
The Causes and Consequences of Distinctly Black Names (2004) [pdf] - johnjwang
http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/FryerLevitt2004.pdf
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aresant
The conclusions:

1) The last two decades, however, have led to a “ghettoization” of
distinctively Black names, namely, a distinctively Black name is now a much
stronger predictor of socioeconomic status.

2) We find no relationship between how Black one’s name is and life outcomes
after controlling for other factors. If that conclusion is correct, then the
proper interpretation of earlier audit studies using Black names on resumes is
either that the impact of names does not extend beyond the callback decision
(because race is directly observed at the interview stage), or that names are
correlated with determinants of productivity not captured by a resume. In our
data, it is difficult to distinguish between these competing hypotheses.

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querious
The words "Something All Our Own" come to mind (the name of Grant Hill's
collection of African American art).

The motivation to defy expectations has been there for a long time, and makes
sense on several levels. It's the same drive, I suspect, that led to utterly
unique movements like Jazz, hip-hop, and distinctive forms of dance, which
really insisted on creating their own modalities and not borrowing from the
pre-existing culture.

Some motivations I can think of:

One, asserting independence from a dominant culture that in turns
delegitimizes and exploits your own. Why would one choose to blend in with
this culture?

Two, demanding legitimacy / highlighting the fact that there are still dire
punishments for choosing to embrace one's ethnicity. Hell, name choice is
small beans... consider the racism implicit in having your dialect, spoken by
millions, deemed unacceptable at work and school by white authority figures
everywhere. Having to deal with the fact that no one will take you seriously
if you speak the way you do at home, is a big part of the African American
experience and must be a constant reminder that you are not accepted by those
in charge unless you toe the line.

Three, an attempt at disproving racist forces that wish to deny your
intelligence, creative spark, and potential. Self expression was brutally
squashed since the beginning of slavery days, and only allowed insofar as it
entertained those in power. The desire to actively disregard whether your
action pleases the supremacist (who still doles out reward and punishment),
and instead celebrate the differences that have normally only meant trouble,
is a fully understandable reaction to all this.

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beachstartup
best thing my immigrant parents ever did was gave me a super-generic sounding
anglo first and last name. if anyone asks (they almost never do), i just tell
them i was adopted. people discriminate based on name, that's a cold hard
fact.

it's a very common first name, and a very short ambiguous and non-descript
last name. it connotates absolutely nothing other than i am probably an
american that speaks english.

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mjklin
So you don't share their last name? Is your last name a westernized version?

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beachstartup
i do, and i don't. you can have multiple names in the US.

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A_COMPUTER
Interesting to note that one of the authors is Steven Levitt of _Freakonomics_
fame.

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nycthbris
Don't they talk about this research _in_ the original _Freakonomics_ book?

~~~
griffinmahon
Yes.

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starnixgod
Reading this study reminded me about the lady named Marijuana Pepsi Jackson.
[http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/40874017.html](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/40874017.html)

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mc32
It's interesting to see the study found no relation between characteristically
black names and effect on earning power when controlling for factors.

One question I've had is why didn't parents who wanted to avoid originally
European names take from actual African names, rather than minting new names.
I understand being disconnected from one's ancestry, but still, this seems a
different alternative.

Btw Tyrone is not uncommon for white Brits.

~~~
formulaT
_One question I 've had is why didn't parents who wanted to avoid originally
European names take from actual African names, rather than minting new names.
I understand being disconnected from one's ancestry, but still, this seems a
different alternative._

People do things for so many reasons, or for no reason. Trying to make Black
people's choices of names fit some narrative is going to fail to capture the
complexity and depth of their culture.

Put another way, if people are choosing not to use White names, why _wouldn
't_ they also choose not to the use traditional names of any culture. Maybe
having a "respectable" name that has a long history as a name, is also
something people were choosing to avoid.

~~~
mc32
I get that. We also have many people of European descent who make up new names
too --it's more recent than that by black parents, but none the less, I would
have similar question. There are so many names to choose from, why come up
with new, sometimes quirky names? Not saying it's bad. At some point in time
all names have been "new". With Europeans it's not so much trying to find a
cultural identity but perhaps find their child a unique identity. So at some
level there is something similar going on.

Interestingly, in some European countries, you can't easily make up names. You
have to prove they exist in your ancestral language, as well you can't make
one up for the official language either.

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a8da6b0c91d
I wonder how the hippie kids named Moonbeam and Aquarius and such-like have
fared.

~~~
Zuider
Some have changed their names by deed poll, some have kept them. For instance,
Zowie Bowie is now known as Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones, and is a successful
film director. Moon Unit, Diva Muffin, and Dweezil Zappa did not change their
names, and have pursued successful artistic careers.

