India or Savannah - Pretentious or pretty?

[babyincubator]

I can't believe how tricky this name choosing malarkey is! What does everyone think about India or Savannah for a girl's name.
I was thinking about using Rose as a middle name so -
Savannah Rose

Or India Rose

?

I agree with pointy actually. But only for my own personal children. They are pale as ghosts and probably wouldn't suit an exotic name, however much I liked it.

I have an India Rose and I like Savannah. Neither is pretentious imo. Oh and DD is pale, blonde and blue eyed.

Proudaspunch - we are in Hove & there are a few India's in my girls school & Scarlett's (my 1st DD) and too my horror there is also a Sienna in the same reception class as my 2nd DD Sienna !!!! No Savannah's .... I did work with a child up North called Savannah, sadly her (so-called) family called her Sav or Savvy - we refused !

I don't think it's racist at all

Isn't (or wasn't) there a soft-furnishings shop called India Rose in Sloane Square?

Rose as a middle name is totally over-done, I'd have thought.

Savannah I would say is the opposite of pretentious. India is pretty although I think of the super plain India from Gone With The Wind when I hear the name and it puts me off.

"pointy - you are joking arent you? thats quite racist."

How is that racist?

its not a name I would associate with a white child - read into that what you will.

Agree that both names will date rapidly. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you are aware.

I know a lovely lovely Savannah (grown up - hippy parents), so it has good associations for me. India I'm not so keen on. It sounds a bit posh.

That should be 'that is how pointys statement translates. I would hope unintentionally.

that is how you have translated it, spangles. I have no idea what you might read into that translation, whether intentionally or not

its one of the offensive statements that 'exotic' people like me have to put up with when we are pregnant and discussing names. I thought I would point it out to you so you would know it was a statement to avoid saying in future.

Spangles, I also used the term 'exotic' in my post when referring to the names India and Savannah. I am genuinely interested why you picked Pointy up on her post, and not me.

you choose to interpret 'exotic' purely as a racial term. And you;re being patronising.

I must say that I didn't read 'exotic' to mean non-white, just as i didn't read 'pasty' as white. My dd2 is 'exotic'-looking (dark eyes and auburn hair) and could carry off a strong unusual name, for example. It's like if you call a kid Einstein, or Troy or something: you'd better hope he can carry it off. Some children just don't fit their names if they aren't striking-seeming enough to suit them.

Rindercella I didnt see your post, I scrolled to the bottom to add my comment and noticed Pointys, a couple of posts ahead of mine. Similiar statements although yours is worse. Pointy has used pasty (infers white in this context), yours is more overtly white :blond haired blue eyed and pretty. Yours reads an India should be exotic (foreign, not from here therefore diffenct) or white and pretty. You reinforce the white, having more value, with the blue eyes and the pretty. You may or may not be aware that is how it will be read by someone from an ethnic background. It is the subtle language of racism and people use it without knowing. Exotic and the context in which is used is one the the words make me question the motives of the person making the comment.

Actaully pointy I and many other people have been patronised by the statement many times. Even DH (white) thought it was not right the first time he heard it and he never picks up on anything.

I would be deeply offended that you think my post is racist spangles. However, you know nothing about me - you do not have a clue what background I am from; what my ethnicity is. You have interpreted your own blimkered views on what I have said.

More fool you really

Bitoffun - I can see where you are coming from but IME the word name and exotic are generally racially offensive. I have a couple of childre and it was the same each time.

as I said Rindercella, I said you may or may not be aware how that may be interpreted. But I and many others consider it racially offensive. I did not call you a racist I broke what you said down into how it could be interpreted.

I know what pointy means about too exotic for pasty faced kids!

I agree that Savannah is a bit Danielle Steele. I laughed at that. India is not my style either but I think it's prettier than Savannah. Do you like Willow? That seems in the same style as India and Savannah. It would suit a pasty-faced child a bit better though! India when all your ancestors are from Ipswich and you've never been there could be seen as odd.

"You reinforce the white, having more value, with the blue eyes and the pretty." No I do not.

FFS

You know what, it is just not worth arguing the toss with a numpty on the internet who insists on seeing a problem where there is none.

It works the other way too spangles. I wouldn't have called my son Fionn because he was (going to be) too dark. Was that racist of me?

Some people love to trip themselves up in smoke and mirrors....