India

It’s not chavvy like Paris is. I always equate it with middle class families tbh. I don’t mind it but I don’t think it will age well.

Hate it. Katie Hopkins kid and it's both chavvy and imperialist.

I wouldn't choose this name personally. I find it a bit odd naming your baby after a location you have no link to (assuming you don't, that is). It's a bit different than names like Sydney, Brooklyn etc which I view as standard baby names, I would always think of the place.

What about Indiana?

I like it, although likely wouldn’t use it. Makes me think of Gone With The Wind! But doubt many others make the same connection (as evidenced by this thread). Two other best names from the book are Scarlett (bit of a “stripper name” in my view, now, which is sad because she is BADASS in the book) and Melanie (who is a weak character so wouldn’t use it, although pretty name).

Agreed with a few others that I’m not keen on a British person choosing this name.

I love it. I do not view it in the same vein as Brooklyn, Paris and so on.

India is very much a first name in its own right.

i don't really like place names for baby names, and I agree it does seem very slightly off for a British family to use it. Even though I realise it's been reasonably popular for decades - wasn't one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids an India? As alternatives, there are plenty of other girls' names ending in 'ia'.

I was looking at TV listings earlier, and the first name of an actor in a film was 'Ireland' - female I think. Ludicrous - never seen that one before! London is quite popular as a baby name in the US as well. Someone with British or Irish connections would never use those names, it would be stupid. So in the same way I suppose someone from an Indian family would see 'India' as ridiculous.

I got quite a good visual image from the description ‘gap year person’. It put me in mind of someone I know who spent a few weeks in Thailand and got a reiki tattoo on her foot and said she was a Buddhist for a few months. The time spent in Thailand was in between a philosophy degree and working ‘in the media’. It’s a sort of pick n mix westernised approach to the fun bits of other cultures.

I don't know what a 'gap year kind of person' is, what I meant was these are people who are brought up comfortably (nothing wrong with that) whose most 'exotic' experience is a gap year trip to India which they then, years later, name their child after despite their links to the country being a rather superficial trip in their teens. Again nothing actually wrong with this but i sort of equate it to the baby name being an accessory of the kind of life you wish/believe you have, if you haven't!

No worries OP

fieldmuse, would you care to flesh out your image of a gap year kind of person?

Purely as a name, a collection of sounds, I really like it and don't bat an eyelid at India Knight or India Willoughby as names.

But I've a couple of friends who used it as a baby name and I did have a slight cringey feeling of 'gap year' about it, as they were those kind of people. Jo Whiley has a dd called India, in fact I think that was where I first heard it as a name!

love it, don't care if you've been there, live there, have links there or not it's a beautiful name xx

I'm not pushing my opinion. The Op asked, and then asked why I thought it was "slightly offensive", so I explained, that's all.

I’m assuming Daisypond isn’t actually named after the bomb (which I’d never heard of), whereas India the name is India the country. The link is tenuous to say the least.

I think place name names are a bit passé now judging by most of these comments.

Well Flash is clearly a loose canon.

I agree with daisy. It's a bizarre name choice at the best of times, but to be chosen by (presumably) white British people who have no connection with India, smacks of ignorance.

*attempting

Of course you're entitled to your opinion but to push your opinion on other people is wrong. So you chose a username that has connotations to a murdering bomb whilst slagging off an "exotic" (your words) name to then call it bland?! If this is your way of getting out a bit more and attemoting to become more exciting I'll give you a C+ for effort. X

Of course Daisy is not my real name. I'm just explaining why I don't like the name India. No-one has to agree with me. I'm allowed my opinions as much as the next person who posts on here. I know India is popular on here - it's an old establishment name, so pretty bland, anyway, leaving aside anything else.

I feel you have a touch of the keyboard warrior going on here love. To say the name "India" is offensive for events that have happened in the past is laughable. If someone has strong ties to India then why not? Do you find the name Christain offensive too due to the millions of people that were murdered over the last 2k years whilst the good Lord's religion was forced upon the world? Are you offended by your name "Daisy" as its the name of a devestating bomb named the "Daisy Cutter" thats killed millions of people over the last 60 years. I'm assuming you're under 60 so why do you have an offensive name or even worse, why have you chosen an offensive mumsnet name? You have the name of a murdering bomb!!!! India is an inoffensive name and to say straight away that people would disagree with you, you wanted people to. I assume you have kids with very safe names and you're probably as exciting as a brown paper bag to come on here and be offended by a name. However if you want to name your kid Pakistan, Jamaica, Africa etc, it's your choice. Get off your soap box love and don't tell people what they should be offended by and get out a bit more.

Love it. All the India's I know (30 something's) are fab.

Not sure why I was tagged OP?

Love it x