Political issues for not choosing a name

I’m surprised by the replies. The first thing I thought about was the festival and no, I wouldn’t use it because of that.

Make sure they work on their handwriting so it doesn't look like Nora

I know an adult Nova. It's a lovely name. Doesn't remind me of the car and I didn't know the name of the festival. I think you should use it because you'll regret it if you don't.

OK, ignore the car comment. I don't like the name.

Exactly this. It amazes me just how people will tie themselves in knots about a potential baby name.

Nova is a great name, it reminds of a fantastic Filipino friend called Nova and, despite my parents having a vauxhall nova in the mid-80s, it doesn't remind me of the car... 🙄

It would have been absolutely fine, but now it won't be. Because you'll have this in the back of your mind. No one else will.

Nova sounds like Novocain. It reminds me of big scary needles at the dentist more than anything else.

I don’t think anyone in your DD’s age group will be aware of the Vauxhall Nova, so don’t worry about that.
^Maybe not, but the Corsa is still around.
The Nova was renamed because 'No va is 'Doesn't go' in Spanish^

Pah!

So she shouldn't call her baby the name she wants to call her because 'the corsa is still around'.

So someone might see a Vauxhall Corsa and reminisce and think 'oh, they used to be called Nova. Just like that little girl.'

Vauxhall Novas predate my era of passing driving tests and I’m in my mid 30s! The Corsa was a v popular first car though. There surely can’t be (m)any left on the road these days? The festival, I wasn’t even aware it was called Nova and I do follow the news so I think you’re overthinking that. However, fact that it means ‘doesn’t go’ in Spanish would massively put me off because Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, not just in Spain but most of South America and also so many Americans speak excellent Spanish. I wouldn’t want half of the world to laugh at my name because it has a daft meaning!

So what?

Not using a name because some cars called by the same name years ago didn't sell very well is ludicrous.

We liked Peggy with the long name Margaret for our youngest but didn't want anyone thinking we were Thatcherites. Good political reason in my opinion!

Vauxhall.

But I'm old-ish.

Wouldn't be worried about the festival link. I think you're overthinking that.

(And even if you were in either of those circumstances it might be an act of defiance to call your child Nova).

This

I remember being told that the Renault Fuego wasn't selling in Spain.

Norah seems less lispy than Nova

I think even for a person in Spain Nova isn’t wildly inappropriate so I wouldn’t be put off with that. Nova being from Latin is used in the same words in Spanish as in English like supernova etc.

I think when it came to the car it was just funnier as something you need a car to do is go and even then it’s two separate words in Spanish: No va, to mean it doesn’t go.

Ha the airport test! An old schoolfriend has a 20-ish daughter who used to be named Isis after the Egyptian goddess. Unsurprisingly this girl is now using Iris instead! Isis is a name which you definitely don't want to be shouting in an airport!

There are some names that just aren't usable now because of their associations. I did the Airport Test when thinking about names - could I shout this name in an airport without causing great offence or a security incident?

I don't think Nova is un-usable. It sounds like it's a name that has significance for you, so go for it!

It's not a case of what her age cohort knows, but what society in general collectively remembers. And it was a very well-known model, with the added distinction of being a textbook branding fail (because of the translation issues)

These are not necessarily issues that mean no-one should use that name ever, but they are things that are better for parents to think about and decide on in advance, not find out about afterwards

I don’t think anyone in your DD’s age group will be aware of the Vauxhall Nova, so don’t worry about that.
Maybe not, but the Corsa is still around.
The Nova was renamed because 'No va is 'Doesn't go' in Spanish

I wouldn’t have connected it with the festival personally, I don’t think it’s very strong in the public consciousness. My concerned would be whether it has tainted the name for you.

I don’t think anyone in your DD’s age group will be aware of the Vauxhall Nova, so don’t worry about that.

I think that the name of the festival will fade from public memory outside Israel, so I don't see that association as a showstopper.

I'd be more concerned that it doesn't translate well across Europe (as Vauxhall found out - and the Nova car association is very strong).

Also, you do hear it called across parks quite a lot, and it's usually a dachshund that responds.

I wouldn't think of it at all, I couldn't have told you what the festival was called. It's a pretty name.

Vauxhall Nova. I don't like it, sorry.

I wouldn't call a baby Benjamin Nathan right now.

I think it's inappropriate, sorry. And I don't have any personal links at all with the conflict.