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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 21:30

@midwest the difference being that 'Jesus' is a religious figure in both Christianity and Islam and is in both the bible and the Qur'an.
There is no Asian mentioned in either religion.

It's just the name of a character created by CS Lewis in TCON

OP posts:
Treesinthewind · 12/01/2020 21:35

@NameChange30 I’m interested as to why you think OP shouldn’t give her son her OH’s surname?

NameChange30 · 12/01/2020 21:38

I didn't say that. I said if they are not married, she should give her child her own surname. She could give the father's surname too.

I feel very strongly that children should share a surname with their mother, the woman who carries and births the child, and is often (though obviously not always) the primary carer.

In fact I am married and I still gave DS my own surname in addition to DH's Smile

Shirtyllama · 12/01/2020 21:39

Not weird, and especially not if baby has Turkish dad. Have met a kid called Aslan here in London through school, not sure where parents from but possibly Turkish, my son and I both thought it was cool and then got on with our lives! Lots of people haven't read the books or seen the film's anyway

TatianaLarina · 12/01/2020 21:39

Ignore the naysayers on here and go for it OP.

SpaceDinosaur · 12/01/2020 21:44

I have an Aslan morning on one of my classes. (Turkish family too)

It's a beautiful name. I may be bias as I adore baby Aslan!!!

Be prepared for "we're you inspired by Narnia" questions but go for it. It's a beautiful name

peachypetite · 12/01/2020 21:49

OP do you not want your son to have a name that also reflects your nationality? Just interested. Sounds like your partner is being quite forceful about wanting Aslan and then will have his surname too?

eggandonion · 12/01/2020 21:53

I think it's a great name! I'm in Ireland, I know a teen Leo and a toddler Felix, both cat type names!

midwest · 12/01/2020 22:02

OP I completely understand that Aslan isn't a name in the Bible, it is a name chosen by CS Lewis to represent Jesus in his popular children's book series.
It is perfectly possible that many people will only be vaguely aware it or completely unaware.
Others will be aware of it.
It's a little like the thread on Jemima, one idea of what the name means in the UK another in the USA.
Neither wrong, the name has just picked up different meanings through time and different usage.

NameChange30 · 12/01/2020 22:02

"OP do you not want your son to have a name that also reflects your nationality? Just interested. Sounds like your partner is being quite forceful about wanting Aslan and then will have his surname too?"

My thoughts exactly tbh

My DH is a different nationality (admittedly still white European like me) and our DS has both surnames as well as a first name that works in both languages, not obviously one or the other. We will do the same for DC2.

Aceinthehole · 12/01/2020 22:15

My son has a friend called Aslan of Punjabi descent, I think it's a lovely name and due to the connotations I have from my gulf hood I associate it with pride and honour 🦁 He also has a best friend who's Dad is Turkish, his name is Emre and I just love that name.

Charley50 · 12/01/2020 22:16

@midwest - that's really funny as I've been racking my brains to think of the other obvious 'godlike' name, and of course it's Jesus! 😂

I agree with PPs not to worry about any LW&W connotations.

peachypetite · 12/01/2020 22:18

“My DH is a different nationality (admittedly still white European like me) and our DS has both surnames as well as a first name that works in both languages, not obviously one or the other. We will do the same for DC2.“
Yeh, my kids (hopefully, Ttc!) will have my husband’s surname which is European. We have already discussed and I feel strongly that I wouldn’t want my kids to also have a first name from his country because I want my heritage to be reflected too.

NameChange30 · 12/01/2020 22:20

peachy
👍
Do consider giving DC a middle name from your side of the family; your "maiden" name (hate that term but you know what I mean!) or a name of one of your parents or grandparents. Middle names are obviously not used much but it's still nice to balance out the patriarchal surname with a matriarchal middle name Wink

strawberry2017 · 12/01/2020 22:25

I like it!

Wallabyone · 12/01/2020 22:33

What about Kaya, or Koray, or Kerem?

Wallabyone · 12/01/2020 22:34

Our friends have a Tanyel, also cute and different enough to Daniel.

MrsAgassi · 12/01/2020 22:39

What about Serdar?

eggandonion · 12/01/2020 22:39

Emmanuel, which means God with us, is used by my in-laws, as is Theo. Christian is pretty popular. All seem more godly to me than Aslan.

Poorolddaddypig · 13/01/2020 00:30

Dead lion

Original poster
sel2223 · 13/01/2020 00:31

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions! I like Kaya and Koray but OH does not and Tanyel is out as I don't want a name beginning with 'T' (same letter as surname)

For those concerned about OH being too forceful, I've probably made it sound worse than it is 🤣
The surname is short and not obviously Turkish and the baby will have a middle name from my side (although not my surname as I was bullied mercilessly for my maiden name as a child and currently still use my ex husbands name). It is me pushing for a Turkish name, OH said he's not bothered either way....he's just very opinionated on actual names and knows what he does and doesn't like (same as me)! He's suggested loads of names which I hate so there's currently only Aslan which hasn't been vetoed by one or both of us (yet)

OP posts:
Original poster
sel2223 · 13/01/2020 00:34

@aceinthehole I love Emre

OP posts:
Cat0115 · 13/01/2020 07:31

Plenty of boys named Jesus out there (Hayysssus), just not usually of English origin. Lots of Leos are also out there. If his surname is Turkish then I think he will have less explaining to do than an English one.

missyoumuch · 13/01/2020 07:39

Firstly - I have to say that rubbishing a name that is perfectly acceptable in another culture because "it's the name of a book character" in the UK is the height of ignorance. It's one thing if the name sounds like arse or shit or something clearly going to lead to bullying. OP has not made up a name or chosen one from a book just because she likes it. I know an Aslan and he's not scarred for life, people comment briefly on the lion and move on.

To OP: have some Turkish relatives. The names that seem popular/easy to say in English I've heard lately are:

Can (sounds like John)
Cem (sounds like Jem)
Alp
Ali
Selim

Good luck!

Cbeebiesrehab · 13/01/2020 08:41

^^ This!!

I like Aslan and to not use a name that reflects his culture that both his parents like because of a fictional lion seems a shame to me.