Althouse: In Kenya, everyone is naming their baby Barack or Michelle.

November 6, 2008

In Kenya, everyone is naming their baby Barack or Michelle.

BBC reports.

42 comments:

Lem Vibe Bandit said...: So did Lenin and Stalin ;); 11/6/08, 8:20 PM
veni vidi vici said...: So now Kenya has been vaulted from backwater kleptocracy somewhere on the far side of Africa to the most important fount of news content for American and British minds?

Why is anyone still paying attention to the agenda as set by the idiots in the press? These pantywaists can't be bothered to report on the places their countries are fighting hot wars, but the names given some $20/year salaried nobodies' children out in the hinterlands of a distant contintent is supposed to rivet us with its "news value"?

Fuck off already.; 11/6/08, 8:30 PM
Palladian said...: As I commented yesterday:

I wonder when the first white couple from Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts or Bennington, Vermont will name their newborn Barack Hussein? Barack Hussein Siegel. And if it's a girl, Baracka.

Off topic a bit: what's with all the people on Facebook putting HUSSEIN as their middle name? I mean, ok, we get it. It's just annoying and stupid.; 11/6/08, 8:31 PM
MadisonMan said...: vvv, perhaps you should ooze around the BBC website. You'll find plenty of stories from the Mid-east, from Asia, from just about anywhere.; 11/6/08, 8:35 PM
MadisonMan said...: Palladian, they'll just be following all the Republicans in the past 8 years who have named their kids George or Laura. I don't see what the big deal is.; 11/6/08, 8:36 PM
Jeff with one 'f' said...: It's a psychological cargo cult!; 11/6/08, 8:36 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: " After eight years of staunch support from President Bush, the Israelis are now watching Mr Obama closely - even though he does not take power until January - looking for indicators as to how he will handle the nuclear threat from Tehran.
'We live in a neighbourhood in which dialogue - in a situation where you have brought sanctions and you then shift to dialogue - is liable to be interpreted as weakness,' said Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.
Asked if she supported any U.S. talks with Iran, she quickly said: 'The answer is no.' "

______________________; 11/6/08, 8:42 PM
miller said...: Well, it's a nice gesture from people who are proud that one of their own has made it in America. I see nothing sinister or ludicrous.

Let's see the number of Delaware Indians naming their kid "Joe." That will be more interesting.; 11/6/08, 8:42 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: You've elected someone you know virtually nothing about. Don't even know where he was born.

Afganistan, Russia and Israel are all getting ready to test the man, as predicted.

Tragic.; 11/6/08, 8:44 PM
Palladian said...: "Palladian, they'll just be following all the Republicans in the past 8 years who have named their kids George or Laura. I don't see what the big deal is."

LOL. Did any Republicans do this? Naming kids after a politician doesn't seem like a Republican kind of thing to do. Liberals like these symbolic types of gestures more than conservatives do.

Laura is fine, but can you imagine being stuck for your whole life with the knowledge that you were named after Dubya? I guess you could just tell people you were named after George Washington or Liberace's brother or something.; 11/6/08, 8:45 PM
Revenant said...: Palladian, they'll just be following all the Republicans in the past 8 years who have named their kids George or Laura.

These people exist?

I know a lot of Republicans who have had kids during the last eight years, and there hasn't been a single George or Laura in the bunch. I'm sure SOMEBODY out there did that, but if there was ever any sort of trend I missed it.

Maybe immediately after 9/11, when Bush's approval rating exceeded that of Jesus.; 11/6/08, 8:46 PM
Palladian said...: "Well, it's a nice gesture from people who are proud that one of their own has made it in America. I see nothing sinister or ludicrous."

Yes, don't have a problem with parents in Kenya doing it. It's the idea that some sappy white liberals will do it that's icky to me. And you know they will do it.; 11/6/08, 8:47 PM
Cedarford said...: Great. I once met a Russian named Fidel in 1962 that said he detested his name and insisted we call him Mikael Asanovich.

