

There was once an old man named Delicious Peters in the phone book where I grew up.

Seems the interns at the Charity Hospital in NOLA liked to give kids prank names, or so I have heard.

Maaan!! Thats worse than a boy named Sue.

 

[Roadrunner]

When I taught, I was amazed at all the Jibrins, Jamals, Alis, and other names from the Muslims that sold their asses into slavery in the first place.

I am amazed that black people in America still name children after their ancestor's former slave owners; John, Sally, Patrick, Jane, Robert, Mary, Steve, etc. .....

I never knew the girls to get the Muslim names.

I guess they just make up the weird names for lack of ones not connected to the slave experience.

Frankly, you'd think eventually they would get over it.

 

[Roadrunner]

Knew twin sisters in high school named Windy and Stormy Weather.

There was once an old man named Delicious Peters in the phone book where I grew up.

Seems the interns at the Charity Hospital in NOLA liked to give kids prank names, or so I have heard.

Maaan!! Thats worse than a boy named Sue.

I was on a party line(yeah, I am that old) with a Cyde DeCuir(Clyde da Queer).

 

[HenryBHough]

The son of a white friend of ours has been encouraged to seek a career in the Navy, like his father and grandfather. Which makes me wonder why she named him "Commodore" (conventional middle name and common last name).

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Knew twin sisters in high school named Windy and Stormy Weather.

There was once an old man named Delicious Peters in the phone book where I grew up.

Seems the interns at the Charity Hospital in NOLA liked to give kids prank names, or so I have heard.

Maaan!! Thats worse than a boy named Sue.

I was on a party line(yeah, I am that old) with a Cyde DeCuir(Clyde da Queer).

Oh damn!!! I can imagine that caused some interesting times when he introduced himself.
Yeah I vaguely remember party lines.

 

[Porker]

Before racism is called out, I have plenty of black friends. They, and their siblings have "normal" names, I.e. Justin, Jason, Chris, etc.
Just curious why you name your kids names like D'brickishaw, Barkevious D'quell (all NFL players first names) and so on. I don't know 2 people in this world named Barkevious. Is it a "unique" thing? My black friends don't know the answer so I'm asking participants .
I'm a minority too and I know all races have weird, uncommon names like apple and candy for white people, Jesus for Spanish, and so on.
You are welcome!

I actually know where they came up with some of the female names...

Excedrin, Tylenol, Rotunda, Penicillun, the twins...Visine and Murine.