Daria

[HislittlePoppet]

Hi everyone,

I am new to Mumsnet and this is my first post.

My DH and I are considering Daria for our baby. I am of eastern European origin and the name means 'gift' and is popular in countries such as Russia and Poland.

We are slightly concerned that our DD will be teased though. This may sound daft, but back in 1990s there was a character called Daria in the cartoon series Bevis and Butthead, who was teased because of her name. (If you haven't sussed what they called her then that's a good thing and I won't say any more!)

I have contacted five random Darias on Facebook, who were umknown to me previously and asked them about their experiences in childhood and as adults, and none of the three who replied said she had any problems with it, although one said her brother teased her slightly when he was very young.

I just wondered what everyone else thinks, please? We haven't run it past our families as we don't want to know their reactions, in case they are negative. My mother in particular would have no qualms about making it known what she thought. We would rather present them with a fait accompi where the name is concerned.

Thanks everyone!

Well first thing I thought of was Beavis and Buthead and the Daria/Diarrhoea hilarity.

I don't think it would be just our generation that came up with that joke, boys are boys. Once she was out of school it would be ok but I have to say I would avoid it.

I actually like the name. Was the Daria in Beavis and Butthead the same one that had her own cartoon around the same time? Cos that was ACE, and Daria the character was brilliant.

Wasn't there another program called Daria where she was quite, um, cool for want of a better word?

I wouldn't have got beavis/butthead connection and think that young kids now wouldn't have heard of it.

Got to say it's a bit full-on to contact random people asking them about their names!

Yes I am obviously confused, I'm thinking of that daria (just googled) but don't remember beavis/butthead being there

Bellsa - I didn't see the follow-up series but one of the Darias who responded said she had all the DVDs and seemed happy with that connection!

ImSoNotTelling - Perhaps it was a bit "full on" but I explained why I was asking and the three who anwered seemed happy to be contacted and gave fullsome replies. I thought that the best way to find out was to ask people of that name as they would have first-hnd experience. And I'm asking total strangers on here what they think, so what's the difference?

Thank you all for your replies.

Daria made her debut in Beavis and Butthead as a girl in their class at school, but then she had her own spin-off series where she was the main character and a bit older, as I understand it. Hope that clears up confusion!

Good point poppet, good point!

I think you should use it if you like it - people can find a horrible alternative to most names if that's what they want to do.

Beavis and Butthead has been over for a long time. Daria is a gorgeous name, and I would go for it.

No matter what you name your baby, you've no guarantee that it won't have some unfortunate association by the time she enters school. You just don't know what the next big thing on tv might be four years from now.

Thanks - you're both right! Kids are kids and will always find reason to tease if that's what they want to do.

you like this name enough that you don't want your parents to put you off as they might be negative so I say go for it.

I'm in North London and I would say that noone would bat an eyelid around here at Daria - I've never met one but would not be surprised to IYSWIM

its pretty.

DS goes to school with a Daria. S'nice

LOL st you contacting 5 random facebook Darias

Call her Daria but use Dasha/Dasia as her nickname and she'll be known as that by her friends

I like it, you should go for it. I don't think it's that much of a teasing target.
Unfortunately if a child is going to get teased, it will happen no matter what the name. So by the same token your name alone won't make you. Target.

I LOVED the cartoon. I have all of the videos that were released, and apparently it's being released in its entirety next year, which is brilliant.

Oh, and I like the name too

Sorry to be juvenile, or say what you don't want to hear, but all I see is 'diarrhoea.'

But if you're not telling your families as they might be negative, then I'm guessing you're really set on it.

You can never police what kids in the playground will adapt it to, whatever variation you use.

I like it. I never watched Beavis and Butthead and I didn't think of Diarrhoea!

Wow, I can't believe you contacted people on facebook! that was brave. I thought about Lydia years ago, and wondered about similar issues. Name being distorted slightly and coming up with a disease

Thanks for all your responses.

Clam, we have a list of 5 possible names, Daria is just our favourite. We haven't discussed any of the names with family, mainly because we want to meet our DD first before we make a decision. She might not look like a Daria when she emerges !

MaggieBelle - I also like Lydia and until you mentioned it I would never have associated it with a disease!