Comments on: the thing with the names http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/ Intelligent media, including Mad Men, Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels & more. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:17:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Deborah Lipp http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23005 Deborah Lipp Thu, 14 May 2009 14:48:54 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23005 One of the places you see prejudice really showing up is resumé screening. Those -isha and -ika resumés get poorer response than the identical resume from a Jacqueline. Names reach our subconscious prejudices. If an African American is sitting in a job interview, the white interviewer might have to consciously acknowledge that, hey, this is a black person, and maybe have to own the prejudice. But when it's black ink on white paper, people reading the resumé don't ask themselves if they're reacting to a name's ethnicity. One of the places you see prejudice really showing up is resumé screening. Those -isha and -ika resumés get poorer response than the identical resume from a Jacqueline.

Names reach our subconscious prejudices. If an African American is sitting in a job interview, the white interviewer might have to consciously acknowledge that, hey, this is a black person, and maybe have to own the prejudice. But when it's black ink on white paper, people reading the resumé don't ask themselves if they're reacting to a name's ethnicity.

]]> By: Jackie http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23004 Jackie Thu, 14 May 2009 14:06:42 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23004 I was born in 1977 and named after my grandmother who was named after her grandmother. I was the only Jacqueline in my grade of about 100 people until 4th grade when another one showed up, but I think she moved in the next couple of years. <i>There can be only one. Mwah ha ha ha.</i> Ahem. No I didn't really run her off. When I was little I always wanted a more afrocentric-sounding name ending in an -isha or an -ika like all the cool girls, but later I came to like my name as it is. I always wonder about those resume experiments they do on 20/20 and in Freakonomics , like would life be the same if I had a more obviously "black-sounding" name. It's funny, one my friends at work grew up the same area but went to Catholic school so she knows all these Johns, and Pauls, and Jameses which were rarer names in my public school. In addition to the Michaels and Brians, and Seans/Shawns we had a decent-sized Jewish population so there were lots of Davids, Adams, and Joshuas. Also a bunch of Coreys. I was born in 1977 and named after my grandmother who was named after her grandmother. I was the only Jacqueline in my grade of about 100 people until 4th grade when another one showed up, but I think she moved in the next couple of years. There can be only one. Mwah ha ha ha. Ahem. No I didn't really run her off.

When I was little I always wanted a more afrocentric-sounding name ending in an -isha or an -ika like all the cool girls, but later I came to like my name as it is. I always wonder about those resume experiments they do on 20/20 and in Freakonomics , like would life be the same if I had a more obviously "black-sounding" name.

It's funny, one my friends at work grew up the same area but went to Catholic school so she knows all these Johns, and Pauls, and Jameses which were rarer names in my public school. In addition to the Michaels and Brians, and Seans/Shawns we had a decent-sized Jewish population so there were lots of Davids, Adams, and Joshuas. Also a bunch of Coreys.

]]> By: hullaballoo http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23003 hullaballoo Thu, 14 May 2009 10:48:26 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23003 Oops. I mean 1927-37. Oops. I mean 1927-37.

]]> By: hullaballoo http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23002 hullaballoo Thu, 14 May 2009 10:46:53 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23002 For Mad Men purposes, though, we should be checking the names from the late 20s and 30s. Probably 1937-37 or '38. I think Peggy would be the only character born in 1940. For Mad Men purposes, though, we should be checking the names from the late 20s and 30s. Probably 1937-37 or '38. I think Peggy would be the only character born in 1940.

]]> By: Melissa http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23001 Melissa Thu, 14 May 2009 08:20:14 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23001 There were lots of Melissas in my school (born in the 1970's, when those "Little House on the Prairie" girls were the big child stars) but for some reason they never tried to nickname us. We just got called by our full names (Melissa Jones, Melissa Smith, etc.). There were lots of Melissas in my school (born in the 1970's, when those "Little House on the Prairie" girls were the big child stars) but for some reason they never tried to nickname us. We just got called by our full names (Melissa Jones, Melissa Smith, etc.).

]]> By: judybrown http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-23000 judybrown Thu, 14 May 2009 01:16:52 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-23000 The Social Security administration's name site listed above was cool -- if you're ever writing fiction, for instance. And although Judy may have been #15 in popularity in 1940 for birth names, "Judith" was #4 (and guess which dimunitive we then got stuck with, no girls got to be Judith in my school.) Margery was #11, so much for all the Megs, Pegs, Marges. Which may go a long way to explain the double Judys on Mad Men. (But I get your point on the lack of some common names of that period, James was #1 that year.) The Social Security administration's name site listed above was cool — if you're ever writing fiction, for instance.

And although Judy may have been #15 in popularity in 1940 for birth names, "Judith" was #4 (and guess which dimunitive we then got stuck with, no girls got to be Judith in my school.)

Margery was #11, so much for all the Megs, Pegs, Marges.

Which may go a long way to explain the double Judys on Mad Men.

(But I get your point on the lack of some common names of that period, James was #1 that year.)

]]> By: JohnR http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-22999 JohnR Thu, 14 May 2009 00:16:58 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-22999 In France a child's name must be approved by the local council. Names which are considered 'un-french' or 'odd' are rejected (the spelling of the name must also be traditional). This rule has resulted in hardship for immigrants wishing to retain their culture's traditional names. In France a child's name must be approved by the local council.
Names which are considered 'un-french' or 'odd' are rejected (the spelling of the name must also be traditional).

This rule has resulted in hardship for immigrants wishing to retain their culture's traditional names.

]]> By: Jill http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-22998 Jill Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:54 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-22998 The Social Security administration has a fabulous site loaded with information about popular. top ten, to top one thousand, names by state, by year, going way back (to 1879). Find lots of other interesting nuggets about male and female names, names, names!! Check it out sometime when you have a few minutes...or hours... <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/</a> The Social Security administration has a fabulous site loaded with information about popular. top ten, to top one thousand, names by state, by year, going way back (to 1879). Find lots of other interesting nuggets about male and female names, names, names!!
Check it out sometime when you have a few minutes…or hours…

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

]]> By: B.Cooper http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-22997 B.Cooper Wed, 13 May 2009 22:55:34 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-22997 There's lots of Jennifer's ... but only one Gennifer. Funny how that works. There's lots of Jennifer's … but only one Gennifer.

Funny how that works.

]]> By: Susan M http://www.lippsisters.com/2009/05/13/the-thing-with-the-names/comment-page-1/#comment-22996 Susan M Wed, 13 May 2009 21:50:42 +0000 http://www.lippsisters.com/?p=4975#comment-22996 I was born 2 months before the end of the 50s, and when I was in second grade there were 7 Susans in our class. We all got nicknamed according to social norms (Sue, Suzie, Suzanne, Sissy, Suse, Susie Q, Susan). I was called Susan there, and it stuck forever. One of my classmates was named Jennifer, and we all thought she had an old-fashioned Grandmother-sounding name. We felt sorry for her, and tried to call her by her middle name, Marie. Because of that stigma, we all thought it was funny to see all the babies being named Jennifer in the 70s. I was born 2 months before the end of the 50s, and when I was in second grade there were 7 Susans in our class. We all got nicknamed according to social norms (Sue, Suzie, Suzanne, Sissy, Suse, Susie Q, Susan). I was called Susan there, and it stuck forever.

One of my classmates was named Jennifer, and we all thought she had an old-fashioned Grandmother-sounding name. We felt sorry for her, and tried to call her by her middle name, Marie. Because of that stigma, we all thought it was funny to see all the babies being named Jennifer in the 70s.

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