Lie 1: You won't receive any good job prospects if you have a Black sounding name.
This myth grew from a 2004 study conducted by economists Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan. Flaws in the researchers’ methodology led to a panic that Black-sounding names like Lakisha and Jamal equated to low employability.
Turns out, it’s not race employers are rejecting. Many times a person’s name carries class or social status cues (such as education level) which employers prioritize when making hiring decisions.
Lie 2: Teacher's won't be able to pronounce your child's name if you name them something culturally specific.
Educators don’t deserve to instruct your child if they can’t find the patience for and significance in learning the proper way to pronounce your child’s name!
Culturally specific names encourage self-love, while forcing educators to exemplify respect and thoughtfulness in the classroom.
Like actress Uzo Aduba’s mother told her when she asked to change her name to something less challenging, “If they can learn to say Tchaikovsky and Michelangelo and Dostoyevsky, they can learn to say Uzoamaka.”
Lie 3: Kids will treat them poorly/differently.
Children need to learn empathy, friendliness, and respect early in life. These are lessons that can be taught by forming relationships with other children who are unique in a whole host of diverse ways - starting with their names.