"Misplaced Europeans": In one dispatch by the New York Times during the Batata Revolution, a correspondent expressed perplexity that some Lebanonese nationalists seem to him to consider themselves "misplaced Europeans." Today, the Lebanese Forces right-wing sectarian militia, formed a committee to organize the group. All members have "Western" names. Are they not superior? They are: Eddy Abi AlLam`, Elie Lahhud, Antoine `Awn, Antoine Karam, Antoine Shidyaq, Elie Baraghid, and Paskal Michael Haddad. If my parents, had given me such names, I would have fled my crib.
PS. Some people, including people I respect, misunderstood this post. I was just referring to a preference for "Western" names, and not for Christian names per se. There are plenty of Arabic (or Aramaic) Christian names, like Sharbil, Tannus, Hanna, Mikha`il, Yusuf, etc, which would have been fine, but Eddy? My comment was on Westernness of names, and not on the religious identity of names. I of course prefer names that do not connote religion--especially in a place like Lebanonstan, and I am lucky that my parents gave us names that would be suitable for Christians and Muslims.