Contentious doll names - gods and so on.

Here's my weird, moral relativist view on the whole thing.

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with any name. It's just a sound with some letters that are supposed to represent it, and any meaning attached to it (offensive or otherwise) is constructed. I can't think of a single name that would offend me or that I would find morally objectionable to name a doll. There are certainly some that would shock me, but I still don't think those are necessarily wrong.

However, I do see where people can get offended, so I think many name choices are unwise for that reason. In most cases, though, worrying about stepping on people's figurative toes is a losing battle. If you love the name, it fits, and you've got reasons beyond just shock value, go for it. Though, I do think that shock value can still be a valid reason when paired with a deeper artistic statement.

And on a final note (forgive the slight tangent) what do people think about naming dolls after historical figures? I could see a name like Ghandi or John F. Kennedy being just as touchy (if not touchier)

 

Dolls themselves, like fashion or speech, are a mode for transmitting ideas about yourself and your particular world view. Of course people will have varied reactions to them and it is the responsibility of both parties involved to navigate this area respectfully. Problems arise when either the viewer or the presenter is unable (or unwilling) to do so. Whether this means naming a doll YHWH or Osama Bin Laden, the more possibly contentious the name, the more willing the owner needs to be to explain why she wanted it and what its significance is to her. It is the right of the owner to choose any name desired for her doll but she also needs to understand the connotations and attachments others may have for that name and be aware that it might be more respectful towards everyone involved to pick a name less culturally loaded.

 

Very good point of view!
Personally I don't easily get offended by dolly names. At least the dolls don't suffer lifelong stigmata from weird names like some human babies do. I keep getting baffled by what people force upon their newborns just to feel that they have a "unique" name...

 

Zeus.
Lol. sorry if it's out there and it just so happens to be YOUR dolls name, but heh.
Zeus.

 

I'm a person of shock value. I would name my dolls the most offencive names. Names are just names. Unless your not willing to get harrased about their name, then dont name them overly touchy names. (wow. 8 names ^_^ But for the physical health of my future doll, and me, I cannot name him God.

 

I don't think I'd name my doll after anything offensive, mostly because I prefer realistic or obscure names.

But. I don't know that I am really offended by most names. Even as a christian minister, I can't be any more offended by someone naming their doll Jesus than I am about a hispanic woman naming her son Jesus. Either it's a compliment to my faith, or it's not. In the case of my latter, I'd leave the offense-taking up to Jesus, since it's his name being borrowed.

 

Well, I'm late replying to you because I totally forgot I even posted in this thread, but I will do so now.

"Mohammed" is actually an extremely common name - as a first name and surname. Maybe it's you who lives under a rock?
Are people using this name worried about "the baggage"? Are such people going to be worried about - in your own words - something as trivial as a doll being given this name? Honestly?

Also, re-read my post. Did I say "I'd use the name Mohammed to insult a bunch of people intentionally!!!"? No. I think you'll find I didn't. Way to take my comment the wrong way.

 

A common name for people, perhaps, but when the name "Mohammed" is given to an inanimate object (for instance, a doll), that's when the issue of "baggage" comes up. This article is about an actual case of a toy (a teddy bear, in this instance) that was named Mohammad, quite innocently, and problems still arose, resulting in prison time for the person seen as responsible. Whether you did it with the intent to offend or not, that is unfortunately how it would be seen.

 

I remember that case, the difference is that teacher was in Sudan. Nothing like that would happen in the UK, so in the case of myself, the "baggage" wouldn't be a problem.

 

I would like to name one of my dream dolls. (Soom MD Sard) Morticai. All though he would gaurd the gate to hell, he wouldnt be evil or good, but both.

 

I don't have any problem with naming a doll or anything after deities. As Zagzagael said, many of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses have become so popular in product placement. Adding to his list, Nike shoes, Cerberus Project BJDs even!

 

Hell yeah! I take Classics at my college over here in England and I would most definately use a Greek/Roman mythology name for a doll. In effect, its keeping the myths alive and well is it not? And so long as you don't outrightly insult the character in question it should be fine!

(you's are general)

At the end of the day, its your doll- do what you like. We spend so much money on these little (or not so little) guys, and as long as you're not setting out to offend, you research it properly, and do it tactfully; it should be fine to name your character/doll whatever you'd like.

 

• Mohammed
• Jesus
• Jezebel (means "she who refuses to cohabit")
• Lucifer
• Satan
• Belzebub and its variants
• Abadon
• Apollyon
• Azazael
• Azrael
• Delilah - (Hebrew meaning that escapes me right now but it denotes a bad character)
• Simeon - (Hebrew form of Simon, means "of unsteady character")
• Judas

There are probably other names I would not use, either because they can have bad meanings (like Jezebel - in the not too distant past to call a woman a Jezebel was also a MAJOR insult over here in the UK, although that insult fell out of favour in the early 1980s) or could be offensive to some (like Mohammed), but I cannot remember them all right now.

