Political issues for not choosing a name

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I am pregnant with a very much wanted rainbow baby. My partner and I have only ever liked one girls name (through multiple pregnancies) Nova which means ‘new’ or ‘brightest star in the sky’ … but now Im
not sure it’s appropriate to use it (the festival in Israel that was attacked was called the Nova Festival) and selfishly I’m devastated.

Am I over thinking it? Do you think I could use it and it not be connected to the atrocities at the moment and for future generation?

Would appreciate some honest opinions

It's fine. I think it's actually more 'offensive' for want of a better word to make something that's not about into something that is about you.

Stick with Nova. I did not even know that the festival had that name and most others will be in the same boat.

It’s not about me at all… it’s so much bigger than us which is why I’m mindful to not be disrespectful or flippant with it

If you're in Israel or you live in a close knit Jewish community it might be a problem. Elsewhere, no.

Do you know people personally affected? Do they mind?

If not, it’s not an issue in the slightest.

Unless you have a lot of Israeli friends I don't think many people would make the connection. I follow the news quite closely and wouldn't have.

No I know. And I probably didn't manage to express it very well.

Calling a baby in Leeds (or wherever) Nova isn't disrespectful of the war in Gaza. There isn't a connection.

And it's a lovely name.

I think you are over thinking it. I didn't know the name of the festival, and even if I did there are plenty of babies called Nova.

I think it's a lovely choice for many reasons. It's also a lovely sentiment if people do see it that way too IMO. I very much doubt people would put the two together anyway.
Enjoy your pregnancy and little Nova when she arrives 🤩

Don’t worry about it. I am following the news about the situation there quite closely but I could not have told you the festival name until I read your post.

No issues at all. It’s not even associated with the war currently so won’t be in the future. Like others say I didn’t know that association and I’ve watched news.

Use the name, it's beautiful.

Use Nova. It is not disrespectful.

It also means not going in Spanish. I assume you don't live in Spain.

I always think of Vauxhall

I think it's inappropriate, sorry. And I don't have any personal links at all with the conflict.

Vauxhall Nova. I don't like it, sorry.

I wouldn't call a baby Benjamin Nathan right now.

I wouldn't think of it at all, I couldn't have told you what the festival was called. It's a pretty name.

I think that the name of the festival will fade from public memory outside Israel, so I don't see that association as a showstopper.

I'd be more concerned that it doesn't translate well across Europe (as Vauxhall found out - and the Nova car association is very strong).

Also, you do hear it called across parks quite a lot, and it's usually a dachshund that responds.

I wouldn’t have connected it with the festival personally, I don’t think it’s very strong in the public consciousness. My concerned would be whether it has tainted the name for you.

I don’t think anyone in your DD’s age group will be aware of the Vauxhall Nova, so don’t worry about that.

I don’t think anyone in your DD’s age group will be aware of the Vauxhall Nova, so don’t worry about that.
Maybe not, but the Corsa is still around.
The Nova was renamed because 'No va is 'Doesn't go' in Spanish

It's not a case of what her age cohort knows, but what society in general collectively remembers. And it was a very well-known model, with the added distinction of being a textbook branding fail (because of the translation issues)

These are not necessarily issues that mean no-one should use that name ever, but they are things that are better for parents to think about and decide on in advance, not find out about afterwards

There are some names that just aren't usable now because of their associations. I did the Airport Test when thinking about names - could I shout this name in an airport without causing great offence or a security incident?

I don't think Nova is un-usable. It sounds like it's a name that has significance for you, so go for it!

Ha the airport test! An old schoolfriend has a 20-ish daughter who used to be named Isis after the Egyptian goddess. Unsurprisingly this girl is now using Iris instead! Isis is a name which you definitely don't want to be shouting in an airport!

I think even for a person in Spain Nova isn’t wildly inappropriate so I wouldn’t be put off with that. Nova being from Latin is used in the same words in Spanish as in English like supernova etc.

I think when it came to the car it was just funnier as something you need a car to do is go and even then it’s two separate words in Spanish: No va, to mean it doesn’t go.