Overly religious name?!..your opinion?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2007
Overly religious name?!..your opinion?
16
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 4:02pm

At first, DH and I got settled on Christian Alexander for our little boy. After MIL found out about it, she persuaded DH to change his mind, and


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2007
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 4:28pm
Although it's hard to imagine non-Christian parents using this name, I have known a few guys named Christian and I have never, ever heard that they were discriminated against in any way.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 4:29pm
I wouldn't use the name for that reason, but personally I don't associate the name with being Christian. However, many people do, so it's not something I would use myself. I don't think its a matter of who is right and who is wrong, and it just an individual preference and opinion.


                             
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-05-2005
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 4:46pm
I wouldn't worry about prejudice, and I don't think everyone would assume that
Avatar for backwardscowgirl
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2007
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 4:56pm

I do associate Christian with being Christian.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2006
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 5:36pm
Personally, as soon as I hear the name Christian I think of the religion. I wouldn't neccesarily assume that the person named that (especially an adult)
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-26-1999
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 5:52pm

Hi there.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-16-2004
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 6:11pm

It is not a variation Christopher.

Avatar for dr_kae
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 6:46pm
Since the name Christian does refer to a Christ-follower (and Christopher means "bearer of Christ," it does have a religious feel for me...but while it's not particularly hip to be Christian these days, I don't think having the name is going to cripple you socially, either. I mean, there's Christian Slater, Christian Bale, Christian Lacroix...(okay, he's French, but still...) There are other names that are far more loaded in the public eye over here. (Hussein, anyone?)
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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2002
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 7:39pm

Hi! I think this ties into another thread where we talked about babies named April born in April and babies born in Indiana named Indiana. The verdict was people are usually named those names when they are NOT associated with the month/city etc. (With the exception of some Christmas babies having a middle name "Holly" or "Noelle" etc.)

We talked about this because I had considered naming our son (?) August and the whole consensus on the board was that August is a fine name but only if he's born in any month BESIDES August, which would make it cheesy.

Back to you: an overly religious person named Christian would be overkill, but a person with more typical "watered down" Christianity (i.e. puts up Christmas tree, takes kids to see Santa, etc.) or just a person with "spiritual" beliefs is a much better fit.

I will agree though with the poster who said it would be kind of odd if you were practicing another religion altogether i.e. Muslim, but then again you'd be avoiding all "Christian" names like Mary etc., anyway.

In short, I would NOT associate a man named "Christian" with him being *overly* religious any more than I would make that association with someone named Jacob/Mary/Paul/Joseph etc.

HTH!

PS- I don't think Christians are discriminated against at all. I'm not overly religious, but I was brought up going to church here & there, so I guess I'm culturally "American Christian" like most everybody else and I have never in my life been discriminated against. Some people overseas are a little rude to Americans in general, but in all my travels throughout Europe & Asia I've have no problems either (granted I've never been to any Muslim countries but I digress . . .)

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 9:38pm

I LOVE the name Christian.

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