Contentious doll names - gods and so on.

The only names that would bother me are those of murderers, etc. I wouldn't want to see a Charles Manson or a Hitler for instance.

However, any other name to me would be fine. It you are portraying your doll (character doll) as a particular person real, imaginery, or otherwise the name would be acceptable.

You are bound to offend someone somewhere with whatever name you pick. Political correctness makes me cringe!

 

I try to avoid ever naming dolls/characters after religious figures in general. Personally, I do it out of respect, not because I worry about offending someone. And I wouldn't name a doll/character the name of a serial killer or truly evil person in history out of respect for the ones they have hurt. I do have a character (not doll as of yet...don't know if I ever really wanna make that character a doll, actually) that is a demon, but they have their own name. I want my characters to be uniquely themselves and not carry with them any kind of stigma. I'm not above having my character dress up and play like one of the Greek gods in a photostory for example, but they are not made to be that mythological figure, or carry the weight of being named after them.

 

If I liked the name, I wouldn't care about what anyone else thought. With that said, I don't think any of my dolls will be named anything offensive. I will be giving them names from a couple different ethnic groups. Like an Indian first name, Japanese last name etc. I couldn't give a doll a name of a figure in history I dislike, like Hitler. Not because it would bother others, but because it would bother me.

 

I can't think of anything I wouldn't name my doll if that's the name I liked and it fitted them, and I don't get offended by what people name there dolls, after all I don't know why they choose that name do I?

 

i wanted to name a doll amaterasu, but i dont know, i thought because it was a fake god. oh well, the name is pretty, and if im not using as a fake god, it cant be bad, right? especially if the oc i wanted to use the oc's name for is an angel ^///^

 

I did not realize it was a fake god...I thought it was a sun goddess (or something very similar) and was a very real goddess to some people. Perhaps I am thinking of someone else or there was a fictional character you are thinking of?

Either way (and I am pretty sure I said this already in this thread, but I do not remember) I really have no problem with people using such names as doll names (or names of people or fictional characters).

 

NabeeRain: Amaterasu is a goddess who represents the sun in Shintoism; she is very important.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaterasu

The Japanese royal family claimed they were directly descended from her for the longest time.

 

meh, a name is a name.
As long as you don't go around shouting 'ALL HAIL TO DIONYSUS' without ample amounts of ivy, grapes, wine and crazyness it should be okay.

I was going to name one of my dolls baccus (and another maenae) but I changed my mind because I thought they were a bit stuffy for those names. I'm still deciding, but I prolly won't name anything, doll or otherwise after gods, goddessess, major famous or infamous political figures, or food groups.

But that's just me. I don't care what others name their dolls as long as they don't do it just to be annoying.

 

Being a pantheistic pagan I believe in many gods. I only worship a few, but I believe in many. That being said, I have a DZ Hid named Loki that is named that because Loki the god wanted him to be. I have a Horus and Anubis too. And I will be naming a future doll Cernunnos. I also have a Lucifer. Personally I believe that if the other-worldly being in question objected to a doll/pet/object being named after it, they'd make their feelings known.
I do however think it would be in incredibly bad taste to name a doll/pet/object after an historical figure that was known to be a homicidal/genocidal psychopath. Being of 3/4 Scottish and 1/4 Ukrainian decent I have issues with Stalin. While people have a right to name their dolls whatever they like, they should also think about the connotations that said name would have. And just because a person was a hero to some people, to others he may well have been a "Big Bad". Like Richard the Lionhearted, who was really not that nice of a person.

 

There really aren't any names I wouldn't consider if they fit well enough. There's a doll owned by someone I watch on dA named 'Jesus' and I really don't find that offensive.

 

Mmm... truthly, there might be some names I would never use on my dolls just because I don't like them. I can't think of any off the top of my head but I know there are several. If a person named a doll a name I didn't like, well its not my doll so I shouldn't have any say in it. As for taking offense to names like Lucifer or Angel.. or somthing relgious, I know people named Mohammed and people named Angel, big deal. Their just names, people can name their doll however they want to.

 

I think this is an interesting debate, made even more interesting in that this hobby allows people all over the world with massively different cultures and come together to discuss it with regards to our common interest in BJDs...So my two cents worth:

I think a few of the examples for this debate particularly made me want to post because I myself have just ordered a doll sculpt from Dolkot named “Lucifer.” I wasn’t personally offended, but thought at the time that the doll name was an interesting choice because a) the doll doesn’t resemble classic depictions of the Biblical figure Lucifer in any way and b) it seems like an unsound marketing decision to name a product after a remarkable Biblical figure when you run a public company, especially one with a strong Western market. However, I also consider that a) the doll company is in Korea and therefore might not be well informed of the source of the name, and b) just like Jesus the name Lucifer is actually still used in some countries. Sometimes it seems to me that Asian countries use Western words and names because they like the sound and don't really know/care about the cultural or literal meaning (similarly to how we tend to use Asian names/words because we think it sounds pretty--it definitely goes both ways.)

