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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on the name 'Aslan'

295 replies

sel2223 · 12/01/2020 16:36

My OH is Turkish and we've trying to agree on a name for a little boy (we have a girls name already).

We want a Turkish name with no special characters that is easy to pronounce in both Turkish and English. Asian means 'lion' in Turkish and is also the name of the lion from the Chronicles of Narnia, which I love.

What do you think? Is it too 'out there'?

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Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 21:17

@oncemorewithfeeling99 really? I'm not sure i agree it's akin to calling a child God lol. It's a traditional Turkish name meaning 'lion' which is probably why CS Lewis chose it as the name for the lion character in his book.
The name was around long before the book and has no religious meaning.

OP posts:
Foghead · 12/01/2020 21:14

I’ve known an Aslan for 40 yrs. it’s a popular name with Arabic roots.

Splodgetastic · 12/01/2020 21:12

How about Aydemir (I am pretty sure this is also a Turkish name as well as another place I am thinking of)? To me it sounds like a strong name, also begins with an “a”. That said, it was a boyfriend’s dad’s name, so quite possible it has old man connotations...

Marcipex · 12/01/2020 21:09

Kemal is really nice.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 21:09

@happycamper11 it's just a personal thing for me. I definitely want a name written and pronounced the same in both languages

OP posts:
happycamper11 · 12/01/2020 21:06

I definitely couldn't use Aslan here: the book is still too popular. I wouldn't worry about names that are pronounced differently- both my DD's names are pronounced differently in Greek than they are in English- one a sound in the English version doesn't even exist in Greek, they understand this and answer to both, they can write their names in both Greek and English.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 20:30

Thanks for all the opinions, good and bad! I appreciate the honesty.

OP posts:
Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 20:28

@SonEtLumiere it's actually a common Arabic/turkish name so used mostly in Muslim families
'The metaphor for Jesus' came much later when CS Lewis decided to use the name as a character in a fictional story.

OP posts:
Bouledeneige · 12/01/2020 20:26

I think other children and adults when they are friends up will take the piss. Sorry OP.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 20:25

@ikeameatballs thank you

@averythinline I like aydın but it's spelt with an 'i' without a dot and pronounced different in English and Turkish so it's a no unfortunately

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SonEtLumiere · 12/01/2020 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 20:22

@Lailaha all names loved by OH by not me I'm afraid! I just find them so old fashioned. I do like kemal but as mentioned earlier in the thread, we know a lot of kemals (including OH's boss) so not sure if it would be weird. Like we're naming DC after them.

@HermioneWeasley thanks. We've ruled out cem because of the 'c' which is pronounced differently in Turkish and English and I'm not a fan of Sinan. Selim is very similar to my name!

OP posts:
oncemorewithfeeling99 · 12/01/2020 20:22

Not Aslan. It’s akin to calling your child God.

averythinline · 12/01/2020 20:19

Aydin is good prefer to Aslan

Ikeameatballs · 12/01/2020 20:17

I like Aslan.

I get the whole TCON thing but honestly don’t think that’s as much of an issue as some posters are making out. He won’t be a child forever, lot’s of children won’t have read TCON anyway, as an adult I think it’s a name that really works and works in both cultures.

If you both like it go for it rather than compromising on something that neither of you are that keen on.

HermioneWeasley · 12/01/2020 20:14

I like it, and given your DH’s heritage it’s completely appropriate

You could go for Cem but spell it Jem if you live here?

I like Selim and Sinan

Lailaha · 12/01/2020 20:11

A bit out there, but what about Fatih? Or Mustafa? (Personally, I like Kemal - and it's a very good name for a secular Turk Grin)

I suppose Abdul is probably out if you don't want religious names? Karim too? Rahman? (I appreciate these are a bit more Arabic than Turkish, but as you don't want "difficult" letters or T as an initial, that wipes out a good few Grin)

Mehmet could be a possibility? Burak? Enes?

BovaryX · 12/01/2020 20:09

The Narnia books are openly racist
Raindrops

Narnia is a wonderful, imaginative land created by a much loved children's author. You are calling CS Lewis racist? Your accusations are totally unsubstantiated. Can you provide textual evidence from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to support your accusations?

raindropsfallingonglass · 12/01/2020 20:05

Of course I don’t think CS Lewis invented the 2name, but I think what he did with it and the other themes in that series mean that I personally would find it hard to use, knowing that in the U.K. that is likely going to be the first association a large subset of people make to the name. And, OP, I do know how tricky this is, we struggled to name our DC because we couldn’t find names that we both liked and worked in both languages

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 20:04

OH absolutely has his heart set on Aslan by the way. I'm trying to explain about Narnia and he doesn't get it at all....he doesn't understand why we would rule out a name because of a character in a book he's never heard of 🤣

OP posts:
Porpoises · 12/01/2020 20:04

I've now changed my mind on reading the rest of this thread, I primarily associate it with Narnia, but if it's a common Turkish name, why should C S Lewis stop you using it? It's a lovely sound and cool meaning.

Depends whether you can be bothered to explain it to all the English people who have that first reaction, I guess.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 19:57

@tsubasa1 very true. I think alot of people are thinking the name actually comes from TCON, as in CS Lewis actually made up the name. They don't realise it's originally a Turkish/Arabic name that's been used for a very long time.
I guess that's something DC would have to contend with if we live in the UK though

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raindropsfallingonglass · 12/01/2020 19:57

@Tsubasa1 the overtly Christian undertones of Narnia. Yes Aslan is a traditional name, but I think most people will assume it has some connection with the book, and in the book Aslan is metaphorically god/Jesus. The Narnia books are openly racist, especially later in the series. I don’t think I would want that connection.

Original poster
sel2223 · 12/01/2020 19:53

It seems Aslan is definitely a marmite name.
I suppose it's like any strong character name from a book or film (for very different reasons, I know lots of people would never name their child Damian for example l after the film of the same name!)

OP posts:
74NewStreet · 12/01/2020 19:48

Seven... Why would any sane person give their child a number instead of a name? Shame the registrar didn’t refuse to indulge that nonsense.

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