Multicultural Aspects of Names and Naming in the United States

This chapter has a three-fold purpose: (1) to define the notion of multiculturalism and its relation to naming practices in the United States; (2) to discuss and define anthroponyms (surnames and forenames) and (3) to identify and examine extant U.S. government databases of anthroponyms (surnames and forenames) to determine their value in establishing the nature of multiculturalism in the United States.