Our African- American friends and families can be - shall we say - "creative" when it comes to naming their chilluns.
Here are some real life names of actual people who actually live on Earth right now:
Timnesia. Keleesha. Qwiyya. Naheim. Emani. Omani. Amani. Davoni. Tyasia. Queeta. Shoneeta. Natayah. Demyah. Diavon. Iverllizz. Qymir. Aniyah. And baby girl Cazmere.
Those are all great but my favorites are the more common names that are tweaked to make the baby seem more unique or something. My black friend Uniqua told me that. Take a "boring" name like Jasmine but spell it Jazmeen. Why be Michael when you can be Mychel?
That brings me to your chance to win something in our first ever StronglyWordedLetter.com contest!!
Thursday I went to the movies and the pretty young sista who sold me my ticket should have been named Brianna. But she wasn't. Her parent(s) put an extraordinary amount of thought into how to turn that regular name into something special. Your job: Guess what they came up with. I saw it with my own eyes on her name tag as she took my $8.00 (It was a matinee.)
One guess per person please. First correct answer wins something from the Bean Store, worth ten dollars or less.
Check the comments section below to see what others have guessed before you take a stab at it. I will post there myself once we have a winner or if no one gets it I will reveal the correct spelling here tomorrow. Have fun. Be creative and stay black.
Breeyawna?
As a related aside, in my 2nd grade class one year I taught a girl named LaZohnya. As in "lasagna." No joke.
Posted by: Beckie | August 16, 2008 at 09:55 PM
Bareeyanna.
Posted by: Sil | August 16, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Breaenauh. . . .
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 10:59 PM
IT has to be Breeonna.
Posted by: chris | August 17, 2008 at 01:13 AM
Balls
Posted by: casey | August 17, 2008 at 04:23 AM
Breeahyan' na
Posted by: Melvin | August 17, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Ok Bean, here it goes: Briehannah. If I have a choice I'll take one of KOM's art pieces. Fine, send me the zippers.
Posted by: Alex Pacheco | August 18, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Brieawenuh
One time my friend invited me to the "festival of the black arts" in Atlanta. Naturally, I assumed it was a witchcraft festival. Boy was I wrong.
Posted by: magnus | August 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM
BBrie'Yawnaaha
yes - 2 B's!
Posted by: The Secret | August 18, 2008 at 12:06 PM
I'm guessing "Special". I was in the Navy with a black girl named Precious.
Posted by: Casey | August 18, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Well since my friends say Burftday, I will say Burrianna. So am I right?
Posted by: Anna | August 18, 2008 at 02:21 PM
Oh, by the way. My daughter has a friend that was named LaCrystal.
Posted by: Anna | August 18, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Bhryeana
Posted by: Kity | August 19, 2008 at 07:01 PM
Breighawnah?
Posted by: Mary | August 20, 2008 at 10:37 AM
What is the answer?
Posted by: Anna | August 20, 2008 at 02:57 PM
i missed the contest (stupid work) but wanted to share:
i used to work with corporate retimement accounts and so got to see many an interesting and/or interestingly spelled name. one of my faves was Pheloney.
Posted by: dana | August 21, 2008 at 02:10 PM
briniqua?
thats my guess
hahahaha
Posted by: yayo | August 21, 2008 at 08:33 PM
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt has a great chapter on "unique" names. I'm sure you'd enjoy it, Bean... if you haven't already.
Posted by: Beng | August 21, 2008 at 11:00 PM
did i miss the contest? if not, my guess is.... Brhiyawna
Posted by: Julieee | August 22, 2008 at 01:07 PM
I would guess maybe Brihanna or Breeyonnah. But I dunno.
By the way, you have 69 comments *giggle*
Sorry I had to ruin it by posting :)
Posted by: Steph | August 23, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Braindead
Posted by: Columnist | August 25, 2008 at 06:27 AM