So I’m just curious … I’ve seen a few references to “[name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name]” names on forum boards and on blogs here on Nameberry. I don’t really understand what that means … can someone explain or give me some examples? Thanks!
Wow…this threatens to open up a can of worms. “wal-mart” names is a pejorative remark, meant to indicate that the name choice is down-market, redneck, “white-trashy”, cheap, overly trendy or “yooneek”. More often than not, this kind of judgement reflects a cultural and socio-economic bias, and so I would regard it as a highly contentious term with political implications. By judging a name as “[name]Wal[/name]-mart”, one is effectively drawing a whole raft of assumptions about the “kind of person” who would choose that name, as though one can stereotype a baby’s parents based solely on their name choice. Subsequent posters may be happy to give you a list of these “types” of names, but bear in mind that it’s entirely subjective.
Well, I understand that the term “wal-mart names” is considered pejorative which is why I’m curious to know what people mean by this. I’ve seen the term referenced in forums when people have asked for opinions on names and I’ve also seen the term cited in a blog on this website. I’m confused as to what people would consider this type of name as the names referenced in previous posts were what I would consider very nice names. My point is that I think it is a riduculous term to use when describing a name.
“[name]Wal[/name] [name]Mart[/name]” names are the ones that you only see used by people with a lower level of education, lower socioeconomic background - basically something that doesn’t feel classy or refined. It may be dated trendy like [name]Courtney[/name] or [name]Brittany[/name], it could look juvenile and misspelled like Makynlie or something hick like [name]Hunter[/name] / [name]Gage[/name] / [name]Ryder[/name].
That’s what I define them as, anyway.
I think it’s interesting that society puts names in categories depending on socio-economic status which is obviously what is happening when we decide what type of person shops where. It makes me wonder what stores we associate middle class and upperclass names with, maybe Target and Barneys? or do we not classify those names?
Anyways this topic is pretty interesting and I’m going to keep my eye on the thread.
I agree that it is a “ridiculous” term to use and brings to surface attitudes which stem from classism.
I dislike this term and the prejudice against people based on where they shop. Why are people judged for shopping at [name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name] or any similar place?
Social class is obviously one of the more inflammatory topics one could discuss. I hope the following principles are unobjectionable:
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Americans like to pretend they’re a classless society, but we aren’t. There are upper, upper middle, middle, lower middle, working and poor people in this country.
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Social class is determined by a very large number of factors, of which money/income is only one. Also inextricably linked to social class are level of education, type of work one does, how one spends one’s free time, what one buys, one’s attitude towards display/conspicuous consumption, one’s health, how one vacations… and many others.
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People, in general, are aspirational. Usually they aspire and/or imitate the tastes of the class immediately above them. CHildren are the most concrete example --usually people hope that their children have a better life, and reach a higher social class, than they themselves occupy.
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People are most threatened by the class immediately below them. An upper middle class person’s insecurities center on being mistaken for middle class. A middle class person’s fears center on being mistaken for working class. Etc.
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Like it or not, given names are very much linked to social class. They convey an image, and are usually associated with a particular group.
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** most important ** the existence of one single data point does not disprove a generalization. If you know a [“lower class name” whose parents met to [name]Brown[/name] and who curates an art museum, that doesn’t counter the usual assumptions of that name. If you know a “Upper Class name” who failed to complete high school, works cleaning homes and watches 14 hours of television a day, that doesn’t alter the generalization that “Upper Class Name” is an upper class name.
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Putting all that together-- a lot of people are secretly worried that their children’s names will be perceived poorly, as “trashy,” “downmarket,” or whatever other euphemism you want, but they’re afraid to ask it outright (see Point 1 about [name]America[/name] pretending to be a classless society). The “[name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name]” designation is a handy shorthand.
