Unbelievable, right?

[cm8]

How would you pronounce this child's name?
"Le-a"


Leah?? NO
Lee - A?? NOPE
Lay - a?? NO
Lei??

Guess Again.

This child attends a school in Kansas City, Mo.

Her mother is irate because everyone is getting her name wrong.

It's pronounced "Ledasha".

When the Mother was asked about the pronunciation of the name, she said, "the dash don't be silent."

SO, if you see something come across your desk like this please remember to pronounce the dash.

If dey axe you why, tell dem de dash don't be silent.

wow, it never seems to end does it. 1 step forward and 200 back
This thread is Unbelievable, right?

 

[princessmom29]

This used to be an urlabn legend, but people are ACTUALLY naming their children this now. My sister teached preschool and has had a La-a in her class. So urban legend or not, people are really doing this, probably in many parts of the country,

And BTW this is not the worse name she has had in her class. There has been a lot of names that make us go hmmmmmmm...

we have one in our high school. I did not believe it until I actually saw it on paper. A girl I teach with's mom also taught a child with an "interesting" name. Phonetically is was SHA-thed you can imagine how it was actually spelled. Agian I didn't believe it until I actually saw the name at the top of a paper turned in by the student. I don't know how a mom could do that to her child.

 

[princessmom29]

And there are always at least 3 people who know them, work with them, taught them or were their nurse in the hospital. Give it up, people.

Don't believe it if you like, but there is a child registered in the school where I teach with this as her legal name. We also have Pashun (pronounced passion) Jaque (pronounced Ja-kay), Nigga middle name Comon (pronounced with a long I like Nigel and come on), and Sinthia (pronounced like Cynthia) all registered legal names. Believe me I have seen some doosies over the years. When in doubt I always ask for help with pronounciation!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm not buying it. Odd spellings? Yes that believe. Real life Dashes and Jellos? NOPE

 

[princessmom29]

I'm not buying it. Odd spellings? Yes that believe. Real life Dashes and Jellos? NOPE

I have never seen a jello IRL, but all of the ones above are currently enrolled in my school, La-a included.

ETA- I don't doubt that it started off as an urban legend, but it has evolved into people actually naming thier children outrageous things, Ithink at least partly for attention. I odn't think they really consider how vit is goingto impact the child down the road.

 

[brockash]

Yes, but having grown up poor, I knew many people who spoke that way, none of whom were black. It sounds racist when you think race, but I read it as a poor, uneducated person, not a black person.

I totally agree with you. I had no idea what ppl. were referencing to when they were talking about it being racist, so I had to click on the link and read the entire thing to figure out what ppl. were talking about. I agree, when I hear that I think of an uneducated person, no matter the color. My half brother is African American, and I have other ppl. in my family that are as well, and they certainly don't talk like that, so it never crossed my mind that it was supposed to be racist. Trust me, I've heard plenty of ppl. that were not African American speak like that, so to me, it's really not a race thing, just an uneducated thing.

 

[epcotprincess]

I was formerly a teacher in the inner city, and I can tell you I've seen many, many absurd names. But La-a is fake, fake, fake. See snopes links referenced above.

Other fakes:
Lemonjello and Oranjello
Marijuana Pepsi
Nosmo King (like no smoking)
Placenta
Abcde

NONE of these are real, and many times, they are extremely disparaging stories not only to certain racial groups, but to people of limited means as well.

When will these stories stop? Probably never. Everyone "knows" a labor and delivery nurse, a teacher, a doctor, a friend of a friend, etc.

Until someone scans this birth certificate and sends it to you, DON'T believe it, and DON'T pass it on. It's not cute or funny, it's sad.

 

[IDoDis]

Whichi is probably why someone else made a crack about moving from Louisiana. That last sentence sounds like really heavy Cajun patois -- but with one exception. I've never in my life heard a Cajun use the "don't be" construction for "is not". A Cajun would be more likely to use "ain't" in that context. Throwing in that particular little phrase changes the presumed identity of the speaker and does make it rather racist. (We won't get into the whole subject of whether or not making fun of Cajuns is racist.)