And woe be to the Palestinian kid from the hellhole of Gaza that seeks chain migration into Dearborn Michigan, birth-named "Osama" in 2001.; 11/6/08, 8:49 PM
Sprezzatura said...: But, the early adopters (in many parts of the world) were going with "Hussein" years ago.

Palladian,

That middle name thing was popular during the primary. I'm still 1jpHusseinb at dkos. I've only commented there about a dozen times ever. But I see no reason to drop the Hussein, even if I commented more. I'm not afraid of the H in BHO.

And, I was never bothered by Asian friends named Charles, Craig, and Jack. I can't follow you with your race specific naming guidelines.

Aside:
I was told by Armando that I could only use BO at talkleft.com (where I was eventually banned (for non-H issues) during the primaries, but was recently reinstated, unlike like myDD where I'm still banned.); 11/6/08, 8:50 PM
miller said...: Palladian, I'm sure the Berkeley types will be doing it, and the Upper East Side types, and the other limousine liberals.

I'm fond of George and Laura and all that, but I don't need to brand my kids to show my fondness.

It is a little ridiculous and sappy for Americans to do so.

As I've said often before, what -- exactly -- has Bambi ever done that would merit such adulation?

Oh, he became President. That right there shows something.

I guess.; 11/6/08, 8:51 PM
Anonymous said...: Here in the United States, everyone is naming their kids Jacob and Emma.; 11/6/08, 8:52 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: New interview with Palin 11/6:

http://www.bobandmark.com/audio

_______________; 11/6/08, 8:53 PM
Cedarford said...: Erratum - I didn't meet the infant in 1962 and encounter a talking baby then since I wasn't alive then myself.

"I met a Russian named Fidel born in 1962"

Better...; 11/6/08, 8:53 PM
MadisonMan said...: I wonder when Mildred will be back in vogue. Or Cornelia. Mabel? These are all names in my family from way back when. How about Elisha? Or Echnaton?; 11/6/08, 9:03 PM
veni vidi vici said...: Unlike the penile sore in this thread who projected onto me his preferred mode of locomotion, ie. "oozing", I prefer to travel astrally. Thanks nonetheless.

Of course, the news about the rest of the world has exactly what to do with a bunch of Kenyans naming their kids after the president-elect? I get the Barry-is-a-Kenyan thing, but does anyone know whether the press went to Ireland to scout for new babies' names when Kennedy or Reagan were elected too? This Kenyan jaunt seems a little trifling to me, particularly given the abhorrent lameassery of these press "organs'" coverage of more pressing national issues, like our hot wars abroad.

All told, I'm with Palladian on this one: lamesters naming their kids after presidents and/or their spouses before the politician has had a chance to accomplish anything in office are pretty lame, creativitywise.; 11/6/08, 9:05 PM
john said...: Here is what happened to “Monica”:

http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=MONICA&ms=true&sw=f&exact=false; 11/6/08, 9:09 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: This is a fascinating radio interview with Palin, she talks about a very unconventional run in 2012...

http://www.bobandmark.com/audio; 11/6/08, 9:17 PM
KCFleming said...: So why is Kenya still a shithole?

oh, yeah.
"The Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International in 1996 ranked Kenya third from the bottom in the (ascending) list of the most corrupt countries in the world. Only Pakistan and Nigeria were perceived to be more corrupt than Kenya."

The names represent the sad desire for hope and change among the hopeless and changeless.; 11/6/08, 9:19 PM
MadisonMan said...: I love that name website. Thanks for reminding me of it. My particular name peaked in popularity around the time I was born and has tailed off ever since.; 11/6/08, 9:20 PM
Anonymous said...: I loved looking at that site, too. Great find.; 11/6/08, 9:24 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: OT's

CNN'S Cooper

Next.. One last look at Sarah Palin ... going back to Alaska ... we are going to try to separate fact from fiction..

How November 6 generous of him?; 11/6/08, 9:28 PM
MadisonMan said...: but does anyone know whether the press went to Ireland to scout for new babies' names when Kennedy or Reagan were elected too?

