Contentious doll names - gods and so on.

If the name felt right, I would consider it entirely up to me to name it.

With some exceptions - I could easily name a doll Jesus, because Jesus is a name. I would, on the other hand, not name one Christ or Buddha, as these are religious titles, instead of actual names.

When it comes to religion, I think, my own opinion, that the phrase "nobody believes in it anymore" justifies naming a doll (or pet) after a god, is more hurtful/offencive than respecting someone's hurt feelings. A religion, a faith, it's the same whether few or many believe in it, someone believes this, and if you're going to hurt someone, why care more to 'protect' one group of people, over than others? To avoid discrimination? Well, that itself is discrimination. To refrain from straying offtopic, I'll stop here.

 

Well, one of my characters has what might be considered a "religious" name. His name is Malchrist. I'm going to be getting a doll of him at some point, although I haven't found a sculpt that fits him yet. His name isn't intended to be religious, however. The word "christ" derives from the Greek word "khristos", which literally means "the anointed". It is also used as a translation for the Hebrew "masiah" or Messiah. The thing is, Mal doesn't really care about any of that. He just chose his name to shock people, because he's an ass who likes to drive people away. In his mind, the only meaning to his name is "Bad Messiah", or another meaning for "anti-christ".

Is it wrong of me to name him that? *Shrug* Maybe. I usually just call him Mal anyway, since it's an easy nickname. I'm not a Christian, though I have studied it in an academic setting, so I don't really care. If anyone got offended by it, I would tell them they're reacting in the way Mal's character wants them to.

 

Bolded for emphasis. There are quite a few people who still worship gods like The Morrighan, Zeus, Dionysos, Ares, Mars, Venus, etc. I am infact one of them. So I would never name a doll after a god unless it was actually an idol to them.

Instead I would choose a name that is 'based' on a god's name. For example, instead of Dionysos there is Dion, Denise, Denny, Dionisio, Denys, Deniska.. the list could go on.

People can do whatever they want. I'm not going to stop them. But if you choose to name your doll after a god, any god (or deified mortal/hero), expect backlash or people who do not approve of it. Of course this could be applied to anything. You can't make everyone happy. But "no one believes in it anymore" is NOT an excuse.

Just my two cents.

 

True, but there are people who name their children after their culture's old religions. My father is Egyptian, and he has several relatives named for the goddess Isis. There are Greeks who name their children Apollo or Athena. In that case, it's more of an honoring of the culture than anything blasphemous.

In my opinion, there's a difference between naming your doll/child/pet/etc. after a deity because you want to remember and honor that deity, and doing it because "it sounds cool" (usually with the qualifier, "no one believes anymore, so no one cares"--people do care). I care when I see people giving their kids traditional Arabic or Indian or Egyptian names when they don't know anything about the culture. It irks me that they'd name their kid Isis because "it sounds soooo beautiful!"

The tradition of naming people comes from the idea that you want your children to take after the qualities of the person for whom they're named. I can understand that, but naming dolls is a bit different, especially when you're naming an original character. You still want a name that captures the qualities you want in a character, but you don't want to name them something just because it sounds cool. I think there's a balance between honor and blasphemy, and it's important to be mindful of WHY you're giving a doll a certain name.

 

Using mythological names or names from antiquity are great because there is connotation attached to those names. If you had a doll named Cain, you'd begin to wonder if he once had a brother.... and what happened to him. The only names I don't like is when someone takes an overused time of day (typically night) and then just change the spelling all silly like, to Silvar Mune Därcness or something like that. The words sound exactly the same when spoken aloud and are difficult to read. It just seems like a name someone came up with to sound really clever without being really clever.

 

...my cat is named Lucifer. But not after the devil or what have you, but after the cat from Cinderella. ^^;
I don't see the problem in naming a doll or a character after a god or anything, because it's no different than naming a child that. Although, I'll admit, I'd prefer the person know something about the god whose name they're using first. Just out of respect.
Like, I intend to have a doll named Fenris in the future. She won't actually have anything to do with the Wolf Fenris, but at least I know the story and didn't just randomly come across the name and say "wow! what a cool name, i'm going to use it!"

 

I wouldn't really mind it, it's not disrespectful to my eyes

 

Yeah, I just cant see myself going and naming a doll 'Mammon' or 'St. Peter'.

 

My sleeping Shushu head is going to be called Sappho. I respect the historical Sappho as an artist, musician and poet and since the head is going to be my first foray into creating face-ups, I'm going to need as much creative energy coming my way as possible The Shushu head won't become a 'Sappho BJD', I won't be dressing her in traditional Lesbian* clothing, or keeping her next to a box of pens or sheaf of paper, she won't literally be Sappho, but she will be a conduit for creativity and an inspiration.

My SDC Kurenai is called Melangell, which is a pretty Welsh girls' name meaning 'dear/sweet angel', but is also the name of an early Celtic saint (known also by her Latin name, Monacella) and I know of at least one doll named after Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. I don't find this particularly offensive and I can't see why a Catholic would find that offensive either, since children are often named after saints. I don't have a Saint Melangell doll, I have a doll called Melangell - biiiig difference.

