Veto on Dora cause of Dora the explorer

So call her Isadora,Theodora, Dorothea ... there are various other options and if Dora doesn't suit her or won't do for any reason, she isn't stuck with it. But the option will still be there.

Maybe this is getting desperate, but is she likely to be dark? You could always avoid bobbed haircuts.

There's always going to be an element of gamble, though, isn't there? You could choose something else and a programme could come out the day after she's born that is endlessly repeated.

DTE has been around for at least 8 years, so there will be quite a breadth of kids knowing who she is. I think in that respect it's 'worse' than something like Tilly, Tom, Jake, Sarah, all of which are main characters in children's TV shows at the moment.

DD (3) knows who she is and has never watched the programme and we don't have branded toys.

That said, by the time your DD is of teasing age, maybe DTE will be a distant memory. I feel for you OP, it's a lovely name.

I think the link to DtE is too strong atm - sorry.

No, if I did, I would be promoting the name surely!?

Don't know how to get the link to work, sorry!

Oops, I'll try the link again:

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_the_Explorer

Onya - do you work for Dora's marketing team?

It seems to me that kids tease at that age about anything and everything. Given the utterly bizarre names I hear about I would have thought a little Dora would be getting off lightly!

Well, look at the link below and scroll down to "foreign adaptations" to see just how widespread the international love of Dora the Explorer is! 29 different languages!!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_the_Explorer

So I think it is a little naive to say that just because your children don't watch it, that it is "not popular everywhere"!

I don't know any children that watch this show and I have 2 DSs who are 2.10 and 5.6. So I think it's not as popular everywhere. My DCs just think it's a nice name.

I agree oohdaddypig, Dora is a great female role model, BUT I don't think I would take that into consideration at the age of 8/10/12 if being teased by my peergroup at school! It's not about how we think as adults, but to me, how we would feel about the association as a child.

Fair cop onya... Although isn't Dora quite a sassy girl? Worse things to be compared to? Personally it wouldn't bother me. Although Dorothea as a longer name might give more options for the future in case Dora's popularity lasts?!

I would have said that too oohdaddypig when my children where preschoolers but nearly 10 years on and the show is still going strong! It is a cartoon which is translated into many different languages (Spanish and French to name a few) so has worldwide appeal. I would also say it is not only about what YOU like, but you must consider your unborn dd in this. Look at what SofiaAmes has posted, she says her daughter hates the name because of the teasing she gets due to DTA. Personally I would prefer to avoid a name where I can see there is definite potential for teasing - school life can be tough enough without such an association!

I think in ten years time Dora will be history! If you like the name I would use it. A name is lifelong, a daft programme is soon forgotten IMHO.

My children are 10 and older, and I'd still think Dora the Explorer I'm afraid! The association still hasn't gone for me (and it probably never will - the theme tune is already playing in my head as I write this!) My DC loved the show when they were younger, and I just asked dd1 if she liked the name and she just laughed and sang the song, so the association hasn't gone for her either. I think you need to think carefully as things like that can cause teasing which can be very upsetting for the child involved. Children definitely prefer names where they can just "blend in" (they don't necessarily have to be really popular, but ones which are easy to pronounce and understand and that have no funny associations for them). Dora The Explorer may be off your radar, but as you can see from this thread, it is still the first thing that comes to mind for many of us.

I'd think explorer right now but in ten years time it wouldn't cross my mind - I had to think why barney was mentioned upthread and it was only 5 years ago my dd was obsessed with the big daft dinosaur.

If you love the name I'd try and find a way round dh's aversion to it, as said the cartoons won't be on forever!

Dora is ok as a name no explorer connection.

It won't matter, it won't be on for ever as you say. I've never heard of it either except on here.

As for your husband, you can try slipping Theodora or Dorothea past him, as suggested above. They're not actually the same name, are they

I know about DTE but tbh I don't think it is a bad connection if you se it anyway.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=yqdD5v-iH6I&feature=fvwrel
Here she is.
Wouldn't choose it myself.
Her peer group would all know the TV show.

My dd is named Dora (full name Dorotea) and she does get teased about Dora the Explorer. It started actually annoying her around age 8 and now at 10 she is in full blown "I want a new name." However, having said that, I suspect that in the next year or two, that will die down and she will go back to enjoying her name. Dora is also not the same thing as Barney. Barney is a dinosaur, dora is a person and quite a smart, nice one.