<p>Classof2015: Hadassah? :)</p>
<p>From wikipedia:</p>
<p>“Yolanda is a given name, of Greek origin but existing in many languages, meaning Violet. The form of the name in Greek is Iolanthe. In Czech and Slovak the name is spelled Jolantha. It is spelled Jolanta in Polish.”</p>
<p>Who is white - Siobhan or Shovan? (hint - they’re pronounced the same)</p>
<p>It’s actually a fun game to play to try to guess based on someone’s name. I’m surprised how much I’m wrong. Pleasantly surprised. Yolanda and Bianca are both wonderful names, and don’t automatically indicate any race to me. I bet it was because she checked different race boxes, but that shouldn’t have changed her outcomes the way it did. Very sad.</p>
<p>My grandmother legally changed her name from Anna to Anne so she would sound more American (she was Irish American). My grandfather changed his from Alphonso to Samson. </p>
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<p>Walter Peyton???</p>
<p>Years ago, the noted columnist for the Washington Post, William Raspberry, wrote about how perplexed he was at the names that many African American parents were choosing for their children. This was the 1990s. Raspberry was an old school type of commentator whom I sure grew up with many Richards, Harolds, Ernests, Henrys and the like. His point, as I recall, was that these “new” and distinctly ethnic names [many of which had no discernible connection to any African tradition] were inevitably saddling the children with negative and stereotypical images.</p>
<p>Matt Dillon’s conversation with the social worker in the movie “Crash” reminded me of that. During their heated phone conversation when the bigoted Dillon asks for her name and she replies ‘Yolanda’ (or some such), Dillon says “why am I not surprised?”</p>
<p>True. But then Dillon reveals himself to be an unreconstructed racist, who has to redeem himself through heroism (which he does.)</p>
<p>Oh, here’s my guess about the our white female friend with the Black athlete’s name;</p>
<p>Gale Sayers? I used to work with a petite white woman named Pat Ewing. Now that was funny. However, she was a terrible rebounder with a poor jump shot.</p>
<p>Her name in Crash was NOT Yolanda, it was Lakisha!</p>
<p>I am a recruiter and I would say that there are many African Americans that put things on their resume that clearly identify them as such i.e. “President of Black MBA Society” or “Black Engineer Society” - They are doing this for a reason - it HELPS them in the interviewing process - at least in the midwest.</p>
<p>Now I will agree that names are very important and I wish people would think more about it when they name babies. I did name my daughter a name (on purpose) a name that if she used the full name on a resume it be clear that she was a woman but if she used the shortened name she could be either - so depending on what industry she goes into she can use the name that will get noticed. (Think Christine and Chris for example). There are industries that an equally qualifed woman will get a job before a man (think engineering) and vice versa (think nursing or teaching).</p>
<p>From 2005, but interesting: college educated black women out-earn their white counterparts:
[USATODAY.com</a> - Census: College-educated white women earning less](<a href=“http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/bythenumbers/2005-03-28-income-education_x.htm]USATODAY.com”>USATODAY.com - Census: College-educated white women earning less)</p>
<p>I suspect that education serves as something of an equalizer, at least if you are seeking a job in certain parts of the country. The Lakisha with a high school diploma is going to have a much harder time than a similarly situated Jenny, and even the Lakisha at average state U is probably going to suffer. But if she’s graduated from Yale or Duke or Hopkins? My guess is she’s not at a disadvantage. That’s even more true if she goes on to earn advanced degrees. </p>
<p>I also wonder what happens to these differences when we take out names that are relatively new, urban names rather than traditional ones. I would bet an applicant named Adetola is going to do better than one named Anferny. Not that I think that is fair, especially given how forgiving we are of new names in the white, upper class community (how many Madisons did you see running around 40 years ago)?</p>
<p>Argbargy, while I respect - and in part share - your skepticism over this account, there have been many studies that came up with the same result. Again, they may not hold true for minorities from privileged background or with ritzy educations, but the average black college grad is at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, if I have kids, and a husband who is on board, I plan on giving them Hebrew names as their official first names, something that has become increasingly prevalent in my community.</p>
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<p>Isn’t it well known that uncommon or “new” baby names first get popular among the upper SES classes, then work their down the SES classes, fading away after becoming lower SES class names?</p>
