Hate DD’s planned baby name. Is it ever ok to say that?

[Giggsie]

I expect the answer is to keep quiet but I fear by future grandchild will be teased mercilessly.

Heard worse… I would associate it with Jupiter’s moon too

Io is a great name! Honestly other kids won't bat an eyelid. There are so many more unusual names now, it's not like the 80/90s when all the girls were Emma, Sarah, Rachel or Claire. I've taught one Io and hundreds of girls called Ayo (same pronunciation, Nigerian/Ghanaian name), honestly she will be absolutely fine.

I've taught multiple Ayos (same pronunciation) over my teaching career and I can assure you this has never happened.

I’d have to say something OP, potentially via my husband who has a far more playful relationship with DC. He would probably whistle “Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go!” and point out his joke anyway.

I think mythological/space themed names can be really cool but after a woman who was raped - no. We have to remember we aren’t picking our own name we think is cool as presumably a confident adult but somebody else’s name, who might not appreciate it.

If my dad took the piss out of my chosen name like that I'd be livid! You had your chance to name babies OP. This isn't it.

I’d suggest they call her Ianthe and use it for short.. or Iona

It’s not that odd, it is however an odd character to name her after

That would be very annoying and wouldn’t make your point

@Giggsie , I would mention it.

Something like 'I can see the appeal, but won't it get mixed up with “Lo” or “10”? Won't some people say 'Ee-o'? And it's from Greek mythology, a woman who was raped by Zeus. '

I have to admit, I do wonder if over on "Men and Motors"* there are similar threads where a man writes "I dislike the name my DS has chose for my grandchild" ?

*Other non-MN forums are available.

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Zeus raped everything that moved. Rape is endemic. If we can't name our daughter's after rape victims there'd be no names left. 😭 As pps have said, a woman is more than what a man has done to her.

Also, I'm sure a lot of commonly accepted boys names have a slightly darker past for those who like a bit of melodrama.

For every rape victim, there is of course a rapist.

Why should anyone, even a mythological being, be defined solely by the fact that she was raped? If you had been raped, how would you feel if that was the one and only thing anyone remembered about you?

There is also the culture chasm.

Greek Gods and Heroes existed in the minds of the Greeks in a way they they don't in ours. People here are discussing "Io" in isolation from the entire theological and philosophical framework from whence it is taken.

I can't speak for the OPs DD, but it would seem like they do get this to a certain extent. And it seems to be that which some find noteworthy.

Also, we don't know if "Io" was in use before the legend arose. Did her parents just invent it ?

@cryptide ,you are missing the point.

Firstly Ɪo doesn’t rhyme with ‘heigh ho’ so it would be a stupid ‘joke’; secondly, what kind of parent would take the piss out of their child/grandchild like that; and thirdly, any name can be made into a ‘joke’ if you’re that way inclined.

You do know lots of women were raped in mythology, right? Cassandra - she was raped, as was Persephone. Do you go round telling women called those names that they were ‘named after a rapist’? Do you define women only by their rape or sexual assaults? And talk about blaming the victim!

You do know lots of women were raped in mythology, right? Cassandra - she was raped, as was Persephone. Do you go round telling women called those names that they were ‘named after a rapist’?

You mean rape victim. As already noted there appears to be far less anxiety about rapists. Alexander, for example, who abducted (generally classical shorthand for rape) Helen of Troy (this making Helen the name of a victim) kickstarting the Trojan war ....

Yes to Ganymede. He’s referred to as Jupiter/Zeus’ “cup bearer” - such a great euphemism! 😂

My favourite part of the Io myth is after she’s been turned into a cow, she goes to her dad and writes her name in the ground with her hoof so he knows it’s her. Very handy it’s only two letters! Imagine a cow coming up to you and starting to write something, and being like ‘Sweetheart , is that you?’

I do @SerendipityJane I realised too late to edit it. Thank you for the correction. I do, indeed, mean rape victim.

*Paris.

My grandmother commented on my DS name. It wasn’t traditional and she’d never find anything with his name on. Thankfully the rest of my family shut her down (the name is in the bible and we’ve all found plenty of things with his name on) but I’ve never forgiven her for the judgment that came with the comment.

You could shorten it it O, delivered Nessa Style 😉.

also known as Alexander.

Obviously, tracing names through their variations would demonstrate that all names are problematic. But we can't have that as selective outrage is so much more fun

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text

（Pa/ris), also called Alexander , was the second son of Priam and Hecabe.*

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OP I agree. io is a terrible name for a baby! 😬

I think it's fine to voice it. My mum was incredibly vocal with all my picked names. She would explain why some were revolting in great detail, and I found it amusing and I wanted her to like it. Depends on your dynamic I suppose!