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A Boy Named Precious
Filed under: Siblings, Baby Names
My little brother's name is Precious. He's starting school next month and I am scared of what other people will say about him. When he gets older I am so sure that he is going to get teased about his name. Our parents are Nigerian so our middle name and our last name are Nigerian names. Please help me help him to deal with it. Do you have any tips?
- Big Sister
You're a caring sister, and it's tough when you see a problem that your parents don't. For centuries, immigrant families like yours have grappled with names that don't fit in smoothly to American culture. The good news is that in most cases, it's getting easier -- Americans today are more open to diverse names than ever before.
I wish I could reassure you that Precious is just another part of our multicultural name tapestry...but you know better. You wrote to me for a reason. Your brother's problem isn't that his name sounds foreign. It's that his name is foreign, but just sounds silly (and feminine to boot).
For those of you thinking "silly is right," here's a little global perspective. Words with uplifting spiritual meanings are as used as names around the world. Americans are accustomed to Joy and Hope, and to Spanish names like Consuelo ("consolation") and Cruz ("cross"). In parts of Africa, names like Precious, Gracious and Rejoice are common choices. Sounds reasonable in that context, right? But here in the U.S.A., a boy called Precious may as well be Sweetpea or Honeybunch.
I assume that you've already raised this issue with your parents, if you feel you can. So what can you do as a sibling to help prepare your brother for life as a Precious? The best thing is to be honest with him. You can warn him that his name will attract attention, but also give him tips on how to respond to that attention. If he can laugh along with jokes and wear his name with pride, confidence and good humor, he may be able to find the coolness in sounding different.
For a backup plan, you can try to equip him with a nickname. If he does end up uncomfortable introducing himself as Precious, a nickname that already feels like part of him can be a useful alter ego. Going by his initials, or "Prez," or even his Nigerian middle name doesn't have to be a rejection of the name your parents lovingly gave him. It's just one more piece of a full, rich personal identity.
Have you dealt with difficult names? Share your experiences! And if you have your own question to Ask the Name Lady, drop her a line!
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-25-2009 @ 4:26PM
chaz said...It's better than Shaniqua!
Reply
8-25-2009 @ 5:04PM
Marie said...Maybe you can tell his teachers that it is pronounced PREE-CEE-US. And start calling him that yourself...see if you can change it that way.
Reply
8-25-2009 @ 6:49PM
Richard said...My sister had a guinea pig she named precious....
Reply
8-25-2009 @ 7:54PM
r u stuois??? said...Those parents are stupid!! You live in the USA. Name your child correctly.
Reply
8-26-2009 @ 6:15AM
alstonmeka76 said...Jeues, I that some of those stpuid comments will go n one ear and out the. it's 2009 baby if anything your brother going to have more girls after him that he can handle trust ; the name itself will draw them to him. Woman love cute things,men will hate but he will grow to handle that.People who judge doont matter; those who matter dont judge. BE BLESS! COCODATBADAZZ
Reply
8-28-2009 @ 1:57PM
Cissy said...Precious for a boy? Insane. After all, most boys aren't considered precious anymore anyways; now everybody wants girls.
Reply
8-29-2009 @ 8:01PM
Eric said..."Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,
I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named..."
Well, you get the idea.
Reply