<p>[Where</a> baby names come from. - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_dismal_science/2005/04/trading_up.html]Where”>Where baby names come from.)</p>
<p>There is a related article:</p>
<p>[A</a> Roshanda by any other name. - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_dismal_science/2005/04/a_roshanda_by_any_other_name.html]A”>A Roshanda by any other name.)</p>
<p>Apprenticeprof: the article said “college educated,” not “controlling for college education.” State U Adetola counts as being part of the group that out earns her white counterparts.</p>
<p>This discussion reminds me of the hilarious skit SNL did some years ago about the odd names African Americans often give their kids. Example names from the skit: Pneumonia, Duracell, Melanoma, and many more.</p>
<p>Enjoy: </p>
<p>[Saturday</a> Night Live - Camp Ujaama - Video - NBC.com](<a href=“http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/camp-ujaama/n10690/]Saturday”>http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/camp-ujaama/n10690/)</p>
<p>^I was thinking of the Eddie Murphy skit, in which he called himself “Mr. White.”</p>
<p>My kids are bi-racial (black/white), with a distinctly German sir name. Ultimately, we were very careful to choose first names with long and innocuous histories. Of course, the prerequisite was that we also loved the sound of them. Early on, however, my H and I argued over naming our D Kenya. I really liked the sound of it. In addition to it being the name of a country that ignited my imagination, it also put me in mind of one of our closest friends at the time. I argued that Kenya could be said to be a feminization of the name Ken. But H was adamantly opposed—“too exotic” he said. Plus, it was “stupid” to name a kid after a country. When Ugly Betty was a hit show, the main actress’ name, “America,” made H roll his eyes. Most members of his family have non-eyebrow-raising, European names, but nothing that sounds distinctly German. No Hans, Friedrich, Heidi, or Inga, for instance. </p>
<p>Nothing about my children’s written names would red-flag them as being “other.” And given the reality of a very real and tenaciously lingering racism, I’m glad of this fact. The multiple studies showing that, all other variables being equal, “ethnic names” (most certainly "black sounding ones) tend to place one at a disadvantage when applying for jobs, mortgages, personal loans, and apartment rentals, etc., reenforce the wisdom of that decision. There are always exceptions, of course: The name Condoleeza didn’t seem to negatively impact the career path of a certain Secretary of State.;)</p>
<p>So funny how I never gave Condoleeza’s name a second thought! Not sure why. It never sounded odd or strange to me.</p>
<p>poetsheart, Im chuckling at your post. If you substitute India for Kenya I could have written your post. 
Along w/ H insisting D be named after a dead relative.</p>
<p>I think our views of names may also be regional. I grew up in the south, and I have to say that “Yolanda” was a cliche black name. Perhaps the perception of it is different elsewhere, especially where other ethnic groups are more represented.</p>
<p>Also, it’s not just about race–it’s about socioeconomic status. A name like Da’Necia (real) suggests (in my experience, anyway) lower SES. (This is another reason why Condoleeza Rice is so unusual.) It’s possible that certain “white” names might also signal this, and would be problematic as well. Buford or Jethro, maybe.</p>
<p>I take the story with a grain of salt, BUT…similar such things with out such outstanding results have shown rather clearly that the name can matter, the race can matter. There have been controlled studies, (which this was not) showing this clearly. Most of the time a name like Elizabeth Anne Ridgeway, will trump Yolanda Lakeesha Akheem, and, yes, names like Dong Won Cha, and Bathsheva Cohen. That has been proven by controlled studied even though there are times when the last three names might show some advantage due to the nature of the job or the propensity of the recruiter sorting through the resumes. </p>
<p>The success rate with applying for jobs en masse is poor anyways, from what I understand. Most everyone I know who has gotten jobs at places like Facebook or Google has had their resumes fast tracked through some source, not just randomly sent in.</p>
<p>Condoleeza is derived from an Italian term, so it may strike some people as European. Likewise, the lady was a concert pianist; a resume that has “Condoleeza” at the top and “pianist” in “Interests” may get different treatment than one with “Condoleeza” and “By Any Means Necessary” as a college extracurricular. </p>
<p>Issues of race and class are not always distinguishable, and “class” and “classy” are sometimes conflated. Lakisha and Candi may have more problems getting jobs than Malia or Renee, but it’s not a race thing. </p>
<p>There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the under-represented minorities who succeed in America are often the children of immigrants, not native-born Americans descended from slaves. (Michelle Robinson’s achievements are more remarkable than those of her husband, in many ways.)</p>