Would you discard that “perfect” name if…

If you like your doll's name and it's perfect for him, use it! You have a precedent because of the anime/manga, and you can tell anyone who asks that that's who he is named after.

I always Google character names before I name my dolls, because I don't want to name one after a serial killer or someone equally unsavory. Kazuhiro Tanaka was the name of my first BJD, and at first he was only (accidentally) named after a scientist, but now he shares a name with a race car driver who became popular after I named him. LOL!

Linda S.
galatia9

Similarly, I am now drawn to naming a doll "market fluctuation". *snort*

Right now I am reading a book about transatlantic steamships, and apparently there was a New York shipping merchant named Preserved Fish. Makes me think that "anything goes" when it comes to naming a BJD!

Linda S.
galatia9

 

I think that if a name reflects the character of a doll, it doesn't really matter what it means; in your language or otherwise. For example: there is a well respected BJD photographer online who named one of her boys Nacho. (Yes, she knew what it meant). Even if a name is funny in some ways, fear of another person's ridicule should not stop you from doing what you want with your dolls.

 

A perfect name is 'perfect' for a reason - it's exactly what you want for your doll! It would be daunting researching what the name means in every single language commonly used around the world. I wouldn't want to put energy towards that sort of research, personally. The fact is that there are many names out there that mean something funny or weird or, even, 'bad' in other languages; it doesn't stop people from using such names for their kids. And, why should it? As long as the name used is appropriate and socially acceptable to you and the society you are part of, then it shouldn't matter that half across the world the said name may mean something else.

To give a relevant example, there is a very common Chinese name that means... let's just say, a certain male body part, in Russian. And, I am certain in some country, my name means something funny, too . It's just one of those things that happens with names once in a while.

 

One of my friend in middle school had a name, in her language meaning "little bird free in the sky," but in my language, it sounded like "fried and roasted pork"

I wouldn't discard a name just because it sound or mean something weird in a different language. I'm going to be captain obvious by saying different language have different meaning and saying for this and that. The way we speak or our language right now probably sound weird or mean something unintentional in other language.

 

The names I give are pretty frivolous as it is such as fluff, pale baby, deadsypoo so I don't see it as a problem, but if a strange translation did arise I would keep the name meaning.

Unless it translated into something very degrading and offensive to me.

 

I would not discard "the perfect name" if it had a bad translation. The name's meaning is something I rarely look at, unless it's important that it has one. Great example coming up;

I'm currently saving up for a boy, and I know exactly what to call him; Grimm, after the brothers Grimm. This name, however, is an unfortunate one. I'm from Norway, and we have a lot of contact with the other Scandinavian countries by default. "Grim" (which is pronounced exactly like Grimm) means "ugly" in Danish, and my grandma and grandpa almost did a back-flip when we were discussing it, and we're already familiar with what it means in English. Needless to say the only ones who approve of this name and give thumbs up are my more morbid friends. Despite this, I cling to the name like my life depends on it, because I have good associations with the name and know that picking something else will be calling a giraffe a frying pan.

 

I have always had trouble naming bears and dolls, the names would always change depending on my mood and what day of the week it was! Generally I tend to keep the name they are given by the company that made them. Its easier to remember as generally I have obsessed about it for weeks. I think overall out of all my toys as a child, I could name 3/4 of the ones that I had named and retained the same name!

 

I really don't care if a name means something unpleasant in a different language if I like it. I invent a lot of names for OC's and some of them have meanings in other languages, but it's never been enough to make me change any of them. I love the name Lanai but it's another word for a porch, it's never stopped me from using it, though.

 

I don't think I would.
Now this is not a doll I own yet, but plan to own. I named her a foreign name, without giving it much thought. I liked the spelling and sound, and it fitting her great.
That was until my mother heard the name and said to me "You know, it sounds exactly like donkey, right?" (in Danish of course). And she is right. It is pronounced like "æsel" or "donkey" in Danish.
I just got a laugh out of it and kept the name.

