Contentious doll names - gods and so on.

Well wouldn't name the doll by any body part. Like Tibia, Fibula, scapula, humerus,mandible, pancreas,gluteus etc. LOL

 

Hm. I never realized that Lucifer could be an offensive name. o_o;;;

I just love the name and I wanted to name my doll that, but I suppose I should read up on it...

 

I'll be automatically avoiding a godlike name as I am naming my Mars Buddydoll "Marius"!
To me it's a more pompous sounding name anyway.
=)
But I wouldn't avoid for example Lucifer, if I felt it suited my doll.
I think people can find the dolls themselves offensive, if they try hard enough...

 

For me,my issue is if,for example, someone was to make a doll named Jesus that looks like Jesus. I personally think that's bad taste. That's my issue. I don't really care if it's named Jesus,Lucifer, whatever as long as it's just in the name.
but I am one of those people who kinda don't find the named Lucifer or Jesus offensive so...only if the doll impersonates the person is my issue

 

I am a strong believer that a persons doll is theirs to exhibit in whichever way they see fit. Including names.

 

I don't know whether I'd find a BJD Jesus offensive or in bad taste. It depends on the dolly owner. If they were doing it to be offensive, then I wouldn't like it, but that is down to the spitefulness of the owner, not the doll. If a doll was modded and dressed historically accurately and called Jesus I probably wouldn't mind so much, after all, I read somewhere that Walmart started to sell plushie Jesus' and Marys to try and counteract all the Bratz dolls, if plushie religious figures aren't offensive, a work of art like a BJD shouldn't be. It all depends on the spirit in which it was done.

 

I guess it depends on your religious views and your level of consideration for those of others.

Sticking strictly to the Judeo-Christian religious environment (the one with which I'm most familiar), if you look at the meanings of most classic English names you'll see that they either come from the (KJV) Bible or are derivatives of same. Joshua and Jesse are both based on the name Jesus, and look how many permutations of Mary there are!

Now, to make a Mary or Jesus doll...? Well, if WalMart can do it, why not? If that's your thing, go for it. It might make a refreshing change from all the "Beelzebub" and "Lilith" and "I'm so goth my soul is black" type dolls running around. (Not that there's anything wrong with goth dolls...)

 

Nope.

My dolls, I get to name them whatever I want.

Teddy

 

well personally i am a huge fan of mythology, especially griek and celtic myths.

in the future I might like to name a doll Artemis or Cathubodva, and I see no real problem with this, because I can not see how someone could be offended by my use of a goddess's name (that some do not even know) thats over 2000 years old, and actually has a emotional meaning for me, or fits the character of my doll.

now the name Jesus for my doll I would probably avoid, the name has no special meaning for me but I know it would offend a lot of people.

 

It would be difficult since no one knows what Jesus looked like (although there are some pretty old members here ).
Just a lazy opinion: one can name their doll whatever. If their intent is to offend or cause issues I would find that pretty childish behavior. And taking such a doll out in public might result in the doll being brought home in pieces.

 

It's taken me a while to clarify my opinion.

In the end, I don't think it's bad, as long as the person doesn't try to pretend their doll IS that god, or anything. (human!) Kids are named after Saints and other holy figures all the time. I guess it would depend on the attitude of the owner, but I personally would just say that they just happen to be named after whatever prominent figure. It wouldn't be me, like, trying to endow my dolls with power, or make fun of the idea of that figure, or even model doll or figure after the other. It would be a fitting name, and I guess an honor. Kind of like being named after Great-Great-Great-Grandpa Fred who helped over 80 slaves escape to freedom, or something. But it wouldn't be SAYING Fred would then have to free 80 slaves, nor hoping that he would, but rather honoring the memory of the greatx3 grandpa as well as showing love and hope for the young Fred. Understand my point?

 

I think Lucifer is a bit over done....not to say it's not a cool name, in sound. If your doll looks like a LUcifer go for it.


I'd totally name a doll Loki. But it would have to be the right one. :3

Honestly instead of thinking of names to avoid I go to baby naming sites and look up what I want in a name. :3 Then I narrow it down.

Of course this is for dolls I wish I could own lol.

 

Cain's sitting in my lap as I type, but coming from a very Christian family, I'd have to draw the line at Lucifer or Beelzebub (not to mention it's a bit of a strange name anyway...).

