Is Neelam a suitable baby name without any Indian family links?

[KarolGFan]

Would Neelam be a nice name for an Indophile’s daughter (Indophile- India lover) with no Indian connection?

DO U GUYS LOVE THE NAME LIKE I DO???????

I love the name personally and it means sapphire and blue

what do you guys think

Agreed

We don’t have any Dutch heritage either. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve just namechanged to say this is my name! It’s really mixed name in Indian/Pakistani culture in that I’m a Sikh Neelam (v unusual) but I had two friends at a school a Muslim Neelam and a Hindu Neelam! It’s also the name Ed Sheeran had totooed on his leg for his song sapphire. I’ve had a lifetime of Nee-LAMB when it’s Nee- lum but not so ‘um’ more ‘ahm’ so clearly I love it but it’s deffo kind of a 1980s name and I’ve always loved being Neelam.

Also can I say they always get it right in Starbucks!

I do wonder about the name Mohammed, whenever the ‘most popular baby names’ list comes out and it’s cumulatively at the top – is every single recipient muslim, or are there some non-muslims who just like the name and go for it?

That would feel particularly weird given the significance, but then it’s also a surname and I don’t think all holders of that can be muslim.

For me it's the thought of a lifetime of questions whenever she introduces herself that would put me off. The cultural appropriation less so, the majority of English names are really Greek or Hebrew anyway.

Would you consider calling her India?
Easy to spell & pronounce. No lifetime of explanations for her.

@LiquoriceAllsorts2 , It's a short form of Eleanora. It is far more popular as a unisex Arabic name.

Oh give over 😂

@OhFuckyNell, It's a popular name and would lead to assumptions about the person's race and religion.

@CoffeeBeansGalore , OP loves the name Neelam so why would she call her baby India?

I literally have no idea what you are getting at 😂

Because she's an Indophile. It's not the maddest suggestion.

Would you think the same of a name like Louis or Francesca?

@pinkdelight , yes but it's like OP saying she LOVES the name Lasairfhíona, and you saying 'You could call her Erin'.

@vespersjack , Louis and Francesca are mainstream, Neelam isn't.

No because they’ve been used in English culture for centuries. I’d think it was wanky to call your son Jacques instead of Jack or Henri (pronounced On-ree) instead of Henry if you’ve got no French heritage though.

Sting avoided that by calling his son Giacomo.

India conjures up India Knight for me, who is in disgrace.

@Sskka , Sting and Trudie have daughters called Mickey and Eliot. Sting has a net worth of about $550 m. That probably makes a big difference.

Agree.

I know a Neelam.
She is great.
I've always liked her name.
Thank you for explaining what it means. It's a lovely meaning.

From what I understand, a lot of boys are called Mohammed but go by their middle name. If every Muslim boy is called Mohammed (they won’t all be obviously), that would far outnumber the boys named Oliver, Jack and Theo.

I would assume Indian heritage with Neelam.

What about Neela? It sounds similar but it's more multicultural so it would possibly lead to fewer comments/questions about heritage.

@pinkdelight Thank you. That was my reasoning.
Haven't heard of India Knight or whatever situation has occured.

@Sskka , I'd be surprised at it being used by a non-Muslim couple.
@CoffeeBeansGalore , India knight still at the Times? | Mumsnet