Cruel Parents - Bad Names
 

I just had to call a sales person for an appliance I'm buying. She is a young white girl named Farah Khan.

I think her parents must be jerks for this. I got into an argument with someone awhile back because they named their son "Ocean White Dodson". I told them it was cruel and wrong to do that to him, and they have guaranteed that he will be picked on and get into a lot of fights and it may even effect his ability to get work later in life.

They acted like I was a big jerk for saying it. It's the truth. Kids are mean and they will pick on someone like that. Also, they are under the belief that someone's name is connected with their individualism. They accused me of being narrow-minded and suggested that having an "original" name makes the person more artistic or original.

As a father, I think it's my responsibility to make sure my children have an easier time of it than I did. I'm not saying we should all name our kids John Smith, just that we don't put our own warped sense of creativity or before the feelings of our kids. I live in L.A. where everyone thinks they're an actor and thinks spelling their name a strange way makes them cool. "Hi, my name is Cindy, but with it's spelled "Syndie" or "I'm Frank, spelled "Phrainque"

Personally speaking of I had two resumes in front of me, and one had the name "Steven Putnam" and the other had "Phrainque Johnson", the latter would have no chance at the job. I wouldn't look any further on his resume than the name. He could be the single most qualified and talented candidate, but he'd have a hard time finding work because his parents acted selfishly.

What do you think?

With a name like Ocean he'll easily get a job on a soap opera. Don't worry your pretty head about it Radar. He'll be fine. :)

Some people think Maverick is a stupid name for a child. My son loves it though. Other people think the way I spell my other sons same is wrong, but Aden is an anagram for Edna who was his great grandmother. She passed away shortly before he was born. He would have been her first great grandchild.

If a kid doesn't like their name or thinks it will affect their career prospects, they can change it when they are old enough.

Yes, but in the mean time they must suffer, get beat up, and end up hating your guts because you wanted to be "creative".

What's wrong with Farah?

I grew up with a girl named Farah. She was actually quite popular and made fun of me...not my name, though.

Look at me, my mother named me HungLikeJesus. I'm not bitter.

What was your father's name?

My previous married name was Keene, and my best friend hounded me for weeks to name my oldest daughter Peachie :eyebrow:

This time around my last name is Fox, and she was thrilled that my middle child was to be Katherine, she was like "ooh you can nickname her Kit"

Of course she wanted to name her son Augustus, until her husband flatly refused

You would discriminate against someone based on their name? (shock) I think that's indescribably awful! I'm also trying to figure out what the problem is with "Farah Khan." (saying it to myself trying to figure out if it works out to something nasty).

My philosophy in naming my kids is short enough and common enough to be recognizable and spellable--but uncommon enough not to be everyone else's names. My kids, however named theirs . . . well, LOL! they're a lot worse!

sometimes, it's not the parents fault, i.e., when it's the last name. I come across bad names all the times in law firms name. Like: Butt. or Hitler. I mean, come on--I'd change it.

On the other hand, if you're a guy and you have a really horrible name--you can become a professional football player. Ever notice how many of those guys have awful names? (my favorite is Dick Butkus "Butt-Kiss"). I theorize that they had to toughen up because of their name, and ended up big and tough--and playing football.

Mary.

ha! My father's name was Waters Brown M_____.

He went by "Brown"

A possible problem with Farah Khan might be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Farrakhan

How 'bout just John He-llo! They call the bathroom!

In addition to names, one should consider initials. A friend named her daughter such that the initials spells MARS and did not notice it until I mentioned it. Initials are not as bad as names, however. Cutsie names might easily fly in one part of the country (or world, for all I know) but in others they are a definite liability. Don't blame the person who wears the name bestowed by the idiot parents - unless you are concerned that the silliness might be hereditary.

Nothing wrong with Farah. But there is with Farah Khan.

Bingo! A young white girl named after an older outspoken Black Panther, Nation of Islam, racist, asshole. That's cruel.

I think you're a jerk. Fortunately for the world of people not named Mary and Frank, you're unlikely to be hiring many people.

I also doubt with a name like Khan, the girl was pure "white" and maybe she's proud of her heritage? If it'd've caused her grief, she'd be sure to have changed it by now.

