India or Isabella?

[Wizziebuff]

Hi there,

Please could you let me know which you prefer? I have the name Isabella going back a long way on my mother's side of the family and think it is a beautiful, classic name, but have been told it is incredibly popular at the moment, so she won't be the only one in class. On the otherhand, my dh has Indian heritage and we were thinking that India would be both a nod to this, an old-fashioned name with a modern feel to it, whilst still reflecting our family ties. I love the name India, however yesterday someone told me that there is a page 3 girl called India! I was horrified!! I think of it as a classic, English girl's name with quite grand associations and not chavvy ones. What do people honestly think? All suggestions/alternatives welcome, many thanks.

Isabella is a lovely name. It's very popular at the moment if that would influence your choice?

I don't really like India, but perhaps there are some other names relating to India you could consider?

Isabella has been totally over-used by this generation of babies/toddlers (or rather, their parents) and will date badly.

It's an old name and a 'classic' but it is not timeless. It is very, very cyclical and goes in and out with a bang. When it's 'in' it's very in and you can't move for people naming their daughters it, and when it's out it's positively eschewed and looked on as very unfashionable. I say this as someone with one of the variations of the spelling who was given it in the 70s when it was deeply unfashionable and hideously old-lady.

If it's a family name then that gives it a different spin, and if it's important enough to you then choose it, but at least you'll have all the info if you do.

India. Likewise, this has had a bit of a moment recently. It's not a new name, but it had a surge of popularity recently and as such will more than likely date; it will be associated with this era.

As for it being a Page 3 girl's name - well, whatever really, who cares or knows this?! Hardly anyone. Page 3 girls are a dime a dozen. If you start ruling out named on the basis that some women who gets her tits out for downmarket Sun-readers already has it, then you'll seriously be diminishing your pot of names.

India wouldn't ever make my potential names list, but certainly not for this reason...

I prefer India tbh.

I think it´s pretty-Isabella a bit too frilly for me.

Much prefer isabella, though isabel is even better,disagree with sod of b, i think it is a beautiul and classic name!

Isabelle has been done to absolute death. She won't thank you!

a

IMO, unless the child was conceived or born in India, she shouldn't be given that name.
Isa/o/bel/ll/lle/lla is better.

India reminds me of India Hicks, posh English interior designer who lives on some exotic island.

I went on a site yesterday and the name Olivia (number one) was given to between 5000-6000 girls in 2010. There were something lik 345,000 girls born that year which works out as less than 2% So even if you chose the most popular girls name there is statistically speaking there should only be two in every hundred. This obviously doesn't account for regional trends etc. Though if you are worried about popularity then avoid Isabella as although it's not number one the combi of all the spelling variations probably would put it very near the top if all counted together.
I love isabel and think its very versatile. I love the nick name indie though India for me conjures up a specific image (dark hair, olive/ darker skin - basically someone Mediterranean, Hispanic or actually Indian and not at all a pale, white, blonde girl) though that is just me.
so if you want unpopular go for India, I you're not worried go for isabella

Both are pretty and yes Isabella is very popular but for a reason. Wait until your baby is born and you can see which suits her the best.

Annabella is a possible alternative

Love indie as nn but prefer indianna to India. X

DD1 [8] is an Isabella and we have only ever met one other Isabella,who is the daughter of a friend,so although it is apparently 'popular' it isn't where we are.It might be worth looking up the local births in a newspaper to see what is popular where you are if it worries you?

My dd1 (9) is Isabella too, chosen because it was my great-grandmother's name, and we loved it. Everyone on mn comments on how popular it is, but there is only one other Isabella in her school of nearly 400 pupils. In any case, I'm not sure that a name being very popular should be enough to stop you choosing it if you really like it.

I prefer India, I am so tired of hearing the name Isabella everywhere even though it is a nice name it becomes blah when you constantly hear it

I love India and Indie but as DH is of Asian descent he thinks it shouldn't be given to a child from there sorry!

What about Indira? Beautiful and a name of an Indian goddess and Indira Ghandi.

Thank you for all your help ladies. It's so tricky and of course such an all important decision x

Isabel India sounds good to me and would link both of your families.

disagree with sodoff the reason is it is popular now is because there is a trend to use classical, beautiful names. It has always been a popular name because of that reason. it is more popular now, but when that subsides, it will still be a lovely undated classical name. It call also be shortened to Bella, which I prefer to Izzy, and actually love the name Bella.

I also think it depends on the area you live in. For example in my DC entire school of 170 children or so, there are two Isobels, but no Isabellas at all.

There are no Indias in DC school. While I am sure it is true that there is a page 3 model with that name, I am sure it was her name before she chose that profession, rather than being a page 3 name! And, I have not heard of that, as many many people are likely not to have either, and in time that will become distant past. Please do not cloud your own view of a name which you love, because of one person in a world of many millions. Fads come and go, but your child will have that name forever, after they have gone.

I like either name, both are lovely, strong beautiful names that will age wonderfully with your child.

If popularity stopped people calling their child a particular name, then Jack, Oliver, Olivia would not continually be in the top 3 year after year after year, yet still they are nice names.

I think of India as being posh, not chavvy, and I can see why you'd want to use it.

As for Isabella - I have a niece called Isabella - but I don't actually know any others and I don't think there are any at my DS's nursery.

FWIW, I like both names.

I think both names are lovely and one's that I have considered myself. I'd say just go with your gut and the one that you love best. Don't be influenced by outside things such as popularity etc. As long as a name isn't going to be a "burden" to the child (neither of these names would be), just go with your own personal taste. There are worse things in life than having a "popular" name. Mine's unusual and I think I would've preferred to be the "popular" name my parents turned down at the last minute.
All the best with your choice

I am biased as have an Isabella, who is 3 (though she is called Bella). The only other two I know are 5 and 11.

When my oldest was born (she's 18 now) her name was in the top 3 or 4, yet she has never been in a class with a single other.

Either way, I couldn't give a stuff what others think. I love my children's names and think that is rather more important than whether there may or may not be many others at school with them.

hiya

i love the name india never heard anyone with it x

India is a beautiful name.

I know at least 8 Isabella's or Isabelles. Bit to common now for me, but still a nice name!

If it makes you feel any better I googled my baby name and found out that her namesake (both first AND surname) is a professional femal golfer and glamour model in one.

Yes really

Grrr