Chapter 6 of Freakonomics
is all about how parents name their children. One of the points made in the chapter is that
judgments are made (perhaps unfairly)by society based on our names, and that an
unusual name can serve as a handicap to a child. Do you agree with the book’s position? Have you any personal experience with this
topic? How did the book use the
experiment with the job applications to support the author’s position? The book later makes the case that a child
with an unusual or “typically Black” name isn’t a victim of a self fulfilling
prophecy, explaining that the unusual name was generally an indicator of the circumstances the child was born into,
more so than a cause of their outcome, and that low-income, low-education
parents have more of a tendency to name their child something unusual than
would a high-income, high- education parent.
The statistics in the book actually bear out this claim. Why do YOU believe this to be the case? To what period in history does the book trace
the trend of “typically black” baby names?
What point does the book make
about people who change their names and what it indicates? Girls names tend to
be more diverse than boys, as parents seem to be more adventurous with girls’
names. When looking at names across decades
you may notice that the “high end” white girls’ names eventually make
the list of most popular white girl names.
What does this tell you about what a majority of those parents believe
when it comes to naming children? Why do
the “high end” names become so popular?
What happens to the “high end” names when they DO become popular? This
book was originally written in 2005. Cross check the list of potential most
popular names of 2015 for boys and girls with the most recent twenty most
popular names list and see if you can find any overlap. How accurate were the books authors at their
prediction? In order to receive your
participation credit, you must answer all the questions and respond to at least
one of your classmates posts on the topic.
Please answer in complete sentences and remember that you are publishing
your comments for an audience.
- Yes, I agree with the book’s position that judgments are made by society, based on our names.
ReplyDelete- No, I don’t have a personal experience about this topic
- The book used the experiment with the job application to show how applicants are initially screened based on their names. This supported the authors position on how names, stereotype people.
- I believe the reason why low income families name their children high –income and education names is because they hope to give them a better start in life. Giving them the name, is something they can control in their life.
- The book traces the trend of “typically black” baby names to the 20th century era when names have a double meaning and people are judged prematurely by their name.
- The book makes a point that people who change their names are ashame of their past, and the change is an action to solidify this wish not to remember their heritage or the stereotypes associated with the name.
- High end names become so popular because they are associated with positive projections. People with those names are either famous or well known in society.
- When high end names DO become popular, parents in all ranks of society name their children those names.
- After a cross check of the most popular names in 2005 in comparison to 2015, the authors were pretty accurate.
* I agree with the book's position that society often judges us by our names.
ReplyDelete* Yes, my name is Dextanie and many people find my name different but it's originated from my dad's name which is Dexter.
* The book shows that upon viewing applications employers stereotype by what someone is named.
* I believe that some people name their child high-income names ,because they simply like the name.
* This book traces back to the 20th Century where people were generally stereotyoed by what they was named .
* I believe that people who change their names may be ashamed of the person they once was or just isn't satisfied with their name.
* People with high-end names are expected to be the better people in life.
* Highend names are popular, people all over the world have high end names.
* The Author's predictions were very accurate.
I do agree with this topic of the chapter, and it does make a lot of sense. No, I have not had any personal experience regarding my name, mainly because my first name (Eric) is a common name. I think low-income parents tend to name their child unusual or uncommon names is because they want to feel more comfortable. With the most common 'white girl' names, I feel that if they name their daughters high end names that they will think more highly of themselves. High end names are so popular in my opinion is because the parents want their children to think high and more confident, like I said in the past sentence. It's been close to a decade since the book has been out and after looking at the most 'popular' names of 2015, most of them are the same...names such as 'Connor', 'Grace', or 'Isabel'.
ReplyDelete·Yes, I agree with the book because many names hold.people back from great opportunities.
ReplyDelete·Yes, I have had plenty encounters with the judgement of my name.
·It showed how hiring managers don't review the applications, but instead the name. Figuring out if the name will help back up their company.
·Parents with low income tend to name their kids something extravagant while high income parents tend to keep it simple and common.
