For what is in a Name?

At a gathering the other day, the issue of naming kids came up.
I don't have any kids nor had I given naming kids much thought.

There are three different groups when it comes to naming kids.
The first sticks strictly to ethnic/tribal names (no anglo name)
The second group combines ethnic/tribal names with anglo saxon names (via baptism)
The third group abandons their ethnic/tribal names and adapts purely anglosaxon names.
Each group has its reason for the way they name their kids, but should parent keep societal prejudices/biases into consideration when considering a child's name?

Our name serves as the label to our identity, pointing to culture, religious affiliation, sex, social position, ethnic background, tribal affiliation and even age.


Names can have a great impact on the social, financial and even residential impact on a person. Studies have been done that indicate African-American sounding jobseekers (same CV) received 50% less calls than Anglo sounding names. The same case applies for foreign sounding names. (http://www.nber.org/digest/sep03/w9873.html)
Even finding housing is an issue: "From 1,100 e-mail inquiries to Los Angeles-area landlords asking about vacant apartments advertised online, the traditional white sounding name elicited 89% of positive replies. A foreign sounding name brought in 66% of replies while the African-American name took in 56%. A landlord’s positive reply consisted of a follow up appointment to show off the property for lease or an indication that the place was available." (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-05/osu-ncl052306.php)

There is a chapter on exactly this in Freakonomics, a fun best seller about real-life economics.


"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Shakespeare clearly did not live in our discriminatory world and if he did, he chose not to notice the discrimination.


There are many Jewish, Asian, Latinos and even Kenyans who have Anglocized their names. They dont do this cause an Anglo name sounds better; they do it because at best people are ignorant or xenophobic and at worst racist.
I am in no way advocating Anglocization of all names, am simply stating that we live in a discriminatory country where someone can determine whether you get a job, house or into a school simply by looking at your name.

What is your opinion on the matter...should a parent ignore culture and give the child an Anglosaxon or should a parent stick to his/her guns and give the child an "ethnic/tribal" name knowing very well that the potential for discrimination increases?