What’s in a name? Longevity, for some black men
ESSAY - New research shows that black men with distinctively black names, or the names of famous men, live longer than those with more standard names of European origin...
In 1973, my grandfather died in the pulpit of a North Carolina church during a funeral for a member of his congregation. Though it was untimely, it seemed fitting that a minister would pass away in church. Moreover, his name, Theodore – a Greek name that means “gift of God” – served as a sort of confirmation of his life and death.
Theodore was also given to me, and I was often asked by classmates about my “white” name. Though I eventually grew comfortable and confident with it, I was always aware that it was different from those of many of black friends who carried more ethnic-sounding names.
What’s in a name? Longevity, for black men
The uniqueness of African-American names is a subject that’s been talked about for some time. Numerous reports have found that those with “black sounding names” are 50 percent less likely to receive callbacks from résumé submissions, less likely to be offered housing by realtors and landlords despite meeting financial qualifications, and are disproportionately discouraged from pursuing advanced coursework even when grade requirements are met. In other words, just having a distinct African-American name can be the basis for discrimination.
There is new research, however, that shows there may be an advantage for having a distinctively black name. In a paper entitled The Long-Term Consequences of Distinctively Black Names, economic professors Cook, Logan, and Parmon present their research on 20th century naming conventions. They examined census records from multiple states to compare the names and lifespans of African-American men to the rest of the population.
The results showed that black men with distinctively black names – those monikers that are disproportionately given to African-Americans as compared to the rest of the country – lived about a year longer than those with more standard names of European origin. In other words, all things being equal, the black man named Moses lived longer than the one named David. Or in modern parlance for the sake of example, Tyrone lives longer than Todd.
The study also undertook an in-depth review of over two million African-American death certificates in North Carolina over a large part of the twentieth century. It found some of the most popular distinctively black names in 1900 for African-American men were Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Master, Prince, and King. Unsurprisingly, these names have their roots in the bible, the one book the children of slaves were allowed to learn.
Black male naming conventions lend strength
In recent years, the practice of African-Americans developing exceptionally distinct names for their children has increased. Though these names are original creations, the parents’ preference for them pass to the child a sense of originality that can serve them well in the areas of self-perception and confidence.
This is supported by research by State University of New York at Buffalo professors Pelham, Mirenberg, and Jones. They found that the distinctiveness of a one’s name – defined as having a comparatively low rate of occurrence when compared to all others – results in people having a more pronounced positive view of themselves.
Those with rarer names feel their appellations are more self-defining and thus have a stronger inclination to act in a manner that reinforces their self-perception. It is an easy leap of logic to see how having a distinctive name increases one’s proclivity to make choices that fulfill the “destiny” one sees in it.
Famous names even more fortifying
Perhaps the most unexpected result of the research was the increased longevity of African-American men who carry the names of famous men, such as presidents and social activists. Using a sample size of 65 years’ worth of North Carolina death certificates, the study revealed that these men lived an average of nearly three years longer than those with conventional names. Again, two African-American men with all things being equal, the one named Benjamin Franklin Jones lived longer than the one named Frank Jones.
The three famous first and middle name combinations identified as the most popular amongst North Carolina African-American men were George Washington at over 37 percent, Frederick Douglass with almost 10 percent, and Theodore Roosevelt at nearly 8 percent.
The great African-American writer Ralph W. Ellison took note of this as well. In his 1964 book Shadow and Act, he lamented the lack of heroism in his name and wondered aloud why “hadn’t [my father] named me (as many Negro parents had done) after President Teddy Roosevelt?” Instead, his father named him Ralph Waldo Ellison, after the iconic 19th century transcendentalist white writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. The inspiration for Ellison’s name was not lost on him – he went on to write Invisible Man, one of the greatest novels in American history.
Names as destiny — particularly for black men
I used to feel as Ellison did — that my name wasn’t important, and that it had no deeper meaning. As it turns out, my family contained a couple of those “many Negro parents” Ellison described, in that my grandfather was named Theodore Roosevelt Johnson after the president; his death certificate was also part of the study cited above.
Over time, I felt the higher calling in the grandeur of my name – Theodore Roosevelt Johnson, III – propelling me to heights I’d never fathomed.
The reason my great-grandparents named their son after President Theodore Roosevelt was because they believed in America, even though they were denied real freedom in the segregated south. They figured by giving their son a great name, perhaps he’d also have the chance to grow up and realize the American Dream.
Learning more about the name I carry, I aspired to realize the wishes of my great-grandparents. Because of my family’s sacrifices, I have been privileged to carry the name into the White House and personally explain it to President Obama.
The fulfillment of the family’s dream is truly a “gift from God.”
“What’s in a name?” is one of the most famous lines quoted from Shakespeare. For African-American men, research shows it can provide protection. Life experience concurs — our distinct names can kindle one’s awareness of a higher calling.
Theodore R. Johnson is a military officer and 2011-2012 White House Fellow. A graduate of Hampton and Harvard Universities, he is an opinion writer on race, politics, and public service. He currently resides in Alexandria, VA. Follow Theodore R. Johnson on Twitter at @T_R_Johnson_III.
