Is India unusable

[Gardeniarose]

DH and I are expecting our first baby, we were set on India, but a few days ago I saw some comments on here suggesting it may not be useable due to colonial/Imperialists links. I can't imagine my baby being anything other than India but I don't want to give her a name that will cause any offence or embarrass her.

So is India unusable? What could we use instead?

Or India Willoughby, the only transwoman with a cervix ( allegedly)

MN views tend to verge on the more easily offended/navel gazing than most people I know who don't really care what other people call their kids.

I agree with this & find the baby names that are considered acceptable incredibly narrow & weirdly so many seem to see a name from
another culture & thinks it's yooinque or not spelt correctly, incredibly ignorant.

However I do think the name India is problematic in todays gaze.

I think part of the issue is that people are struggling to separate India the name from
India the country. Yes the origin of the name is from the country but it now exists as a name in its own right. Much like Harrison and Jackson, originate as ‘son of ….’ but now exist as names in their own right that don’t have to be used in that context.

How can you separate the name India from the country?

How about Lydia instead? Same slightly old-fashioned, slightly posh-girl vibe with similar sound but none of the negative connotations.

@Henxy it tended to be used by umc families in the past which when you consider colonialism it's dodgy

I think for the most part it still is used by the MC/UMC. I teach piano at a few independent schools in S/W London and India is still a name I hear quite often.

To summarise the new rulz:

Don't call your child anything 'exotic' I e. Non British.

Don't call your child anything another culture/society/race/religion may use.

Don't name your child after a city, region, or country.

I guess the new rules means only traditional white British names are acceptable?

Why is a non British name 'exotic'? If your are a 1st/2nd gen immigrant would it be exotic & should you still only chose white British names?

@Henxy and you don't understand any of the negative connotations?

Never heard of Paris of Troy? A name going back centuries though in modern Greek pronunciation is Baris.

Georgia is the female version of George I thought? Well it is in Greece and Cyprus where I’m from.

India makes me think of India Wilkes in Gone With The Wind. I wouldn’t use it myself. But if you like it then maybe give it to her as a middle name as a compromise.

I totally understand the negative connotations, but I don’t think anyone is naming their child India and thinking that the atrocities committed during colonial rule are acceptable or that the British Empire should rise again. They are picking it as they like the name … it’s not that deep.

@Rollonsept , Priya is fairly common for girls with Indian heritage but not otherwise. Indiya is quite unusual.

My thoughts are that India as a name is pretty awful.

Of course I’ve heard of Paris of Troy. And there’s nothing wrong with Georgia either. What’s that got to do with anything?

Assuming Georgia is relevant as it is also a Country?

Oh Lord I thought it would include the person you were replying to - sorry.

Reading the reactions of PPs on here of Indian heritage would be enough to have me giving it a wide berth. I wouldn’t want to cause offence.

I agree with this. I hadn't thought about it before reading this threat. But if had the potential to offend then I would avoid it.

@Henxy I haven't said they are but as we've both acknowledged there are negative connotations & they are not going to go away. Hence why I wouldn't use it.

This

Although the colonist links are also being mentioned more. Name her England if you feel you need a country? Colonists used to see India as exotic, far away and felt they owned it and it's people. We have moved on and people feel that links to that aren't great anymore. Perfectly understandable.

This was said much better @Gardeniarose

"If it was a country that was colonised and abused by Britain, definitely no. If it’s because it sounds “exotic”, no. If you have links to the country because of heritage, go for it."

If no one is using it in a way that is meant to cause offence, why would anyone be offended?
If people are using the name to signify their poor beliefs (and historically I’m sure they were) then fair enough but I’m almost certain no one is using the name like that now. So what are we offended by exactly, the beliefs they don’t actually have?

I think this must be an untruth. I can't think of a single Indian who would call their child India. It's just not the done thing. Do the English call their daughters England?

How about:
Diana
Imogen
Andrea
Antonia
Cassia
Althea
Eden
Nina

I can't imagine anyone where I live batting an eyelid at a child being called India, it's a name in it's own right like Jordan, Georgia, Florence, Austin, Chelsea, Paris, Shannon, Alexandria.

Can't remember anyone ever saying 'you're calling your child Jordan? Do you realise that was a British colony and you are being imperialist? I'm no longer going to be able to speak to you or be your friend on that basis' So if Jordan's fine why isn't India? Only on MN do people come up with this crap honestly.

Personally I always loved Persia.

It's not just "chavs" whose fashion choices are indicators of what is wrong, sometimes it's upper middle class bohemians in million pound homes in Chelsea. Everyone, regardless of their social status, can make poor choices. You seem to be implying if poor people do something stupid it's stupid, if rich people do something stupid it's morally superior.

She said the children were mixed race, she didn't say that either of them had Indian heritage.

If no one is using it in a way that is meant to cause offence, why would anyone be offended?

One of my closest friends is Indian & she thinks it's questionable (one of our uni classmates had the name). I'm obviously influenced by that.