A moment of fertilization, days of unknowing and then it happens.  A mother finds out she that she is pregnant.  Conception, and after that...months of worry, happiness, anxiety, aggression, euphoria and fear, and that is just the normal body hormones that fluctuate throughout the mother-to-be.  But then an epiphany for the expectant family, a name must be chosen.

In recent years there has been many jokes directed at the names African American parents chose for their babies.  The name African parents chose is sometimes completely foreign to other racial and ethnic groups.  Yes, some of the names parents have chosen for their precious bundles of joy have been a bit extreme.  The absurd name African parents chose are just as absurd as Asian, Caucasian, Jewish, Spanish and so on.  Here are just a few of the more absurd names used in the last ten years.

Precious - a dog can be named Precious, it can be used as an adjective but please, don't call your child Precious.

Ava Gina - out there in the world there is a girl who is going to hate her parents.  Obviously this parent thought it would be funny, but did not imagine what their child was going to be faced with numerous jokes during health class and beyond.

Richard Beaver - yes, make more of the bad jokes.  For those old enough to get the twists to that name, laugh and chuckle quietly to yourself.

Brock Lee - well it should not be hard to imagine that this young lad will hate his namesake and name.
Hosea and Hoseb - There are a few of you out there that might not know how to pronounce these unusual names that come courtesy of a firefighting father.  The names are pronounced Hose A and Hose B. Dad, you're a cruel, cruel man.

Princess Queen - a name African for: diva of immense snobbery and aristocracy.  I am not being serious.  This name was actually given by a young single black woman to her daughter.

So that Caucasian mothers are not left out - Silver Blue Dragon.  Of all the other names, this one pains me the most.  I have known a Sunshine, Misty, Flower, Golden and Rainbow but I think that should I meet a Silver Blue Dragon, I might have to turn around and walk away.  Let us not go there shall we.

Now that the bad is out of the way, the good can be ushered in.  While there are many bad African baby names, there are some that pick a name African American men and women can be proud of. The top name African American mother's chose as an African baby names are: Jasmine, Jada, Alexis and Aaliyah for girls.  The boy names African American mothers and fathers chose were: Isaiah, Elijah, Daniel, Joshua and Xavier.

All a name African American women and men can be proud of and know that it has deeper meaning than Clorox (yes that is a real baby name).

The one surprising bit of research in the name African American's chose comes from the amount of education that the parent receives.  True African baby names that are not make up by the whim and fancy of the parent, and have deeper meaning, seem to most often be chosen by a parent that has an education higher than that of a junior high.  It might seem unfair to those that are unfortunately less educated than other's but the most unusual names seem to come from very young parents without a lot of education.
So get smart and give your baby a name that does not cause embarrassment.  Adolescence is hard enough as it is without adding a belittling name.