I think it’s useable by all groups.
It’s an interesting issue that’s more complex than most of those we deal with on here. [name_f]Maria[/name_f] is a Latin variation of a Hebrew name, but many people wouldn’t use it because it’s too Catholic or deemed Hispanic. Is that wrong? I don’t know.
I can understand your mother in law’s apprehension, especially if she is old enough to have been alive when [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] [name_m]Till[/name_m] was a big deal. If all she can think of when she hears the name is a 14 year old black boy who was mutilated by a group of white men just for being black, that would be difficult to get over. It may not be that she feels that a black name is “beneath” a white child, but more that [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] [name_m]Till[/name_m] is a martyr to African-American rights and that someone who is the race of the aggressors isn’t worthy of his name. If she feels shame associated with the whole ordeal, it’s probably difficult to express, and might just come out as “It’s a black name”. If you do decide to use [name_u]Emmett[/name_u], as others have said, it might be a good idea to sit down with her and talk about her apprehensions, whether it’s because she wouldn’t want people to think her little white grandchild is black, or because she is reminded of the terrible things a group of white men did to an innocent black boy.
Personally, I think of [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] [name_m]Brown[/name_m] from Back to the [name_u]Future[/name_u]. Particularly, [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] yelling “Emmeeeeeeeht” on the train in part III, so it has a bit of a Western flare to me as well.
First of all, what is a “[name_m]Black[/name_m] name?” I would argue that [name_m]Black[/name_m] names are those that were invented or used almost exclusively by the [name_m]Black[/name_m] community. A white person using these names could be considered cultural appropriation. However, it seems like your [name_f]MIL[/name_f] was using the phrase “[name_m]Black[/name_m] name” in another (and frankly racist) sense, to denote a name that has been “tainted” in some way by its association with Blackness. [name_u]Emmet[/name_u] was not invented by or used almost exclusively by the [name_m]Black[/name_m] community; using it would therefore not be considered cultural appropriation. If your [name_f]MIL[/name_f] associates the name with [name_m]Black[/name_m] people or Blackness, you might ask whether she considers that a good or a bad thing. If she looks at that association as a negative, then your conversation is not about names, but the fact that she’s a racist.
According to nameberry the name means universal. Which is a bit ironic…
I agree that it has had plenty of usage across racial boundaries. [name_m]Even[/name_m] the meaning is ‘universal’! [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t listen to [name_f]MIL[/name_f]. Who cares anyway if someone associates the name with African Americans… names are not racially exclusive.