I had a language professor in college (in Louisiana, btw, though he was not a native), who used to call that construction "the weebies". He defined it as a peculiar way of conjugating the verb "to be", and he used to come down like a ton of bricks on anyone who said any of the variations in one of his classes, regardless of what color the speaker happened to be.

Nope, the LA reference was because the story (according to snopes) has the child being from LA. The location seems to change depending on who is sending the email. That's why I was laughing.

I don't believe these names exist in school-aged children either. The "urban legend" is 3 years old. Kids in high school would have gotten these names back in the 90s. Nope, don't buy it. Now, maybe a 2 year old -- but not a child older than 3 (if the parent is trying to copy the urban legend).

 

[cm8]

Don't believe it if you like, but there is a child registered in the school where I teach with this as her legal name. We also have Pashun (pronounced passion) Jaque (pronounced Ja-kay), Nigga middle name Comon (pronounced with a long I like Nigel and come on), and Sinthia (pronounced like Cynthia) all registered legal names. Believe me I have seen some doosies over the years. When in doubt I always ask for help with pronounciation!

seriously? . I'm not getting that one

 

[epcotprincess]

we have one in our high school. I did not believe it until I actually saw it on paper. A girl I teach with's mom also taught a child with an "interesting" name. Phonetically is was SHA-thed you can imagine how it was actually spelled. Agian I didn't believe it until I actually saw the name at the top of a paper turned in by the student. I don't know how a mom could do that to her child....

Don't believe it if you like, but there is a child registered in the school where I teach with this as her legal name. We also have Pashun (pronounced passion) Jaque (pronounced Ja-kay), Nigga middle name Comon (pronounced with a long I like Nigel and come on), and Sinthia (pronounced like Cynthia) all registered legal names. Believe me I have seen some doosies over the years. When in doubt I always ask for help with pronounciation!

Seriously? A girl who you teach with, her mother gave you the other names? Sounds like "I heard from x who heard from y who heard from z..." It's not real. It's hearsay.

Again... a handed-down story. And I cannot believe any education professional had the nerve to print the word you did above, for any reason, true or false.

 

[allison443]

we have one in our high school. I did not believe it until I actually saw it on paper. A girl I teach with's mom also taught a child with an "interesting" name. Phonetically is was SHA-thed you can imagine how it was actually spelled. Agian I didn't believe it until I actually saw the name at the top of a paper turned in by the student. I don't know how a mom could do that to her child.

Your fellow teacher brought in the paper of her mom's student to show you the name the student wrote at the top of the paper? Why? That doesn't sound very professional of her mom, as a teacher to pass around a student's paper to be made fun of.

 

[princessmom29]

Your fellow teacher brought in the paper of her mom's student to show you the name the student wrote at the top of the paper? Why? That doesn't sound very professional of her mom, as a teacher to pass around a student's paper to be made fun of.

No, I was in her classroom, and she had student work posted. I thought every primary school teacher did that?? Most classrooms i have been in also have the student's name and birthday on some sort of display in the room.

 

[princessmom29]

I was formerly a teacher in the inner city, and I can tell you I've seen many, many absurd names. But La-a is fake, fake, fake. See snopes links referenced above.

Other fakes:
Lemonjello and Oranjello
Marijuana Pepsi
Nosmo King (like no smoking)
Placenta
Abcde

NONE of these are real, and many times, they are extremely disparaging stories not only to certain racial groups, but to people of limited means as well.

When will these stories stop? Probably never. Everyone "knows" a labor and delivery nurse, a teacher, a doctor, a friend of a friend, etc.

Until someone scans this birth certificate and sends it to you, DON'T believe it, and DON'T pass it on. It's not cute or funny, it's sad.

