AIBU or is baby name cultural appropriation a thing?

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I'm ready to be told I'm being silly BUT am I right in thinking there's a level of.. appropriateness? Inappropriateness? In using names from other cultures.
For example.. would it be strange for an English couple with no discernible links to any other countries or heritage to name their child Priya, Otto, Etienne or Niamh, among many other names.
To be honest I flip backwards and forwards between thinking there are so many lovely names in the world, why shouldn't they be used by whoever likes them, and then that it's just a bit strange if no link!
Happy to discuss, I have no strong feeling either way just intrigued to see what opinions there are.

My friend called her name an old Hebrew name (think something like Ezekiel) not Isaac or one of thr more commonly used ones they are neither Christian nor Jewish. I love Hebrew names but she says she gets some raised eyebrows.

I'm irish and I love seeing other cultures embrace our names. It does annoy me when they butcher the spelling though. If you are going to use the names of a different culture or country at least stay true to that culture / country.

Considering the English language has been mugging other languages for their words why would names be different?

Pork, Beef and Mutton are French words with English spelling.
Bungalow and jodhpurs are from Hindi.

All biblical names are not really English names, they come from the languages spoken and the religions of the numerous authors.

I think naming your child as a prophet from a religion you have no links to is really strange, especially as it is a name that has a lot of meaning to some people.

And yet you get Muslim children with names like Isa.

I have come across a number of Davids and Daniels who are not Jewish.

And even the prophet Mohammed didn't start out as a Muslim.

DH family were slightly disappointed we didn't call DS the "family" name. I didn't want to because I thought it was boring, and although DH felt we should he admitted it wouldn't be his first choice, so we didn't. The origin of DS name is other European but its fairly mainstream.

Interesting question.
At what point does a name stop becoming 'appropriated' and just become a name.
My name for example is of French heritage. But no one thinks my English parents gave me a name from a country we have no links to. And if its good enough for a certain little Princess then it's good enough for me!

This. What's with the woke, often incorrectly applied, "cultural appropriation" anyway? I'm waiting to see it applied to food next! 😤

However I think some names that have importance to specific religions & cultures shouldn’t be used if you have no connection to it.

Well that's Mary, Joseph, Simon, Peter, John, Paul, Mark, Luke, Matthew et al, off the list for all non Christians.....

My Daughter is a Niamh, I just liked the name.
People will find ways to be offended everywhere, they are best avoided.

Well no. He kind of started the religion so he couldn't have been.

Strange how Mohammed is so popular for a name but Jesus isn't (in this country, I know its a Spanish name)

You didn't see the Jamie Oliver jerk rice war a few years back I take it.

Imitation the most sincere form of flattery and all that...

Strange how Mohammed is so popular for a name but Jesus isn't (in this country, I know its a Spanish name)

Joshua is the English form of Jesus, so a lot of people have (probably unknowingly) called their dc Jesus.

Forgot to add, YABVU.

I’ve pondered this a lot over the years. I definitely think it depends on the name.

I love Omari but would never use it. But my 3 kids have between them a Hebrew, Welsh and Greek name. We are as English as it gets. But not sure I can actually name an English name?? Ethelred?

Yabu. Is there to be no sharing of names, everyone just stay in their lane
Mixed culture couples ok though? FFS, this is getting ridiculous. Doesn't anyone else think so??

I agree.

I live in Australia in an area with loads of Chinese families. Some of the children have Chinese names (Lanxin, Wenxi and En Che to name three I know well), but the majority have “English” names - including some super old fashioned ones like Jeff, Bob, Roy, Ron and Alan, which I find awesome on 8 year olds. No one calls them out for “cultural appropriation” - presumably they’re just names they like. And yes they live in Australia but they nearly all have very strong links to China and travel back there regularly.
I honestly think it’s just fine to pick a name you like - cultural appropriation to me is more about taking something from a culture that isn’t yours and profiting off it (black fishing pop stars etc), not just choosing a name you happen to like. Where’s the harm?!

Maybe Arthur but Google tells me that’s Celtic (so, not English), and in any case it’s from Latin isn’t it? Meaning Bear.

@Metabigot , you're right, I seem to remember that little fracas. Just checked online, and I saw a comment on the politician who called him out: "She's going to go nuts when she finds out he's not Italian"😆

No-one has any more claim to a name than another person. If you choose a name associated with religion because you subscribe to that religion - great. If you choose it simply because it sound pretty - great. It's inappropriate to police how a parent chooses to name their child and no parents needs to justify a name. As a PP said, in Aus it's common for Chinese families to choose very old fashioned names like John or Mary. Of course no-one suggests that they shouldn't permitted to use this because they're not Christian or it's CA. That would be mad. Everyone is free to choose any name for any reason. Presumably if a parent gives a DC a name then it's special to them. Stop trying to create barriers between people. There is no need.

Isa is Jesus in Islam/Arabic. @sashh it's a very common name for Muslim boys. And a lovely one too.

As for the white couple who picked Mohammed, why not. It is a nice name. Its apparently one of the most popular name for boys in the UK.

I think people should be able to pick what names they dance. Even if you are not from that country or religion and you like the name, go for it. It's nice to see people embracing names from around the world. Irish names are lovely too. I take ages trying to work them out though.
Is Niamh, Naomi????? Lol

Pick what names they choose*
Not dance

Predictive text, you wind me up sometimes 😬

Ha ha ha 😅

Many foreigners who have worked in China got a Chinese name. It’s not seen as cultural appropriation. Maybe you need to ask the other side too?

I just wonder what, as a white British atheist, I would be allowed to call my dc under your rules? Nothing biblical, from any other religions or with origins from another language.

What names am I left with?