hi y’all!!
are the names mariam and haitham usable if you don’t have any middle eastern heritage? i want to make sure it isn’t cultural appropriation to use these names. any input is appreciated!
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] has a few different origins (all related to [name_f]Mary[/name_f] / [name_f]Maria[/name_f] / Miriam), but since it’s used in various languages and cultures I think it’s usable.
[name_f][/name_f]Haitham I’m not sure about – it doesn’t seem to have any specific religious significance that would make it inappropriate to use, but it’s also not as multicultural as [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]. At the same time, it sort of sounds like an [name_f]English[/name_f] place name to me (a la Chatham or Wrexham), so I don’t think it would be too out of place on a child without Middle Eastern heritage? But I don’t think I can really say definitively if it’s okay or not.
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[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] I would say is very universal and i would have no concerns about using it.
[name_f][/name_f]Haitham I dont think has any religious or cultural signifiance that would cause issues using the name. [name_f][/name_f] But it would be surprising to meet someone not from the middle east with the name. It would be like meeting a blonde haired blue eyed british man named [name_f][/name_f] [name_m]José[/name_m]. [name_f][/name_f] Surprising but i wouldn’t call it cultural appropriation.
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The only Mariams I’ve known have been Armenian & Greek (so, European Orthodox Christians)! I’m aware that it’s quite common as a Muslim name, so some people may make assumptions about a Mariam, but there’s nothing inappropriate about it, it’s a very multicultural name.
Haitham does seem to be exclusively Arabic, so I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable using it as a non-Arab.
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[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] is a form of the name [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] / [name_f]Maria[/name_f] / [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and it is used in several cultures, including Armenian and Georgian for example, as well as in the Middle [name_m]East[/name_m] and Islamic regions. I think it’s multicultural enough to not cause any issues.
[name_f][/name_f]Haitham seems more tied to Arabic and Islamic cultures. However I’m not aware of it having any specific religious or cultural meaning that would make it inappropriate for an outsider to use. I guess it just depends on what you’re comfortable with.
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thanks for the input!!
[name_f][/name_f]@EagleEyes[name_f][/name_f] @LibelluleClaire[name_f][/name_f] @tallemaja[name_f][/name_f] @choupette
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