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Social Mobility is like that street shell game where a guy tries to get you to guess what cup the quarter is under. If you’re trying to move upwards, just when you think you’ve caught up, the target’s already moved on. Think about cruises-- 30 years ago, a wealthy pursuit, now exactly the opposite. Think about big screen TVs-- when the middle class bought them as an example of attainment, the wealthy had already moved on to not owning TVs at all. Freakonomics made this point with names-- there is marked “downward drift” for names, such that the pretentious names of the 80s are the standard names of the 90s are the trashy names of the 00s.
… let the flames ensue…
It’s all very subjective anyway and can vary greatly by where you live or by an individual person’s experiences. For example, when I brought up the name [name]Darcy[/name] to my ex, he said only “white trash” girls had that name but the only [name]Darcy[/name] I’d met irl was a well-educated Francophile. Meanwhile, his son from a previous relationship has had his name mentioned in this post–[name]Hunter[/name].
While it’s probable that certain names are used more or less often by people of different socio-economic classes, there’s probably no name that is used exclusively by “rich” or “poor” people and those are somewhat fluid terms anyway. I had someone I know say he considers $200,000/year income middle class and my definition of middle class would be closer to the average household income of $50,000/year.
Probably the easiest way to avoid your name choice getting labels is to pick a very common one. The more people that have a certain name, the less likely it is to be linked to any particular group, whereas if it’s a name that most people only know 1 or 2 people that have it, they may base their opinions on those specific individuals.
I find this topic HILARIOUS! I live in Arkansas (the most “redneck” place on the planet) and I work in a [name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name]. Most of the names I’ve heard at work are the same names I’ve seen in “New [name]York[/name] City baby name” lists or “hipster” lists, so I think a lot of things are universal. Plus, how can you judge someone by their name? When I was born, [name]Kylee[/name] wasn’t popular and everyone thought it was really cool, but now every other little girl is [name]Kylee[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you know how hurtful it is to see your name getting called trashy? People should watch what they say a lot closer. You never know who’s reading.
I’d assume it means a name that is perceived to be “cheap”.
I find it so sad that we as a society would associate names with economic status. [name]Rich[/name] people shop at Walmart too! Naming a child is, [name]IMO[/name], a decision made by a parent(s) based on their feelings, likes, loves, family, etc,. If you raise your child to be a person of integrity, their name won’t matter. Who they are will speak for itself.
Unfortunately people don’t really think that way. There is also discrimination with royal sounding names, because they sound pretentious and to well-to-do for people. I think no-one will win with this, because there will always be discrimination against any type of name.
I shop at [name]Wal[/name]-mart with no shame.
That said, I have never come across the term “[name]Wal[/name]-mart names”, but the first names that popped into my head are [name]Mikayla[/name]/Mckenzies of the world.
I don’t think anyone has an issue specifically with people who shop at walmart seeing as walmart is SOhuge and obvioulsy a majority of people actually shop there (myself included). Why do we shop there, though? Generally because it’s cheaper than other options and I think thats the jist of the label - the name feels cheap to them.
I think people are taking the term a touch too seriously.
[name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name]'s likely used as a gauge because of the types of people that can be fond working there. [name]Just[/name] go to the website: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/photos/
and you’ll see why it’s likely used as a rating of a name.
Virtually everyone and every type of person shops at [name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name], I shop at [name]Wal[/name]-[name]Mart[/name], I don’t think it should be taken so seriously.
Is it offensive? To the people they’re describing, yes I’d definitely say so.
I agree with flick, it’s likely also just the label’s vibe that makes it used in that way.
I’ve had my nn ([name]Mandie[/name], the name everyone refers to me by) called trashy, stripper-ish, trailer park, etc. Although, conversely, my full name, [name]Amanda[/name], has often been labeled snotty, yuppy, pretentious, etc.
Names, just like any other “words”, can evoke to certain people a sense of place, time, or even (in this case) socio-economic status. Is it always fair? No, of course not. Often times, once a name has been colored one way or another for someone, it remains that way in their psyche for whatever reason.
I just take it to me ‘people of walmart’ style names. Like trashy sounding/spelled names.
[name]Rich[/name] people can be trashy and poor people can be classy.
Obviously it is subjective, but most people know a trashy name when they see it.