White British with distinctively foreign name

[ThisIsMyUsernameYesItIs]

I was named after a Japanese lady who saved my mum's life while she was heavily pregnant (car accident). I wasn't given a middle name.

I started work at a new company last week. Was introducing myself to some people and someone asked if this was a name I picked myself from an anime. I don't broadcast the backstory and most people don't ask anyway so I do wonder if this was a common conclusion most would arrive at? Would you judge someone for having a foreign name?

YABU I wouldn't assume that you picked the name yourself
YANUB I would assume you picked the name yourself

I would assume you had japanese heritage.
However that being said I am never a fan of thenmjmsnet rhetoric of uou can only use a name if you are from that culture. To me liking a name is enough.

That's fair enough. You're not the only one, I know quite a few people who have done similar but they all choose very 'standard' Japanese names rather than the actual unique ones.

If your child ever goes to Japan or learns Japanese not sure what they'll make of the name that's something they 'do' but that's by the by. It somewhat reminds me of an anime character called Sarada... it's an Indian Goddess (which is what the creator was going for) but actually means salad in Japanese. So the reverse.

I'm Indian so I can get away with naming my kid that :) which explanation I'll give depends on who I'm talking to!

I'd just assume Japanese heritage and wouldn't question you about it- that's intrusive.

My kids are mixed white and middle Eastern. White passing but with foreign names. They've never been questioned once

I have a French name (and an uncommon one as well) and most people think I have somehow connections to France or a French relative when they realise what it is.

My mum just liked the name and wanted something a bit more unusual and something you can't really shorten/nickname.

I stopped thinking about other peoples' name and why they have it a long while ago.

My surname is partially the name of an Italian city, it is in fact my stepfather's surname and he has no Italian heritage at all, it just so happens that a Scottish ancestor of his was involved in the conquest of that Italian city in the Napoleonic wars. People always ask me if I am Italian. I am not. I am English culturally and overwhelmingly Scottish/English genetically. I just say no. I do feel a bit irrationally irritated sometimes though. I don't feel I need to explain anything.

Would you judge someone for having a foreign name?

I can't get understand that sentence. What does "judge" even mean? Does it mean "dislike" ? "Have critical feelings about"? "be a big weirdo who chooses their own name which makes you extremely creepy & weird"? I am flummoxed.

fwiw, I did actually choose my name. It's extremely boring, rather like Tracey or Sharon!! Preferred over name that I was given which is a "timeless classic" according to MNers. Whatevs.

Boris Johnson was named after a Mexican dude. Seems to have worked out for him.

I think the OP means 'notice enough to point out'.
But there's research showing that CV's with the exact same details, except for foreign names, get binned.

https://employernews.co.uk/employment/study-reveals-discrimination-as-cvs-with-non-british-names-dont-result-in-interviews-except-in-tech-sector/

https://inews.co.uk/opinion/failed-applications-nearly-changed-name-get-job-1617614#:~:text=According%20to%20research%20by%20Oxford,as%20many%20interviews%20as%20Uzma.

It's why DH is dead against giving our children too obvious 'ethnically Indian' names he feels they will be discriminated against. I get his point (also in his very white village the two Indian children were mercilessly bullied) but it's 2023 and they shouldn't have to hide their heritage! I'm not backing down.