Just because Snopes doesn't have ther information doesn't me I don't teach a child named La-a. I DO. It would be extremely unethical nad i think illegal to send anyone a copt of soemone else's birth certificate, but these children are registered for school with these names. It is he real, registered name, along with all the others I listed. I haveseen all of them with the exception of one that was hearsay. Sorry no one believes this but I deal with it every day. Every time I get a new class I look at the list and go, "ok how do I saw THIS one." It is truly difficult when you are trying to be professional and not offend the child. For me, Iti s just sad that the parents feel the need to do this to the child. Many of them are embarassed by thier names, and it shows.

 

[Jennasis]

Just because Snopes doesn't have ther information doesn't me I don't teach a child named La-a. I DO. It would be extremely unethical nad i think illegal to send anyone a copt of soemone else's birth certificate, but these children are registered for school with these names. It is he real, registered name, along with all the others I listed. I haveseen all of them with the exception of one that was hearsay. Sorry no one believes this but I deal with it every day. Every time I get a new class I look at the list and go, "ok how do I saw THIS one." It is truly difficult when you are trying to be professional and not offend the child. For me, Iti s just sad that the parents feel the need to do this to the child. Many of them are embarassed by thier names, and it shows.

I think birth certificates are public record. You should contact Snopes and let them know you have a La-a in your class. Then Snopes can do the legwork to verify it.

What School district is this in?

 

[GeorgeG]

There have been weird names given to real kids for years. The earliest I can recall is Moon Unit Zappa, Frank Zappa's daughter. The hippie movement of the 60s had some "flower child" names and recently we have seen "Apple." George Foreman named all of his kids "George." Now there's a name I'm at least familiar with...

Those of you old enough to remember the old Charlie Chan movies will recall his sons were all referred to as #1 son, #2 son, etc..

I can understand people wanting to be unique, but that may not always be a good thing.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Still not buying it. I grew up, teach and live in Bed-Stuy (inner city Brooklyn). I've met plenty of kids and adults name Lashay La'Shay, La-Shae... they all pronouce their name the same way - LA SHA. Not one has ever included the word dash. Princessmom, the next time you come across a name you aren't sure about' just ask the child or parent how to pronounce it.

 

[dogluva]

Seriously? A girl who you teach with, her mother gave you the other names? Sounds like "I heard from x who heard from y who heard from z..." It's not real. It's hearsay.

Again... a handed-down story. And I cannot believe any education professional had the nerve to print the word you did above, for any reason, true or false.

I cannot either. I am horrified that she actually gave a first name and a second name. I would never do this. Not a good idea to talk about students you teach, very unprofessional.

 

[princessmom29]

Seriously? A girl who you teach with, her mother gave you the other names? Sounds like "I heard from x who heard from y who heard from z..." It's not real. It's hearsay.

Again... a handed-down story. And I cannot believe any education professional had the nerve to print the word you did above, for any reason, true or false.

The child with "that word" for a first name exists, and has been arrested an charged with murder in the last year. Google it, I dare you.
I am done arguing what i know to be true. People will continue to believe what they want. If you really want to know, do a public record search. You know what city I am in.

 

[princessmom29]

I cannot either. I am horrified that she actually gave a first name and a second name. I would never do this. Not a good idea to talk about students you teach, very unprofessional.

I didn't give a last name, jusrt first and middle, and as I said the kid has been charged with murder as an adult so it is not like the name isn't out there.

 

[Magpie]

The child with "that word" for a first name exists, and has been arrested an charged with murder in the last year. Google it, I dare you.
I am done arguing what i know to be true. People will continue to believe what they want. If you really want to know, do a public record search. You know what city I am in.

Well, with great trepidation, I Googled it and got nothing - zero, zip, zilch.

So... How about giving us a link? Since you dared us to Google it all all, I assume you must have a link to the news article naming your former student.

And FWIW, I do think the original e-mail is racist, when taken in the context of the history of racism in the United States. I also understand how a modern person, especially someone who hasn't been exposed to the Mammy and Pappy stereotypes of the sixties and earlier, could miss the implied racism in the story. And regardless of whether the joke is racist or not, it's definitely classist. The joke is that the woman is uneducated and lower class and that's the only reason why she's ignorant enough to give her child that name.

Poor people are hilarious, you know.