·The book traces back to the 1960s of typically black baby names.
·People who change their names are really ashamed of their names, feeling that their names define how far they will go in life.
·Parents believe that naming their kids a certain name will help them succeed in life. As if their name is a good.luck charm fot them.
·The high end names become popular because parents give off the vibe that their kids will succeed with good names.
·When they become popular, parents will feel like their kids will succeed because parents before gave off that effect.
·The book checklist was completely accurate.
1.Yes I agree ,Society does judge you based off what your name is .
ReplyDelete2.Yes I have had personal experiences with this topic. My name is calandria which is not common ,My is originated from my great-grandmothers name callie.
3.The book uses experiment with the job applicants being stereotyped based off what their name is .
4.I think people name their children high-end names is because they want them to be something good in life .
5.The book goes back to the period of the 20th century .
6.I think people who change their name probably didn't like their name .
7.People who have high-end are expected to be successful .
8.High-end become so popular when one person has it , Another will.
9.The Author's predictions were highly accurate.
1.) Yes, I totally agree with the book's position.
ReplyDelete2.) I've experienced many situations as to where I was judged by the pronunciation of my name and not by the kindness of my heart.
3.) The book basically was saying, two females interview for the same job, both females meet all criteria, one of the females name is Keyshia and the other name of Elizabeth, who gets the job? Elizabeth right? Right, because her name is more professorial and presentable.
4.) I believe that's the case because some people really do live up to their names. Name a child "LIL PNUT" and watch that child want to grow up and be a rapper, verses to naming a child "Richard and/or Eugene" and seeing that child pursue his dreams of becoming a lawyer or doctor.
5.) That people are maybe embarrassed of the name they was given or possibly just want better for themselves.
6.) This tells me that those parents want whats best for their children. In today's society it's best to go with Elizabeth instead of Keyshia.
7.) The high end names became so popular because more people are naming their kids high end names.
8.) The book is very accurate to the authors prediction.
I agree with ShaQuirra. Children do try to live up to the names their parents give them. Name your daughter Elizabeth, and she'll try to grow and work towards being a nurse, or major in business. Give your daughter the name Pebbles and she'll believe she was meant to be a stripper. Just like the book told us of Temptress
Delete1. Yes I agree fully with this book
ReplyDelete2. No, I didn't have any personal experiences
3. The book was saying you are more likely to get hired with an high-end name
4. I think this is the case because some people want a goal so they use their name as a goal
5. Some people may want a better outcome in life and they think an high end name can help them with that
6. It's better to have an name that means something
7. High end name become popular from people passing them down from generation to generation
8. The book is very accurate to the authors prediction
I agree with Kyana that high end names are passed on from generation to generation. I think some black low end names are now high end because they have achieved prosperity and fame in their life.
ReplyDelete1.) Yea I do
ReplyDelete2.) No not really
3.) Basically saying with a high name you can get a good job.
4.)I think so because people use they name for a lot .
5.) Some people want more out of life so they look forward to they name.
6.) Your name should have some history behind it.
7.) Your name mean more when passing down through the family.
8.) The book is very up to date.
Kiara Cheatham
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the books position. Society absolutely judges you by your man.
Once, when I was introducing myself at school, I stood up and said my name. Kiara. I guess they were expecting me to sound unintelligent because of my name. They were all saying, “Wow. You speak so proper.”
The book used the experiment as a way to show that jobs stereotype because of what a person’s name is.
I think low income families name their children high income names due to the fact that they think they’ll have a better chance in life.
The book traces the “typically black” names to the 20th century. This is the time when people were stereotyped by what they were named.
The book states that the people who do change their names are ashamed and don’t want to be associated with the negative attention the name may have received.
High think high end names became popular simply because when you think about those names, they’re usually associated with positive things, and well known people in society.
When the high income names do become popular, I feel as though they’ll become low income names. People are going to think that the high income names are what’s in, low income families will name their children those “popular high end” names, and they’ll soon fade into the low income category.
The authors were pretty accurate after a cross check.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete