Forty Mexican American and Anglo American university students were asked to rate 5 common Anglo American and 5 common Mexican American female names on a semantic differential. Divided into 4 groups based on sex and ethnic background, respondents were between 18 and 25 years of age and all claimed El Paso (Texas) as their primary residence for the past 10 years. None of the respondents had a first name similar to the names being rated. Utilizing a semantic differential for measurement, respondents rated 26 concepts on 9 subscales--5 Anglo American and 5 Mexican American female names, 5 automobile names, 5 political figures, and 6 dimension concepts. Mexican American names used were Velia, Juanita, Elena, Delia, and Estela; Anglo American names were Catherine, Pamela, Cheryl, Joyce, and Beverly. Two-tailed Mann-Whitney U tests indicated Anglo Americans rated Anglo American names significantly more favorably on the Potency and Activity dimensions than did Mexican Americans. Mexican Americans rated Mexican American names significantly more favorably on the Evaluative dimension than did Anglo Americans. Each ethnic group tended to perceive names common to its respective culture closer to Good, Strong, and Active than the names common to the other culture. No support was found for the notion that a minority group accepts and applies to itself the stereotypes of the dominant society. (Author/NQ)