How about you look at parenting like your job isn't necessarily to make life easier for your kid but to give them better tools for dealing with it? Yes, kids are cruel, but you're using examples from your childhood. This is a new generation. Kids with boring names are just as likely to be teased and have to be called by all their names to be distinguished from their classmates with the same name. You're out of touch. Ocean will probably go to school with an Autumn, a Summer, a Michael (female), a Sasha (male) and a Kyin (undetermined). And Emily A. Emily M, Emilee 2 Es and three Alex Woods.

my son, Attha disagrees, too.

good point, and I'm left wondering: How do you know she was white if you only spoke to her on the telephone?

too right, Mr. T'pornstoreagain

And even if the meeting was in person, what is it with making a judgement based on skin/hair color/racial appearance?

not to mention name.

Totally. I'm guessing LaKysha ain't getting a look-in.....

I think you're an idiot if you think naming a kid Ocean or any other retarded name is good for them. Ensuring that your kids will be picked on, and get into a lot of fights doesn't prepare them for the real world, it prepares them for psychotherapy where they will spend years trying to get over the hatred they have for their parents.

I hire my share of people. I've hired a hundred or so over the years. But there are thousands if not millions of other people like me who don't want to hire someone with tattoos on their face, or names like "Moonbeam" etc.

As far as distinguishing kids who have a different name, the content of their character, their personality, and their performance should do that...not a name. A name doesn't make you special, or interesting, or cool.

As you said, even having the same name, you MIGHT get picked on or attacked by bullies. But having a freakish name will guarantee it.

My daughter is named Nina. That's not a very common name. It's also not a freak name. I didn't name her Zamboni, or Ocean, or Lemonjello, etc.

The bottom line is if you name your kid Rainbow and they get the shit beaten out of them, or they get picked on, or they hate you, or they have a hard time finding a job... it's YOUR FAULT.

......it's pretty rich coming from someone who is married to a woman with foreign roots. Maybe he protests a little too much?

Attha Boy?

One of my grandbabies' middle name is Cloud, in my honor. Does that count?

Unlike the Chinese, I didn't name my child by dropping a drawer full of silverware down the stairs.... PING .... ZHAO... SUM... TING.... WONG

:lol2:

Racist much?

You're so out of date it's almost inbelievable. And if the prejudices of our childhood regarding names were still in place, your daughter would be in trouble because Nina would be considered an old lady's name. But fortunately, name are no longer a major target for bullies. Now you need to worry about what brand of undies you put them in. My kids all have "freakish" names by your standards. None have been bullied. You're basing your argument on data thats a generation out of date. In most people's books, I believe that would make you the idiot. Do you use 30yo data in your job too?

Not at all! What on earth gave you that idea? :rolleyes:

Neither is oranjello, lemonjello, Shaqueefa, Shaquanda, Monifa, Sharhonda, Ebony, Lexus, Mercedes, Alize, etc.

Oh, so you actually are retarded.

Chinese isn't a race.

Whatever you say Radar. You can believe what you want. Your comment was offensive.

But did you hire well -based on their abilities, experience and potential? Or did you hire based on name and suspected racial origin? And if the former, then how come you make such a pittance and can't stay in any job for an extended period?

and most of them work at McDonalds.

it's not the parents or the names that are the problem. It's bigotry and bullying. and that's something YOU (and all of us) can fix.

:lol: run out of argument? How old is your daughter again? How much current school experience do you have?


...

ah.


hm. I will retaliate the namecalling with: ..

...


(wait for it)...


erm...

(sorry, I'm a little slow... (;) ).....

Person-who-blusters-with-no-knowledge

:D

I think the word you're looking for is charlatan

I don't care what someone's racial origin, religion, gender, age, etc. happens to be as long as they can communicate effectively and work well with others.

I always hire the best person for the job, but at the top of every resume is the name of the person. If they've got an oddball name, I read no further. If someone's name is Claud Balls, I laugh and toss the resume in the garbage and I judge the other candidates based on their level of skill, education, and experience.

I've been in the computer network consulting field for about 20 years with a few periods in the middle doing other jobs when computer jobs were scarce (bartender, casino dealer, etc.). The nature of consulting is that you move around a lot. You are hired for a certain period of time for a salary higher than permanent employees.