 

I really don't think you should give up on a name just because of it's meaning. Sure, it is nice to have a meaning of a name that matches the dolls personality, but it's really not necessary. You should really name him whatever you want, and if you end up finding a name that fits better, then role with it, but otherwise, just go with whatever you like best. Give the doll a name you enjoy, that's really all that matters.

 

I remember hearing about 'naming' companies that would do that type of research for prospective baby names.

Anyways.. I highly doubt I'd change a name. If you already have the doll's character and story already thought out, then the name fits in his/her situation. Also, talking about why you named the doll a certain way is always a great way to make conversation ;D

 

Why pay a company when a simple search can pull something up?

Unless it means something terribly horrific, something I was morally opposed to, or something that just didn't make sense in some fashion, I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm writing in a fourth character (there's a sculpt that is too good to scrap from my wishlist) and I'm not a fan of his name. I'd prefer naming him something else, but I've already used that name for another character that's in a totally different story.

I have been looking at name meanings, because I didn't want something to sound ironic. I knew what nationality my name was going to be in, so I didn't really worry about alternate meanings. I just wasn't into having the character be named something happy, or not applicable to the story.

But as it is, I really hate the name I've used. Gotta change it, soon. Maybe Lucien? It's for a DZ Edward.

 

Yes, I have done it. I know 3 languages and one of them is spanish. I chose one french name and I really liked it but the word was similar in spanish and I didn't like the meaning of that word in spanish so I discarded the name...I was sad but I couldn't forget about the name in spanish. (even though it wasn't a spanish name)

 

I'm pretty back and forth between naming my newest doll, a Volks Rose. I've actually never really liked naming dolls after their sculpt because I felt it was somewhat unoriginal...but Rose is such a nice name and really fitting, unlike the name Aria which doesn't seem to suit her

So for now, she's just 'rose'

 

I wouldn't really care in my opinion. A lot of people discard the meaning of a name in America, so why should it matter?

 

One of my dolls is named Rue. I named her for the plant but it is spelled the same way as another English word meaning "to feel sorrow or regret" and the same as the french word for street. My mom pointed out the second English meaning, and I almost changed it but no other name fit her as well, so I kept it.

So far I haven't "rued" naming her Rue

 

To answer the question, if I think a name was perfect, I'll still use it. It doesn't matter if it might mean something in another language. It doesn't matter of it means something else in this language. People name their children odd things all the time, so naming a doll should be the same. If Frank Zappa can name his kid Dweezle I think we're pretty much in the clear naming a doll anything we want.

 

In a similar situation, I bought a Migi Vamp Miho head with a face-up. Immediately I felt that he should be named "Chance" because it was by 'chance' that I happened to find him on the MP and I was drawn to him enough to buy his head. And since he's a cute, blonde vampire, I figured Chance isn't a hugely popular name among humans, it could work for a vampire. Well later that day I found out that one of my cousins who's lifestyle I do not support (because of how it affects her child) had a second baby and named him Chance. I thought long and hard about my decision to use the name, as I didn't want it to be associated with something negative. In the end, the name fit my boy so well that I gave in and kept it.

 

I think the only way I'd give up on the idea of using a name would be if was actually offensive in another language; if it happened to be a swear word or obscene or blasphemous in some way. Other than that, I wouldn't really care. Of course, if I'm planning to use a name from another language, I try to do a little research first. No sense picking something I'm in love with, only to find out later that it's the word for a body part or something like that. lol

That having been said, most of my dolls have "English" names. The only one of my dolls that has an obviously non-English name is Sini Iloa, which literally translates as "blue joy" in Finnish. I know it's probably an improper linguistic construction in Finnish, but I don't care. The Finnish grammar police can come after me if they want to. LOLOL

 

I gave up my girl's name because it didn't sound right when I said it to myself. Sanya became Vala and Vala ironically means Chosen so it works for my story.