A Roshanda by Any Other Name

Chapter six covers the first thing a parent ever does for their children: naming them. The author’s major question is if names (as in the instances of Winner, Loser, and Temptress) are merely a curiosity or if a name has something larger to say about names and culture. A large study was conducted using California birth records, and these records showed that there was a tight correlation between how “black” or “white” a name sounds and how that person did in life. What do the authors have to say about this correlation? Do you agree? Look at the notes on pages 289-293 for more statistics. Fully explain the author’s theory and use examples from the book to support their argument. Do you agree or disagree with their idea? Why or why not? Does your name or your parents’ names appear on any of the list, either in the chapter or in the notes at the back of the book? If so, do you think it means anything?