Right now I make $85,000 a year, but on average I've always made $60k or higher. I've never worked at McDonalds, though I have worked in fast food when in high school, and I delivered pizzas for extra money when things got tough. I have always paid my bills and never taken a dime of money from any government welfare plan.

Why so interested in my job? I don't go to your job and slap the plunger out of your hand or the dick out of your mouth.

Did you seriously post that in defence of your argument?

OMG this country is racist and religionist, let's all buckle down and be at white and christian as we can?

I didn't run out of an argument. I just realized I was trying to talk to someone who has the mental capacity of a flea. If you claim bullies don't pick on kids with unusual names, you are not only out of touch with reality, you know absolutely ZERO about schools or children....PERIOD.

It's a news story about how people are discriminated against based on their names. It's a reality whether you choose to admit it or not.

I think the incidence of kids being picked on because of their names is the same as it's ever been. I don't think the new tradition of giving kids interesting or different names contributes or detracts from it. There are always going to be arsehole kids who've been brought up by arseholes to judge people just because of their name or what they look like. The world is full of arseholes. It always will be.

So maybe you don't always hire the best person for the job. Maybe the best person has a name you consider stupid. That you judge them on their name..... well... it makes you look a little..... stupid?

Well I also happen to be qualified in IT and I wouldn't piss on someone's overheated circuit fire for what you make. Of course you wouldn't hire me because my name would make it obvious I'm female....

:lol:

...but that would make radar an arsehole.......

Can't I leave you people alone for just three hours???

This is true, but why give them ammunition? Why not give your kid a name that won't make them more of a target?

I love my daughter. I want her experience growing up to be a happy one. I don't want her to be haunted by an ugly or freaky name following her around. I don't want her to be teased, taunted, ridiculed, harassed, or bullied because of something like that. It's hard enough growing up without having to deal with that.

And let me guess? You aren't?

You know Radar, if I wanted to give my kid a better chance, I would have made sure his father wasn't black (or brown actually). I would have had the little tiny piece of skin he has extra on his ear removed when the hospital suggested it at birth. I might even have had him circumcized.

My son doesn't get picked on. He has a happy life. He's very popular with his classmates and he's a school leader. I fail to see your argument at play in our lives.

But why? I still don't understand what possible correlation someone's name has to their job performance. I am trying to understand why you would do this. I mean--are you afraid of being embarrassed at introducing them?

I guess you're schooling didn't include sarcasm. Have you ever been diagnosed with social interaction problems?

Oh I admit it alright, but I believe my approach of challenging stereotypes and discrimination is better and more likely to improve the situation than your approach of buckling down and saying yessir. But then it appears you don't want the situation to change. Because you are racist and sexist, and the status quo suits you just fine.

oooh,

that's a blow that's hard to deflect or recover from.......


ouch

The best person for the job isn't always the most qualified or best educated. You can have someone who knows pretty much everything, but if he can't get along with others, or doesn't fit in with the rest of the team, he's worthless to me.

I went through a lot of people at my last job. I've hired people and told them to pack up their things and leave before lunchtime came around. I've gone through 3 or 4 people in a week until I get someone who has skills and who can actually get along well. I've met more techs with padded resumes claiming to have skills when they don't know shit about I.T. (like you perhaps)



I could care less about whether or not you're female, but I wouldn't hire a bitch like you. Minimum wage would be too much for your ilk.

As far as your qualifications and earnings go, congrats on making more money than me. Good for you. If I were you, I wouldn't bet your qualifications were better than mine, but it's nice that you can find work for that much money....assuming you don't really live in a trailer somewhere collecting welfare, with 2 kids that have freaky names, making up lies about being in I.T.

Not just that. Every member of the team represents you. If they have a name that people think is funny or stupid, someone else will assume the team is stupid or not to be taken seriously. I also don't want to have to deal with fights among those who report to me when someone teases them about their name ... which happens even with adults.

If I hire someone named Frank N. Stein, people will think it's a joke.

so, you are afraid they'll laugh at you.

Perhaps you need a little more humor in your life.

and compassion.

I find it painfully ironic that this is a major requirement for you, of all people. I'm just sayin'. You're not exactly known as a go with the flow and fit in kind of guy.