Phil.

 

As some people pointed out, it depends on what you believe. If you are Christian I don´t think you want to name your doll Satan or so...
I myslef love mythology, but I don´t have such a big respect to the names. And also I always tend to side with the bad guysXD
But ... I was thinking about naming my new boy Loki and I decided not to, because it seems like he would be turned mischievous and evil, just like the god himself. It´s probably more about these characteristics being connected with this name because we are used to hear it in connection with the god. Then again, I would be completely fine naming my doll Lucifer (have been thinking about something like this actually) because I have different opinions on that character that Christianity does.
So all in all, I don´t think there are many (if any at all) god/religious/mythic names with enough respect as to not be used (you may get judget but that´s it). Because nowadays everybodys´ opinion is different and most people lost respect to these things completely. Some may think it´s disrespectful or tastless, while others find it completely fine.

 

There is only one name I would honestly never use, and I don't mean sarcastically in a "oh ololol i just don't like it" sort of thing- I mean NEVER ever even MENTION the name as a possibility o__o;; Adolf. Or, er, that last name that usually relates to it, hurr xB

Yeah, other than that name, if it suits the doll or the doll's character, why not? JUST NOT ADOLF. OnO

(No offense if anyone has a doll named Adolf or are named Adolf themselves, just not something that's my cup of tea xD;;~)

 

Personally, I'm more than willing to take characteristics, names, symbolism, etc from pretty mcuh any source, including religion and mythology. Okay, I'm kind of partial to religion >.> Perhaps it comes from being raised in a family that wasn't religion, but for me it's all like classic stories. For example, I have a set of fallen angel characters who, at some point, I would like to make into dolls. They're just part of one of my storyverses. Still, their names and some of the mythology surrounding them is based (reeeeeeally loosely) off Christianity. and when I say really loosely I mean it only really bears a superficial resemblence. What can I say, I'm shameless sometimes.

But then, in addition to the angels I also have a Fenrir character 0.o What can I say, I like names from mythology. I really have no problem with it- if I had a problem with other people doing it, it'd be really hypocritical, wouldn't it?

 

I just wouldn't name them after gods because it would seem too, like... egotistical (or controversial, if it was a current god's name) or something. XD;;;
"THIS IS MY GLORIOUS DOLL APHRODITE, HURR" and then she'd be all like wearing a torn hoodie and hiking boots.. lawl. XDD
I've decided to name all my dolls after cities and towns. And maybe plants, some of them. Nice-sounding but neutral names that don't give a pre-conceived impression. Not that un-neutral is bad, (sometimes it's very good to be controversial) but I don't like the name to get in the way of my characters/dolls, personally.

 

I like to think that naming a doll after a god or deity isn't horrible. Especially if the person is just taking the name. I Feel like it's a no harm no foul kind of thing.

I also understand why people would do it for shock value, but again, it really doesn't bother me. I can see how people would be offended and I would never name a doll after a god/deity with the intention of making such a shocking statement that would offend.

Likewise, I have a character named after the fallen Angel Azazel. He is a vampire and very conceited, and in the first enoch it was said he was cast out of heaven partially for marrying women, teaching them to wear makeup and weapons.

I find religions, especially Christianity to be fascinating. However I am not particularly religious in any sense. But I would only use the name if some aspect of the character came from the deity it was named after.

 

It doesn't really bother me, although I probably wouldn't use the name of a deity for a doll. Using Mohammed would be unwise, but most other religious names don't come with any particular cultural reasons to not use them.

I'd definitely be willing to use angel or demon names from religious text, though. I like the sound of a lot of the names, and the mythological associations.

 

I mostly see people talking about people naming there dolls after Gods, but not something that seems a bit more serious of an issue. People name many things after gods and godesses. Obviously, Mahammed is one that was mentioned, but Yahweh is another one (because I know some people don't know this, it's the name of the Christian and Jewish god) would be problematic for others. Other names I can definatly see being taboo to name your dolls would be Hitler, Stalin, BinLaden, or generaly any other names of monsters from the last hundred years. They are TO real for our time to be taken so lightly, and giving your dolls these names would seem to condone the actions associated with these men. In the same way, giving your doll the full name of a known child molester or something of that sort would indeed be crass. I don't seem to see the same problem with cereal killers, but I know the fascination that some people have with them. Of coarse, if you name your doll something like Charles Manson, it would probably be better if you don't tell everyone it's full name.

It's kind of funny that most people probably wouldn't have a problem with the "monsters" of old like Jack the Ripper, Vlad the impaler, and Elizabeth bathory, would be fine, but names of more modern monsters are on the general no no list. what's peoples personal takes on this?