As long as it was done well, I'd say a Jesus doll would be pretty nifty, but just as a name, not so much. (Unless you're going by the Hey-zeus pronounciation)

Continuing with the question, as I stated I'd be unwilling to name my dolls certain things due to religious beliefs, but is there a certain point where names are "no longer offensive"? Naming your kid Zeus might've been a strange point in ancient times, but if I saw a doll named Zeus nowadays I'd not give a second thought.

 

I think names reeally do matter, it can give an impression to other people, intentionally or not. Also, you might not care what other people think, Jesus, Satan, Lucifer, Einstein etc, but it's going to give someone an immediate visulisation of what you as a person are like and what your doll is like.

If someone called their doll Jesus, I would presume, rightly or not, that they WERE a religious person. If I heard a doll named Satan or Lucifer, I would think they were a little immature as a person and trying to just be cool.

Basically, I am all for naming your doll whatever you likfe, but I think people will make up their own minds the sort of person that you yourself are.

 

People name their children after religious figures all the time. Where do you think names like Mary and Paul and David came from?

Besides which, no matter what you name your doll, on a community as large as this you're bound to offend at least one person.

 

Personally I wouldn't call my doll Satan, Jesus, Mohammed, Allah, Vishnu or any other of these names.
I have no problems with names from 'extinct' religions, like 'Isis' or 'Loki', because these persons are no longer important to people here on earth. But to use names from the main persons in religions people still believe in I think is bad form.

Of course, there are many people called Mary and no-one is offended by that. Because it is considered a normal first name by now. But calling your child, your pet or your doll 'Satan', 'Allah' or 'Buddha' is automatically giving a statement, whether you'd want to or not. These names mean so much to many people, we could at least respect that.

 

To some people, those deities aren't extinct, though. They may not be common enough that you will encounter them in your lifetime, but I personally know at least two people who follow the Egyptian pantheon, and more than that with a religious belief in the Norse pantheon.

 

I've met plenty of people named Jesus and Mohammad. In their cultures those names are as common as Mary is in mine. Even so, I'd probably look askance at a doll with those names, probably because of all the Lucifer dolls running around. I would assume (rightly or wrongly) that the doll owner was aiming for attention.

I've met people who follow "extinct" religions. *shrugs* It's just not that common. But I admit to not having an issue with an Athena doll, for example, anymore than I would with a Mary doll.

 

Er, that comment borderlines ignorance. I guess that's fine though, I understand that the worship of "extinct" deities is very uncommon. I mean, come on, Paganism? Wicca? What is that stuff right?

Being serious, your comment hurt me. You probably didn't mean to, but it did. I actually worship God Loki and Goddess Isis along with many other "forgotten" deities. Just because they aren't as many followers today as there were in yester-years doesn't make them "extinct". Before you get on the subject of religion, you need to do your research about it. I've spent the last four years reading about all the various religions out there and the various aspects of each. I can safely say there is no religion out there that is "extinct".

On topic now; What someone names their doll is in insight into their personality, which shouldn't be judged. So what if someone calls their doll Satan or Daisey, or even Googie-Eating-Bittle-Bub? Just because it is not "of the norm" to you doesn't make it wrong. It's all about giving these lifeless beings names, making them to what we want. I say if you paid the money for it, go ahead and call it Monkey Butt!

 

I'm with you Rook. It doesn't take much to do a little research and unpick your ignorance. Just because something hasn't been mainstream in the last 1000 years, it doesn't mean it is irrelevant or extinct. There are groups of Asatruar in Scandinavia who have followed Asatruar ways from antiquity up until this present day. To them, Odin Allfather, Frig, Freja, Loki and Fenrir are very real, and most certainly not extinct, and there are many other sacred names that are very real and very honoured among people who are here on earth now, Silk.

I have no problems with Isis dolls or Athena dolls or Hekate dolls...as long as the person who chooses those names realises that those Goddesses are still current and there are people who may take exception to a sacred name being used flippantly and with no care or regard for that name's origins. As has been proved, using a name with no awareness of current meaning, original meaning or respect shows ignorance and this goes for any kind of name, not just religious ones. Calling a doll 'Mugabe' is just as questionable as calling a doll 'Hades.'