I can't see a problem with using the name Sappho or Melangell or Kateri or Tom, Dick or Harry, but there will probably be some rabid group out there who will be outraged at what I've got planned, but I know I'm not being disrespectful and that's all that matters. It does offend me when someone plucks a name off the internet and uses it because 'it sounds cool', however, I live in the hope that someone inspired by the name will also be inspired to research it a little, even if that research happens after the fact. I don't want to believe that people will choose to live in ignorance about the smallest things.

*Lesbian = of the isle of Lesbos

 

Naming your doll is a personal, sentimental matter. This doll will be with you for a long time. You don't want to name it a name that does not go with it. At least you don't name your doll apple or orange like some people. I agree with you on on the god names. Some dolls are not suited for the names. Still, it is up to the owner on what the name of their doll is to be. It is up to you on what you seems fit for your doll.

 

I'm one of the people who believes that a name defines the thing. As such naming, and the "baggage" attached to that name are extremely important as the bearer of the name will embody (to a degree) whatever the name has attached to it. Thus while I have no issues with somebody naming their doll Jesus, or Hitler or Zeus, or whatever they think is appropriate, it does irk me when people do not realize what that name carries with it. Honestly, herds of "Lucifers" and other "famous" christian demons make me cringe, mainly because I do not think most people realize that their dolls carry the shadow of the Lord of Darkness and his minions. It's not offensive, it's just stupid IMO. Same goes for "ooo, that name sounds cool". But if you do know the connotations that the name carries and that is what you intended it to be - all the power to you!

As to being offensive, well.. your existence alone is probably offensive to somebody, not to mention your name or the name of your doll. So as long as you know what you're doing it's all fine with me .

 

I don't get offended by any names I guess, I think it's up to every individual person to name their doll whatever they like. But, personally, I would never name my doll Hitler for example, but I guess people are free to do whatever they want, and I mean, it's just a name.

 

Ah, yes. Then again, I just like the name 'Lucifer'. It sounds nice.
As I'm planning on bringing my girl Afina into the world dolly-style, I may bring her husband Lucis who is indeed named for Lucifer. Although, he was an angel of beautiful morning who fell when he chose science and experimentation over religion and faith, so I think the name suits him, in a way.

I'm always very considerate of personality and such when I name a character for a historical, biblical or any other name, as otherwise it would just feel weird. No sense in naming a doll after something and not have even the slightest hint of what the name has come to represent.

(I also have a character named Thanos, for Thanatos.)

 

I have a character named Dionysius. I chose his name because of the meaning behind it. As I think many people may do. Everybody has their own reasons for naming their pets/children/dolls etc. what they name them. Sometimes it's just because it's a pretty name that they think suits what they are name, sometimes they look farther into it to find the meaning behind the name, and sometimes they do it to honor a figure of their faith. I don't really think it's anything to get anybody's panties in a twist over though. Because even if you think it's awful for someone to name something after a god, maybe there's a good reason behind it.

 

One of my dolls is called "Hades" so no... I'm not offended by such names.

 

Not everyone who collects images of buddha to decorate their home with is buddhist - or even practice buddhism let alone know anything about the religion. Even so they admire the calm face of the meditative figure. The same might be said of people who use iconic religious names: they find something beautiful in them, something they want. It could be the sound of the name itself, the story behind it or both.

It is also a good way to challenge ideas that popular culture wants us to believe in. What better way to bring something down to a level we can explore than to do it through dolls?

 

As for me, it wouldnt bother me, if someone is unhappy or angry with my doll's name.
There are so many cultures, religions, traditions in our world, that you cant suit all of them. Some words may sound very different in different languages, and may be harrasive or funny for different people.
As an example - I wanted to name my first doll Tsukito (was inspired by certain manga character) but this word sounds very similar to czech word "tsuketa" (zucchini in English). So my friends made fun of me and this name. But it wont stop me by naming doll this way.
Also I'm completely atheistic, so I'd better keep my thoughts about religious issues to myself, so I wont hurt anyone's feelings.

 

I dont know anyone who owns a doll personaly, but i have seen people with dolls named after anime characters porposely or not. It doesnt bug me so much, but as a roleplayer i get the instent sense that that doll, what ever characters name it may have, might also act like that character as well. I try to refrain from making anime jokes or talking about the anime while refuring to said doll.

 

I would name a doll 'Adolph', though. Not after Hitler, but because it means 'noble wolf' and I like wolves.

 

Yeah, Adolf alone is a pretty innocent name, I think. Calling him Hitler - that's another story.

I don't see a lot of dolls with the name "Frank" or "Ted" or "Jenna"... but I think it has to do with the hobby as a whole, being that they're extremely beautiful dolls that we spent a lot of time and money on. So with creating a unique doll, it's only right to pair it with a unique name.