President Barack Obama's achievements have made a resounding impact on the African-American community. A new report found that many black babies are being given African-American-sounding names since Obama was elected to the presidency in 2008.
The study, which was conducted by two Texas A&M University professors, was published in the journal Ethnic and Racial Studies. According to researchers Tracy N. Anderson-Clark and Raymond J. Green, names indicate "culture, family, heritage and tradition" as well as the perception of people and groups about themselves. This notion is called collective self-esteem.
Basking In Obama's Reflected Glory
The study stated that the election of an African-American to the highest political seat in the country has elevated how African-Americans view themselves. Because of this, African-American parents choose to give ethnic names to their babies to demonstrate their desire to bask in the reflected glory of the president. Obama himself is named after his Kenyan father.
The study noted that African-American parents are leaning away from European-sounding names. Even educated blacks are choosing ethnic-sounding names for their kids, a trend that was previously common among poor blacks.
It is a good thing that more African-American people are proud of their culture and heritage, but the study's authors think parents should be more cautious about the names they pick for their babies. Ethnic-sounding names can influence how a child is treated by other people. They added that it's all about preventing prejudice and discrimination that can result from something as simple as a name, Science Daily reported.
African-American Men With Historically Black Names Have Longer Lifespans
A separate study found that African-American men with historically black names such as Abraham, Booker, Elijah, Isaac and Moses live a year longer. Those who have modern-day black names like Jamal, Rasheed and Hakim tend to have shorter lifespans than the previous group, according to the Jacksonville Free Press.
Lisa Cook, associate professor of economics at Michigan State University and James Madison College, said that modern black names can "act as a burden" and leads to discrimination in jobs and schools, the news outlet further reported. Past studies found that the U.S. associates distinctive black modern names with racial discrimination, while in the United Kingdom it correlates with class discrimination.
Meanwhile, blacks who have historic and Old Testament-sounding names tend to demonstrate empowerment. African-American men with names like that tend to have respected standings in academics as well as in their communities, families and churches.
