Not even pregnant yet so kind of a non issue but....

[Waiting2BAMummy]

I’m actively TTC and was talking baby names with my sister last night and gave her my list of top girls and boys names.

It’s funny because I always said I’d never tell anyone my names until it was finally decided and baby was here and named as people always give you their opinion if you tell them before but most people won’t say anything if you tell them once baby is here and named.

So very high on my list for a girl is the name India and I would call her Indie for short. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and there will be people who just don’t like the name I expected that.

My sister however said but what if she gets comments about racism?? I was floored and have absolutely no idea where she’s going with this.... thoughts please?

@GirlCalledJames

India is controversial as the name of a British child since Britain committed so many atrocities there. Of course it’s not controversial as a country name.

Well, it actually is controversial as a country name as well. There’s a movement to change its name officially to Bharat or Hindustan by those trying to free the country from the legacy of its colonial past.

If that happens and the name of the country changes then there certainly won't be a problem with calling your daughter India.

It's a lovely name.

India is controversial as the name of a British child since Britain committed so many atrocities there

This

If you like indie then maybe indiana as full name instead?

@LairTai

If that happens and the name of the country changes then there certainly won't be a problem with calling your daughter India.

It's a lovely name.

It will be even more of a problem. Because then there’s no excuse.

Gosh this is MN at it's finest. There is always a small number of those who feel it is necessary to impart all their 'knowledge' and 'educate' the ignorant.
I was being facetious.

As indicated by the number of those who think India is a super name for a white British child with no links to India, people actually don’t seem to realise the connotations. Others will think, at worst, the parents are a colonial/racist type or, at best, an ignorant/uneducated type. Neither is great, frankly. The one India I know changed her name when she was about 13. People can call their DC what they want, but the child has to live with it.

I don’t see why she would get racist comments. I think India is a beautiful name. My friend has a daughter called India who is 4, she goes by Indie mainly.
I also know of an Indigo and an Indiana so a couple of other options if you decided against India.

I personally wouldn't do it. KH is enough to put me off.

I don't think it's a great idea tbh

Would you feel weird telling an Indian person you'd named your child India? It used to be quite normal but people are much more aware of how this can look these days. I think you should have a connection or reason to India, or it can sound a bit ignorant. Like you're just pulling a country out the air which you have no understanding of; especially if you're a race which has been dominant over Indian people.

If you'd been there a zillion times or lived there and loved it then OK. Otherwise it's like you see it as some exotic beautiful name which is a bit patronising to real people from there.

In my ignorance, I'd never really considered the history when thinking about the name until recently, though I have heard it discussed several times now over the past year (IRL, not mumsnet) so if you're going to call her Indie anyway I'd probably go with Indigo.