to think this is really quite racist?

[JosieRosie]

I am an NHS Early Years professional and (when not out and about visiting my million settings!) work in an office with 5 others. I work in East London and our caseload includes children whose parents come from all four corners of the globe and obviously lots and lots of them have non-White British names.

There are regular conversations between my colleagues along these lines -
A: Oh, I took a phone message for you today
B: Oh yes?
A: Yeah, it was from parent of (half-hearted non-attempt to pronounce child's name)
A&B: (much laughter of the 'aren't these names daft' variety )

AIBU to find it outrageous that they find a non-White British name absolutely hilarious? Racist? Extremely childish and/or unprofessional?

YANBU. You're working in a multiethnic environment. They know better. I'd find it rather off.

As a point of interest, neither of these colleagues are White British themselves

But it doesn't matter what ethnicity they are, JosieRosie. It's a professional environment. Even if it wasn't, it's puerile. I have a foreign name - I don't care if my friends laugh about it and give me nicknames, but if a stranger did, and in a professional environment, I'd be

MyBrilliantCareer, I agree. Just thought they may have had a bit more awareness as there's a good chance someone may have pronounced their names incorrectly in the past. I have a non-WB name myself and while I understand if people get it wrong, I do appreciate when they get it right and would not be amused if they got it wrong on purpose. In fact, I remember colleague A having a fit at a training day recently when her name was spelled incorrectly on the sign-in sheet!

Agree with MyBrilliantCareer.

I'd also add that it's all about power.

They should be more wised-up about their relationship to power, am surprised you haven't been sent on a course about it.

Fwiw, I think it's the borders between minute power-differentials that are most closely policed by people. Worst night out of my life was with a group of teaching assistants, who spent the night reveling in the behaviour, and names, of their (working-class) pupils. The T.A.s in question were all, I would say, occupying slightly unstable, transitional class-positions themselves. A couple were downwardly-mobile (through being born into MC families, but having failed to secure MC position through work/marriage themselves, or divorce), a couple were WC themselves (though aspirational).
It was stomach-clenchingly uncomfortable. I think an anthropologist would have said it was all about status-position coherence, and group-bonding/affirmation, with the children under discussion being used as a kind of tool to secure that.

It is unprofessional imho, but people do get silly in offices sometimes, especially around Xmas time. Let's hope a Daily Telegraph journo doesn't get to eavesdrop on them.

YANBU. There's really no excuse for it. Even if it wasn't racist (which it sounds as if it is), it is both rude and an abuse of power.

Why do people think it's OK? That is just strange IMHO.

Sounds awful animula. Makes you feel sick, eh?

Had a similar experience at a work drinks evening a couple of years ago where some colleagues and I (not including A and B mentioned above) were discussing the merits or otherwise of George Michael. I put my cards on the table and said I was a massive fan , someone else disagreed, fair enough. Another person chimed in with 'well, he's queer anyway, eh?'. My stomach dropped. All I could think of to say was 'And???'. Everyone else just looked at the floor. I still feel ill about it and will NEVER EVER be going out socially with any of those people ever again.

Just to clarify, these colleagues' behaviour is NOTHING to do with Xmas - happens all year round

Berryclover - yes people get silly, but hopefully not at the expense of others who, as animula and chaotica pointed out, are positioned with less power than the jokers. We tend to joke at ourselves in the silly season.

sorry x posted JR

Josie YANBU at all and bless you for being so enlightened.

To all the people who put YABU, it is actually quite rascist, disrespectful and rude. It is a cultural difference and a difference in language and not at all the same as someone having a name like dick in english. In a professional context it is worse still.

YANBU, it's not professional or even adult

How old are these people?

They certainly should be trained not to respond like this to names. Presumably they don't when face to face with clients, but this kind of back-office relaxation shows that any training they've had has not gone very deep.

Sorry - Berryinclover

pffffttt

I don't mind

maybe this is a really dumb question but, what is a white british name?

Looked up 'pffffttt' on the acronym list, but can't find it

YANBU to find humour where you can in your day to day work. You would BU if it effected they way you treated people.

I find the name Cockermouth very funny, but I would treat people from there with as much respect and dignity as people from anywhere else.

Sue me!

agree totally with animula and disagree with fabby. racism is common in the NHS.

John.
Edward.
Mary.
William.

Hang on, all these are used in various languages.

Kelly?
Sally?
Michael? (again, found in other versions)
Matthew.....

Hmmmm. Anglo name.

Smith. Anderson. Nope, these are found in other Western European languages.

What's the acronym list? Am I really thick?

The acronym list is the MN guide to abbreviations, that's all.