Despite the advent of creative names, it is also common for African Americans to use biblical names like Daniel, Michael, David, James, Joseph, and Matthew, as well as European names like Christopher. These names were among the most common names for African-American boys in 2013. [2] [9] [10] Bartolo Colón, MLB`s oldest player and proud bearer of the nickname “Big Sexy,” would have a completely different name if the accent mark in his last name were removed. “Colón” would become “colon”, like a part of your colon. The equally common surname Peña, worn by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto or American actor Michael Peña, becomes pena (compassion) when his diacritic is omitted. In California and Texas, the problem is even more pronounced. Let`s take the name “José” as an example. Of course, there will be variations, but overall, the name is traditionally written with the accent mark. According to the Social Security Administration, 1,117 babies were named Jose in California in 2016 alone. That same year, Jose was the ninth most popular male name in Texas with 1,421 newborns receiving that name. Jose was the 77th most popular male name in all of the United States in 2016, two places behind Adam and just ahead of Ian.
For all these newborn Joses, no one will have an emphasis on official documents. Many names of French origin were also used at this time. Historically, French names such as Monique, Chantal, André and Antoine have become common in African-American culture. Names of African descent have also emerged. Names like Ashanti, Tanisha, Aaliyah and Malaika have their origins on the African continent. [2] A birth certificate is a person`s first official document. But in California, a 30-year-old rule prohibits the use of diacritics — such as tildes and accents — on birth certificates. Some states have other types of name restrictions – mainly to protect children – such as banning the use of profanity in names. Two years ago, Martin Thibodeau, a French-Canadian who has lived in California for a decade, decided to name his new daughter after his grandmother.
When the birth certificate arrived, he noticed that an accent had been omitted. In other states, the child may take the mother`s maiden name as long as both parents agree. In the United States, parents have some freedom when it comes to naming their children. However, the right to choose a child`s name is subject to certain restrictions. Most of them were introduced either for practical reasons or to protect the child. Some citizens have their names without emphasizing biographical data and use them informally with a diacritic mark. Some states prohibit names that contain accents and/or non-English letters. Others, such as Alaska, Hawaii, Kansas, North Carolina and Oregon, allow accents and some foreign letters on birth certificates and other government-issued documents. And with all this in mind, for those who have accent marks on their behalf, I urge you to do the same. Given the rhetoric that diminishes and marginalizes our immigrant communities, we must remember and remind those around us that our culture and heritage must not be destroyed.
Diacritics may seem like a small dot in the bigger picture of turbulent and proposed policies that actively harm our minorities, but they remind us of our important presence and contribution to our country. Diversity among American names also seems to be increasing. In the 1950s, most babies were given very common names, with children using nicknames to distinguish different people with the same name. In the following decades, the number of names used increased considerably. [29] It is also more common for minorities to use traditional cultural names for their children and for themselves, which is not clear in the United States. It was common to choose names that would fit American culture as a whole. This applied to both first and last names. Research suggests that fewer immigrants today change their names when they move to America than before. Princeton University sociologist Douglas Massey believes that immigrants felt less pressure to change their names “during the 1970s and 1980s, when immigration became a part of American life and the civil rights movement legitimized the group`s pride as something that needed to be cultivated.” [29] [30] In Connecticut, Nevada and Michigan, it`s technically legal not to name your baby. Even if you don`t have a legal name, it will really thwart your child`s plans, like finding a job or choosing or doing anything else related to daily life. Related: How to Change Your Name Legally: Step-by-Step Guide “Her full name is Nicolás Agustín Espinoza Chaires,” says Nancy. Title: Can this affect adding an accent mark to my last name (if it is not on my birth certificate)? If you`re like me and you have an acute accent – or other diacritic – in your name, you know that a small line can tell the difference between a name that is unique to you and another that is not.
For the past 30 years, the state of California – like many other places in the United States – has banned the use of accents and tildes in birth certificates and other official documents. But a bill could change that, thanks to parents Nancy Chaires Espinoza, a lobbyist, and Pablo Espinoza. When they filled out a birth certificate for their son Nicolás nearly a year ago, they learned that the state would officially recognize him as Nicolas. Other naming bans include banning names such as those of people who committed atrocities, such as Adolf Hitler. Research suggests that American parents are more likely to use established historical names for boys, and are much more likely to name boys after parents and ancestors. Boys` names are, on average, more traditional than girls` names and are currently less fashionable. This trend applies across racial boundaries. There is a much faster fluctuation in girls` names than in boys. Parents of daughters are much more likely to be creative in naming their daughters than their sons. In her 1965 study of naming conventions, Alice Rossi theorized that gender differences in naming strategies exist because of the perceived roles of men and women in society. “Women play the most important role in family and kinship activities, while men are the symbolic bearers of the temporal continuity of the family.” [20] Political status also seems to have an impact on naming strategies.
A study of babies born in California in 2004 found that conservatives were less likely to give their children unusual names than liberals. This is true even across racial and socio-economic boundaries. Among families who had not a college education, political trends did not make much difference in naming patterns, but the study found that the less educated parents were, the more likely they were to use an unusual name or spelling. But among Caucasian families with higher education, conservative families chose different names than liberal families. Liberals with higher education were more likely to choose unusual names than university-educated Conservatives. [23] Nancy, a lobbyist in Sacramento, says she and Pablo, who works in the office of the speaker of parliament, named Nicolás after two saints. But when they tried to get his birth certificate, they were told they couldn`t use the right pronunciation signs. Traditionally, the right to name one`s child or oneself at will has been upheld by court decisions and is rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment`s Due Process Clause and the First Amendment`s Free Speech Clause, but there are some limitations. Restrictions vary from state to state, but most are for practical reasons. For example, several states limit the number of characters that can be used due to limitations in the software used for official registration. For similar reasons, some states prohibit the use of numerical digits or pictograms.
Some states prohibit the use of blasphemies. There are also a few states, Kentucky for example, that have no name laws at all. [1] [3] As a general rule, even if you live in a state with “unrestricted” naming laws, you probably won`t be able to use a name that wouldn`t be allowed on a custom license plate, for example. Without laws regulating the use of names, many American names emerge that follow the use of the name in movies, television, or the media. Children can be named after their parents` favorite characters. [12] [13] [14] The movement became a hashtag and spread among top MLB players. Since its creation last year, 30 players and coaches have accentuated their jerseys. Among them, Seattle Mariners second baseman and 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Robinson Canó made the switch. And of course Eduardo Nύñez. But the politics around accent signs goes beyond the spotlight of prominent athletes.
In many states, children born with names containing accents are not allowed to wear these diacritics on official documents. It is striking that the four bordering states of Mexico, California and Texas do not allow accent signs. Proposition 63 of 1986 made English the official language in California — and the government interpreted this as a ban on accents, tildes and umlauts. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, opponents of Proposition 62 say the state is not enforcing the rule equally. Names like O`Doyle contain characters outside the alphabet. In addition, other agencies, such as the California Department of State and Parks, already use diacritics. Naming a baby can be scary. We can help! Check out our full database of baby names and fun lists here.
I got used to seeing my last name written without its little checkmark. From government ID cards to visitor badges and everything in between, Tarrago is the norm.