Was Reagan's Dad born in Ireland? No. Was Kennedy's? No. Was Obama's father born in Kenya? Yes.

Do you see a difference?; 11/6/08, 9:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Madison Man -- I agree that this is news. I also agree with the sentiment that the cult of all things Obama is getting tiresome.; 11/6/08, 9:39 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I'll return the favor and name my kid Mwai. <-- possible lie.; 11/6/08, 9:41 PM
MadisonMan said...: Seven, we've got 4+ years to go!

Fortunately, ObamaWorship won't be news after about a week.; 11/6/08, 9:42 PM
MadisonMan said...: As an college-level instructor, let me urge all of you to give your children normal names. I have never had an A student with an "interesting" name. Coincidence?; 11/6/08, 9:44 PM
MadisonMan said...: By the way, I would classify Michelle as pretty normal. And anyone could claim that the name came from fondness of Jason Castro if the Obama Presidency becomes one better forgotten.; 11/6/08, 9:46 PM
Palladian said...: "By the way, I would classify Michelle as pretty normal."

Depends upon how you spell it...; 11/6/08, 9:54 PM
john said...: Madisonman said - "My particular name peaked in popularity around the time I was born".

Funny, I entered "Madisonman" in the baby name wizard and nothing. "Madison" has a big peak however; you sure you're not a girl?; 11/6/08, 10:01 PM
Anonymous said...: I bet that Madison Man's name is Jason, Eric, Chad, or Scott. Am I right?; 11/6/08, 10:13 PM
Unknown said...: I can live with this. Better than Mohammed, Saddam, or Osama.; 11/6/08, 10:15 PM
Jen Bradford said...: I think it's positive, celebratory. Quite a bit different from the Palestinian guy David Remnick met who was proudly named after Adolph Eichmann in 1961.; 11/6/08, 10:17 PM
john said...: Seven,

He's a science teacher so his name can't be Chad.

In the interest of full disclosure, my name is ...

john; 11/6/08, 10:19 PM
Unknown said...: Damn, my daughter's middle name is MIchelle! I'm, like, 5 years prescient or something!

She told me today her first daughter will be named Allaka. (Emphasis on the first syllable.) She's also said she's going to have ten kids and they will live on the second floor of our house; we grandparents will move downstairs to the guest suite.

Hmm. If the rest of that fantasy tapers off a bit, I'll accept the "Allaka" thing.; 11/6/08, 10:20 PM
Jennifer said...: Jacob and Emma? I wish. I have the hardest time deciphering the crazy names my barely 3 year old comes home from daycare talking about. Nyasia? Try figuring that out from a toddler's mouth. I thought she was saying Adrianne for a good month. And, my son has a Kimberland in his class. We know several Zahir's (pronounced like the country), multiple Evian's and two Zion's. Even the semi-normal names are very non-traditional. Billions of McKenzies and Jacksons and Aidens wandering around the toddler set.

What kills me is that my daughter has a very common French name (picked because her parents have the two most common names in America for our generation and we took French together in college) but everyone in the Dirty Souf thinks it's a made up name like everybody else's. I almost took a job from a man who I didn't want to work for in an industry I didn't want to go back to solely because he recognized her name.

As for naming your child after a politician, ick. But I think inspirational namesakes might be a frequent happening in Africa. Anyone remember the American Idol episode where the lady named her child after Elliot Whatshisname because he visited her in the hospital during the AI Gives Back hoopla?; 11/6/08, 10:25 PM
Wince said...: My favorite name is Bart Simpson's friend Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten?

Any name that combines the Nixon administration, Italian fascism and the Manson Family can't be all bad.; 11/6/08, 11:12 PM
Synova said...: Palladian, they'll just be following all the Republicans in the past 8 years who have named their kids George or Laura. I don't see what the big deal is.

Hehe.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more Sarah's this year than usual though.

One of my girls has the middle name Michelle... so I'm oh... 14 years ahead.

We tried for "normal" but unusual names and ended up with names that turn out to be among the most common, somehow. A person can't win.; 11/6/08, 11:20 PM