India or Isabella?

Both are overused IMO. Where I live (NW London) every week I bump into a little blonde, middle class India. Although it's a nice name it gets boring after a while.

I love the name India but suspect it is a bit pretentious really. If you have qualifying Indian heritage to justify using the name, what about Indira?

I love India. It's a lovely name. I tried to persuade DH but he wouldn't budge.

I also love Isabella. I don't know any Isabellas just 1 Isabel.

I would go for India - lovely name.

Disagree with me all you like but I grew up with the name when none of my peers had it, and I know exactly how it was perceived, especially amongst my parents' generation who viewed it as positively fuddy-duddy. A girl I was at school with aged 11 (1985) had it as a middle name, and was embarrassed by it...!

Isabella is a beautiful name but is overused, India is pretty but I wouldn't name a child after a country.

I really like India and your daughter will always have her heritage as part of her name, which i think is so special.

If you want to include Isabella could you not have and India Isabella - which i think sounds really lovely.

If you added together all the Isabel variants, it was the top name from about 2006 to 2010 (now overtaken by Sophie and Evie variants). It is quite a brief blip - when you compare it to the enduring Ellie variants and Olivia.

So I don't think it will date; and it is a classic, traditional, Royal name which works all across Europe.

I like India too, but think of it as being a bit 80s (as it was barely heard of before India Hicks was a bridesmaid).

Isabella is lovely. Everyone says how popular it is but I've never actually met anyone with the name.

I like the name India

Isabella is fine but I don't like the nn Izzy and not keen on Bella either.

Hiya I absolutely love the name India its one of my favourites. There's is a page 3 girl called India - I used to work with her (not on page 3 lol) if it helps she's a really lovely girl not chavy at all - kind, intelligent & really stunning, she started page 3 to pay her way through uni.
Don't worry about the page 3 connection she's known in the glamour world but it's not like the general public will think of her straight away when you say your babies name - think it would be different if you were calling your little girl Jordan!

I love Isabella. It's a beautiful name and it's one we've seriously considered for DC2. We ruled it out because it is so popular but TBH I don't know anyone called Isabella. I think Isobel is far more popular.

I love both names. I am biased as India is DD1's name and Isabella is the name of her best friend!

I hadn't heard of the Page 3 model and now that I have heard, it doesn't really matter. India is a beautiful name - I think of India Hicks, India Knight and India Whatshername who narrates Master Chef. Balance is important with names imo - we have a very dull surname so wanted something slightly different when naming our children. I guess if we had a more exotic surname, then we may have chosen more traditional first names.

The vast majority of people who hear DD1's name think it's beautiful. It does really suit her and she wears it well

I also think Indira is a lovely alternative.

We have every possible variation Isabella..to...Isobel round here, but they use every possible nn too and seem totally un bothered about it being popular.

In fact I get the feeling they rather like it because in affect they get to choose their own name and are very firm with adults about exactly which spelling of Iss/Izz/y/ie Bell/Bella they answer too. Heaven help you if put the wrong one on something.

If it makes you feel any better I googled my baby name and found out that her namesake (both first AND surname) is a professional femal golfer and glamour model in one.

Yes really

Grrr

India is a beautiful name.

I know at least 8 Isabella's or Isabelles. Bit to common now for me, but still a nice name!

hiya

i love the name india never heard anyone with it x

I am biased as have an Isabella, who is 3 (though she is called Bella). The only other two I know are 5 and 11.

When my oldest was born (she's 18 now) her name was in the top 3 or 4, yet she has never been in a class with a single other.

Either way, I couldn't give a stuff what others think. I love my children's names and think that is rather more important than whether there may or may not be many others at school with them.

I think both names are lovely and one's that I have considered myself. I'd say just go with your gut and the one that you love best. Don't be influenced by outside things such as popularity etc. As long as a name isn't going to be a "burden" to the child (neither of these names would be), just go with your own personal taste. There are worse things in life than having a "popular" name. Mine's unusual and I think I would've preferred to be the "popular" name my parents turned down at the last minute.
All the best with your choice

I think of India as being posh, not chavvy, and I can see why you'd want to use it.

As for Isabella - I have a niece called Isabella - but I don't actually know any others and I don't think there are any at my DS's nursery.

FWIW, I like both names.

If popularity stopped people calling their child a particular name, then Jack, Oliver, Olivia would not continually be in the top 3 year after year after year, yet still they are nice names.

disagree with sodoff the reason is it is popular now is because there is a trend to use classical, beautiful names. It has always been a popular name because of that reason. it is more popular now, but when that subsides, it will still be a lovely undated classical name. It call also be shortened to Bella, which I prefer to Izzy, and actually love the name Bella.

I also think it depends on the area you live in. For example in my DC entire school of 170 children or so, there are two Isobels, but no Isabellas at all.

There are no Indias in DC school. While I am sure it is true that there is a page 3 model with that name, I am sure it was her name before she chose that profession, rather than being a page 3 name! And, I have not heard of that, as many many people are likely not to have either, and in time that will become distant past. Please do not cloud your own view of a name which you love, because of one person in a world of many millions. Fads come and go, but your child will have that name forever, after they have gone.

I like either name, both are lovely, strong beautiful names that will age wonderfully with your child.

Isabel India sounds good to me and would link both of your families.

I love India and Indie but as DH is of Asian descent he thinks it shouldn't be given to a child from there sorry!

What about Indira? Beautiful and a name of an Indian goddess and Indira Ghandi.