Additionally, I feel the name “Mohammad” is a little different from a non-Muslim perspective because it’s literally against the religion to create representations of Mohammad (citing why the teacher that named the bear Mohammad got in trouble is because it was felt she was creating an image of the prophet Mohammad.) Therefore, it is literally an automatic offense to name a doll Mohammad because a doll is in essence a representation of a person. So even if you feel it’s your doll and you have a right to name it whatever you want, it seems like it would be extremely ignorant to use the name not knowing what it really means and how it’s supposed to be used. Sort of like how one might get a tattoo with a Kanji character on it that they think means "Serenity and Love" but in reality is random gibberish like "Pancake Tree Freeway." You can go ahead and do it of course, no one can actually stop you, but people who know better won't take you or your doll seriously.

Lastly, the name “Hitler” is another spike on my social radar. Now, there is a clause built into the free speech amendment of the USA that allows for limitations against hate groups, such as the Neo Nazis and the KKK. For example, the KKK can’t have public signs exhibiting racial slurs because that counts as “hate speech” since it’s directed to members of the racial groups effected by those slurs. So if you want to claim that “Hitler” is a fitting name for your doll, and you have the right to name your doll whatever you want, I would consider that filed very closely under the same technicality. You may have the right to name your doll whatever you want, but any community has the right to their peace of mind. It doesn’t really matter what the name means to you if it’s considered hate speech against an entire social group...it certainly runs an unnecessary risk of estrangement from an otherwise open-minded and fulfilling community experience.



As for the name “Adolf”--it's still in semi-common usage (old fashioned, like Bertha in the USA for example) in many European countries so that might be a welcome alternative to a name that would otherwise cause a lot of discomfort for a lot people (and the name “Hitler” can be kept to oneself.)

 

Well, I think I personally wouldn't take so provocative names for no reason.
The names I took for my dolls was planned being pretty neutral,
My first doll is named "Gabriel", and everyone but me is thinking of the christian archangel.
Maybe I'm thinking to less about the names I give ^^°
otherwise I agree with Anneke.
I also wanted to buy a doll which is currently named "Lucifer". But I rather just like the name, just as "Lucifero" or somethin', not because of the Biblical figure.

Anyway, I have to say that I was more scared by some of the names given by doll-sellers than of any owners.
The last doll I order was a "popo"doll named "mumu" - which are both names for human genitals in my homeland ^^"""
oh - I'm still thinking about a better name right now XD

 

That's an interesting place to find yourself in! I had no idea those names were referencing genitals, they sound really cute and harmless to my Californian ear! In fact, a "mumu" is a great big house dress sort of garment worn by very large people. It's just another example of how no matter what you do someone is going to be uncomfortable with a name. At least when the doll is yours you don't have to keep such names--I'm definitely not going to keep the name "Lucifer" for my Dolkot doll!

 

Yeah, I can imagine, I don't blame the seller who's working anywhere in Hong Kong, you know ^^
But when I told my friends about THOSE names, they nearly wet themselves, it was so funny xD
but for nations it's nothing wrong with the name, you're right ^^

 

I wouldn't ever call a doll Stalin, Hitler or God.... >>

I also hate stupid doll names. I say stupid because they are names that for one reason or another fill me with rage. Names like Clancy, Blayne, and Sterwart.

It's ultimately up to the owner to figure out what's acceptable or not.

 

Hmm. I have a Loki (though I don't think it suits him and am going to change it to Kit) and my dad is one of those neo-pagans who believes in the old Norse gods. I didn't ever really connect the two though, interesting...

Personally I am in the "it's just a string of syllables" camp. My views on offensiveness are... a bit offensive in themselves, so I'm not going to get into that. But I did consider "Edmund" for a while, and on discussing it with the boyfriend (who knows me Way Too Well) I got the response "After Kemper, right? You can't. He doesn't deserve a namesake."

I read way too much true crime.

eta that I hadn't actually intended to name my doll after a murderer. I was thinking Narnia. Or at least I thought I was ><

 

Haha yes, somes dollies brand names have a weird signification in some languages ! I was shocked at the Littlefee Pipi, since Pipi means urine in French ! That's just hilarious !

 

God is a tittle, not a name... it would kind of be like naming you doll Sir. or Madam... or Human...

 

Except for the Christian god, whom is called God. The g is capitalized to show its 'his' name.

On another note, it wouldnt upset me to see dolls named after gods, demons, angels, 'evil' or 'good' historical figures. Its interesting to see what people do, unless they were purposly doing it to hurt others. But even then, its their doll & their choice.