Just askin' - what do you think of...

[musttidyupmusttidyup]

Dre

coconutty
"I really hope that you're not suggesting that I am racist because I said it will be perfect if he becomes a doctor?"
What did you mean then? Please explain.

Maryz
"Accusing people of "white privilege" and "middle-class white snobbishness" is racist, by the way."
No it's not. It's absolutely not. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack is a very useful starting point on this, for those who haven't come across it before.

musttidyupmusttidyup
"I am surprised to hear that this is not an uncommon name in some areas - but I assume (and am aware that I might be wrong again) that it is a relatively new phenomenon (not as a short for Andre) and ties in with the popularity of Dr Dre?"
Why are you surprised? Because you assume that every area has exactly the same commonly used names as your area? And if you haven't heard of it then it's defintely 'uncommon'?

No, it's not a relatively new phenomenon. It's a perfectly standard shortening of Andre, which has been used for years and years and years. Again, just because you only heard of it via Dr Dre says nothing about how often it was used previously to that or since.

TaperJeanGirl
"nothing wrong with saying a type of name sounds black/asian/chinese......."
No, there's nothing wrong with assuming things about someone's ethnic (or even class) background based on their name.

Dre is mainly used by the Afro-Carribean communities where I live. Just as Afzal is mainly used by Pakistani communties. The problem lies in then extrapolating that if you are (probably) black then therefore you've been named after a rapper (equals murderous gangster) and have got no fucking chance of ever being taken seriously as a doctor, then there's a whole fuck load wrong with that.

I'm assuming nothing - I'm calling some folk out. But if you want to nurse your own defensive hurt feeling because you know that you are totallynotracistnowaynohow, then go ahead, I can't stop you. I'm just pointing out the glaring prejudice on this thread.

Really sorry to post and run, but my takeaway will be arriving in a minute so I'm going to disappear for a while. Not ignoring anyone.

"It's an unusual name in many parts of the uk and dr dre is very very famous."

Yeah, I know that. However, I don't know of any Camillas round my way (and am a teacher so cast a fairly wide net) but like I wouldn't start hooting "Camilla Parker Bowles" and behaving as though it's a hugely uncommon name simply because no-one I know is called it.

Not the same though, is it? Because 'Camilla' and 'Dre' don't start on an even playing field, do they?

Camilla Parker Bowles immediately leaps into my mind when I hear Camilla to be honest. Because I've never met one.

Banana seriously, most if us were just saying that dre is synonymous with dr dre to us.

an example is Cher to me. Cher is synonymous with the singer to me, as I don't know any others.

I don't live in a privileged middle class area. We have a mixture of cultures, probably not as diverse as some but I don't know any Dres.

I just don't!

I see what your saying about eminen and professor green not being real names so I've used Cher instead.

I don't know any camillas either !

I don't know where your assuming some of us are from but camilla isn't a name I ever hear either.

Camilla would be a hugely uncommon name for me.

I rarely go on a thread in baby names without some negative comments. Its bloody rough in here.

I think BananaPhone is stereotyping the name her/himself.

*Camila and Dre don't start on an even playing field, do they?" Who the fuck says not apart from you?

We love Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill in our house. Both rappers, one lot white, one lot black. Meh.

People may have a snurk about "Dre", people may have a snurk about Tarquin. Laughing about one is no worse than laughing about the other. BananaPhone, you are reinforcing barriers where none should exisit, don't you see that?

Ditto what PickledFanjoCat (I like you) says, especially about not making out we are "colosal rasist bastards"

In 2010 there were only 8 babies named Dre - hardly surprising therefore that most people have never met a Dre! FWIW I don't think it's a bad name, just not one I'd chose myself. And yes, Dr Dre does come to mind but to me (and I'm sure most people) rapper does not equal murderous gangster!

You seem to be the one making the most assumptions on this thread, Banana..

Yes, the assumption that people make a leap from rapper to 'murderous gangster' is pretty odd.

My friend's boy is called Drey, she is Turkish.

bobbly. I can't see your name now without pondering over your dark secrets!

Yes Rezzle it does seem like Bananaphone is the one making the biggest assumptions.

I'm aghast at some of the things that have been posted, but I really really really don't have the energy to type a succinct and suitable reply!

Someone else spell it out on my behalf please!

It's dire. One of the worst I've heard on these threads. Sorry! But you don't really mean you're considering it. Do you.

Banana phone, the 'doctor' comment was a joke. Because then he'd be Dr Dre. You know, like the rapper (and honestly, I think it says a lot about your own preconceptions that you assume people automatically equate rappers with murderous gangsters. I equate rappers with...rappers).

It's like saying ooo your calling her Cher? Wonder if she will be able to turn back time?

Rather than oh a murderous rapper who will never be a doctor.

I can see that.

Just a twisted sense of humour Pickled. A wider audience wouldn't appreciate it. I have to reject 90% of my "jokes" in my head. Only 10% get to be verbal, heh heh.

I know that feeling

My humour goes down like a fart in a spacesuit in the school yard.

No, it's not a relatively new phenomenon. It's a perfectly standard shortening of Andre, which has been used for years and years and years. Again, just because you only heard of it via Dr Dre says nothing about how often it was used previously to that or since.
I said as a name in its own right not as a shortening of Andre or Andreas and if you look at the statistics as shown upthread, I am right it is rarely used.
Can't really see your logic
Heard name, surprised at it, ask opinions on a forum well known for its judgements honest opinions, therefore I am racist. as are all others who dared to not like it.

A lot of the black people I know wouldn't use it because it sounds like a rapper name. Same goes for other names associated with 'ghetto' culture (LeBradford, etc), on the basis that their children would 'have ... no fucking chance of ever being taken seriously', and not just as a doctor...

Britain is not the only place where people look down their noses on others for reasons of class. It is disguised as other phenomena in other places but it is the same thing all the same.

Don't like. It will always get misspelt and mispronounced and it sounds a bit too cool and ghetto in a self conscious kind of way.

What about Dante?

Or just Andre, which is nice, and if it gets shortened to Dre then so be it.