opinions on our chosen name: Heavenly Joy

squoosh Dmitri is also common in Russia, is he maybe Russian?

Apropos a former post, I didn't actually know until I was in my teens that Angus was a particularly Scottish name. I don't think I'd ever met one but I'd read the name in books and knew of Angus Deaton. I don't think I'd find it too odd if someone told me they'd named their son Angus but they weren't Scottish. On the other hand, if someone told me they were calling their son Dafydd but they weren't Welsh, I might. And if someone called their daughter Hannelore but weren't German I might find that a bit strange, but not if they called her Heidi.

And now I'm rambling.

Oh dear. I quite like it. I work with a lot of Africans with names like Favour, Blessing, Gifty, Prince and Praise. I like them. We do not own names. I do not think it's "cultural appropriation." FWIW DH and I are from very different cultural / ethnic backgrounds and our 3 DCs have names that are technically from another culture. No one's ever raised an eyebrow.

I do think that Heavenly is more on the unusual side and you may possibly have to deal with a few quizzical looks but I think you can get this with any slightly "out there" name. Personally I think it's a lot better that some I've heard.......

I know a guy called Dimitri Murphy. He has no Greek or Cypriot heritage. I think it's odd.

I agree that it's complicated and I certainly don't think that people should be restricted to names from their own backgrounds. Also, of course, names migrate and change. But there can be something a little crass and insensitive about dipping into another culture about which one knows nothing, taking a name and using it. For example, gentiles using Cohen without understanding that within Judaism there are strict restrictions on its use.

albert

Cultures don't "own" names!

My DD has an English name. I am not appropriating anything - we are all bilingual.

I despair honestly. This is 2016 ffs.

Not sure it's quite xenophobia - more a concern about cultural appropriation. What right do I have to give my child a Finnish/Yoruba/Spanish/Mandarin name if I am none of those things?

Sorry, OP - I'm also not keen.

Lots of other names have a heavenly connection, though. How about Celeste?

I personally think it's bloody awful. To me it would imply a strong religious faith, which I don't think should be imposed on a child. The child should be able to decide on faith or lack of faith when they are older. I'm atheist and if my parents had called me Heavenly I would have changed it by deed poll a long time ago!

Funny looks for naming your child a 'foreign' name? Christ on a bike, what kind of narrow-minded xenophobic world do you live in?

Not if the question is 'Should I call my child Gretel?' Then it's reasonable enough to say that you can if you want to, but if you don't have any German connections you might get some funny looks.

But names are either nice or not (in an individual's opinion!) they're not nice for some people. Like Gretel. Horrible name. Doesn't matter if Gretel is German or not, I don't like the name. That's all there is to a view on a name surely?

Buckinbronco,

Not sure I agree with that. It might well be trickier for a child with no Scottish link to carry off Angus or one with no Italian ones to do the same with Giovanni. Both very nice names (as is Heavenly).

No one will bat an eyelid in London tbh, just don't ever move

Claudia is popular in Germany and is pronounced "Cloudier" there - even though I know it's discussed way back in the thread.

Not sure about the Eden comparison? Eden is actually a name.

I also don't understand the "terrible unless you're west African*" comments - a horrible name is horrible no matter where you are. I used to teach a peculiar. Horrible name, obviously worse in English than their language but it was horrible, not "horrible but ok for them"

• Africans are not Afro Caribbean btw

Heavenly is a bit twee and could cause a few snickers if she's having a tantrum in the High Street.

why would a Nigerian child not get ridiculed but a non-Nigerian child get ridiculed, the other children won't know that it's part of anyone's culture. DD is at school with children with all kinds of names, some from other cultures, some just made-up. She doesn't know the difference, or care. To a child the first time they hear the name Claire is no different to the first time they hear Heavenly. The difference is the adults. If children hear their adults sneering then they'll learn that names are to be sneered at. A child that ridicules another for their name is a bully. Why is this kind of bullying acceptable on MN?

It is just plain silly - unless it is part of your culture and community and she will be happily accepted with such a name then don't do it. It is not right to give a child a name that will expose her to ridicule from her peers. Children can be very cruel. If you care about her, then now is the moment to change your mind.

Lol at all the anxious posting but I bloody love it OP and your little girl may well grow up to enjoy introducing herself as Heavenly, Heavenly Joy - what a cracking unusual name.

I popped back to say that it's rare that I see a names thread on here where I think oooh, hadn't thought of that and I really like it. Normally it's a long line of the same bloody names that everyone seems to be going for atm.

Totally agree jemappelle. That would be the thing which would put me off, not for the record "...as it sounds Afro Caribbean" .

Thankfully the vast majority of posts on here have nothing to do with race. I don't think it sounds like it comes from any particular culture - that was the point I was trying to make up thread. I've never heard of Heavenly as a name and I get around! I don't like it very much myself, but that's not to say the OP can't use it. Just my personal taste.

Not sure!

I think you could have a Heavenly. Or a Joy. But having both together is setting your daughter up for teasing.

Lisa is your HV from
Zim?

My HV name is Memory and I knew a woman called Immaculate once nn Immac

(Loud music playing, young adults party, typical guy walks up to girl scene and starts chatting)

Guy- I'm Stu by the way.

Girl - I'm heavenly.