Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1093354
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MARCH 2019 NEWS Elena / Elenia / Helena / Ella 97 Julia / Yulia / Julianne 72 Emma / Emmanuela / Ema 70 Eliza / Elisa / Elizabeth / Elise 69 Katrina / Kate / Catherine 46 Maya / Mia / Myah 44 Lea / Leah / Leia 42 Emilia / Emily / Emelie 41 Amy / Aimee 39 Maria / Marija / Mariah 37 Anna / Hannah / Ann 37 Christina / Kristina / Krista 34 Alexandra / Alessia / Lexi 28 Martina / Martine 26 Kailey / Kai / Kaleigh 26 Chloe / Khloe 24 Sophia / Sophie 24 Hailey / Hailee / Hayleigh 22 Mikela / Makaila / Michelle 22 Francesca 21 Jade / Giada 20 Aaliyah / Alaya 20 Nina 20 Sarah / Sara / Sera 19 Keira / Kyra 18 Valentina 17 Jasmine / Yasmine / Yasmeen 17 Eve / Eva 17 Julia / Yulia / Julianne 77 Elena / Elenia / Helena / Ella 73 Emma / Emmanuela / Ema 73 Eliza / Elisa / Elizabeth / Elise 61 Maya / Mia / Myah 60 Emilia / Emily / Emelie 59 Katrina / Kate / Catherine 55 Lea / Leah / Leia 42 Valentina 37 Sophia / Sophie 36 Maria / Marija / Mariah 35 Nina 31 Martina / Martine 27 Amy / Aimee 26 Mikela / Makaila / Michelle 26 Eve / Eva 25 Chloe / Khloe 22 Faith 21 Jade / Giada 20 Alexandra / Alessia / Lexi 15 Sarah / Sara / Sera 15 Ivy 15 Anna / Hannah / Ann 14 Christina / Kristina / Krista 14 Chloe / Khloe 24 Sophia / Sophie 24 Hailey / Hailee / Hayleigh 22 Mikela / Makaila / Michelle 22 Francesca 21 Jade / Giada 20 Aaliyah / Alaya 20 Aaliyah / Alaya 20 Nina 20 Sarah / Sara / Sera 19 Keira / Kyra 18 Valentina 17 Martina / Martine 27 Amy / Aimee 26 Mikela / Makaila / Michelle 26 Mikela / Makaila / Michelle 26 Eve / Eva 25 Chloe / Khloe 22 Faith 21 Jade / Giada 20 Jade / Giada 20 Alexandra / Alessia / Lexi 15 Alexandra / Alessia / Lexi 15 Sarah / Sara / Sera 15 Sarah / Sara / Sera 15 Ivy 15 Anna / Hannah / Ann 14 Anna / Hannah / Ann 14 Christina / Kristina / Krista 14 Christina / Kristina / Krista 14 tions about who gets to name their children what and when. Celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham get to name their kids Cruz, Romeo or Brooklyn; Kim Kardashian called her daughter North; rock star Frank Zappa famous- ly called his son Dweezil. The Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a conservative Catholic, gave his sixth son the names Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher (there were six Pope Sixtus, whose name is originally Greek but in Latin America is still used as Sixto). Fame and money may be a burden that allows its bearers to give their children names that befit the ostentatiousness of wealth. Unlike those whose actual careers and fortunes may be judged by their forenames, a rich man's name can be a brand. The others must con- sider how their babies' names display not just the obvious identifiers of sex and gender, but also of ethnicity and racial- ised identities, and especially in Malta, class. Names such as Zdenick, Zashelle, Zanaiyah, Zaleshian, Yelson, Yenz, Willtoine, Tee- jay, Sonata, Shezlielle, Shemer- sion, Shazion Neymar, Shaza- leah, Damaris, Delson and Demarcus... to name a few of the outliers from 2018's list of baby names, might all be deter- mining factors for career pros- pects in the future. No doubt, unfairly. The Germans insist on chil- dren's names being faithful to their identified gender, but also that they do "not negatively impact on the wellbeing of the child", and forbid using objects or products as first name. So no 'Moon Unit Zappa' allowed (true name, sister to Dweezil...). It is a decision on which the Standesamt, the office of vital statistics, enjoys power. If the office rejects your baby's name, you may appeal, but the Stand- esamt will consult its 'interna- tional manual of first names', as well as foreign embassies for assistance with non-German names. Even Denmark employs a stringent Law on Personal Names to protect children from "unusual names that suit their parents' desires", which allows parents a name from a list of 7,000 names (only). Catholic priests may have mild discretion to suggest that a given name is not "foreign to Christian sentiment", which arguably should proscribe 'reli- gious' ananyms such as Tneder. But who wants to pick a fight in the parish? Ultimately there is no doubt that such names are an identi- fier of background. A study for the UK Department of Work and Pensions tested for racial discrimination in recruitment practices by sending out sets of equivalent applications to job vacancies across the UK, using forenames and surnames com- monly associated with minority groups. To get a job interview, 74 per cent more applications from candidates with ethnic minority names had to be sent out compared to candidates with "white" names. Clearly, forenames can have social consequences. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt 2010 2014 2018 Elena / Ylenia / Ella 84 Eliza / Elizabeth / Lisa / Elise 64 Maria / Mariah / Marie 56 Christina / Kristina / Krista 49 Amy / Aimee 49 Emma / Emanuela 48 Julia / Giulia / Julienne 46 Martina 38 Aaliyah / Alaya 33 Lea / Leah 30 Mikela / Michaela 27 Hannah / Anna / Ana / Ann 26 Sarah / Sara / Sera 26 Chloe / Khloe 26 Maya / Maia / Maja 26 Katrina / Kate / Catherine 25 Hailey / Hayley 24 Jade 22 Nicole / Nicola 21 Jasmine / Yasmine 19 Emilia / Emily 18 Keira 18 Thea 18 Faith 18 Francesca 17 Shania 16 Rihanna / Rhiana / Rhian 15 Girls Mikela / Michaela 27 Hannah / Anna / Ana / Ann 26 Sarah / Sara / Sera 26 Chloe / Khloe 26 Maya / Maia / Maja 26 Katrina / Kate / Catherine 25 Hailey / Hayley 24 Jade 22 Nicole / Nicola 21 Jasmine / Yasmine 19 Jasmine / Yasmine 19 Jasmine / Yasmine 19 Jasmine / Yasmine 19 Emilia / Emily 18 Emilia / Emily 18 Emilia / Emily 18 Emilia / Emily 18 Keira 18 Thea 18 Faith 18 Francesca 17 Shania 16 Rihanna / Rhiana / Rhian 15 "Outliers like Zdenick, Zashelle, Zanaiyah, Zaleshian, Yelson, Teejay, Shezlielle, Shemersion, Shazion Neymar, Delson and Demarcus... to name a few, might all be determining factors for career prospects in the future. No doubt, unfairly"