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HelpWill Isis ever be usable again?
Isis is a formerly obscure name from Egyptian Mythology that trended for a short while in the 2000s. However, in most countries (particularly the ones that collect this data), Isis' popularity completely fell off after 2014; and sadly, we know why. I really wish that Daesh or even ISIL had caught on more as the shorthand for the terrorist state than ISIS, but... here we are. (Isis seems to have returned - as a name - in France, and Portugal continues to use it, though they appear to be alone.)
Anyway, an article recently came out detailing New Zealand's rejected baby names of 2023: https://www.today.com/parents/family/new-zealand-banned-baby-names-rcna135625. While I'd say the majority of this list are titles, and that seems to be against NZ's naming rules... Isis is among the names. Only requested once, but still, it's banned.
Do you think it's possible for the connection to terrorism to be severed, and for Isis to become usable again (in most countries), in the future?
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Anyway, an article recently came out detailing New Zealand's rejected baby names of 2023: https://www.today.com/parents/family/new-zealand-banned-baby-names-rcna135625. While I'd say the majority of this list are titles, and that seems to be against NZ's naming rules... Isis is among the names. Only requested once, but still, it's banned.
Do you think it's possible for the connection to terrorism to be severed, and for Isis to become usable again (in most countries), in the future?
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/117507
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/132018
Replies
Maybe in the distant future? I don’t see it returning into use any time soon (not that it was ever particularly popular anyway). Things remain in collective memory for a while.
I hope so, it's such a precious name. It's not uncommon in Spanish (especially Latin America), with its pronunciation being EE-sees.
On another note, I think it will be somewhat usable around a decade, not many people will remember the state. Also, any person who has basic knowledge regarding Egyptian mythology will understand it's the name of a goddess.
On another note, I think it will be somewhat usable around a decade, not many people will remember the state. Also, any person who has basic knowledge regarding Egyptian mythology will understand it's the name of a goddess.
I don't think so
I think it's usable anyway. I only met one Isis before ISIS was in the news but if I met one now I would think of the goddess and not the terrorist group just because of the context as a person's name.
nope.
Most certainly, and for a few reasons:
Most countries don’t refer to the terrorist org as ISIS.
Also—this brings to mind an article that was published in 2015 and said a quarter of Americans did not remember 9/11 and had a hazy grasp on the facts surrounding this. Of course that seems unimaginable to anyone who lived through that time. But the point is, the quarter of Americans who don’t remember DIDN’T live through 9/11–they were too young.
In another 10 years, it’s likely a quarter of people living will be too young to remember ISIS in the news. They won’t carry the same associations.
Most countries don’t refer to the terrorist org as ISIS.
Also—this brings to mind an article that was published in 2015 and said a quarter of Americans did not remember 9/11 and had a hazy grasp on the facts surrounding this. Of course that seems unimaginable to anyone who lived through that time. But the point is, the quarter of Americans who don’t remember DIDN’T live through 9/11–they were too young.
In another 10 years, it’s likely a quarter of people living will be too young to remember ISIS in the news. They won’t carry the same associations.
IMO the connection to terrorism doesn't exist. It's only on paper and not in real life. I don't know what's wrong with NZ, but I think maybe they rejected it because it's the name of a goddess in Egyptian mythology, not because of some group called ISIL / ISIS.
If my neighbor names a baby Isis, I'm just going to think, oh like the goddess in Egyptian mythology. Like if they name a kid Osiris. Same deal. I'm not fussed about any acronyms. It's not like they named their baby Cia. If they did, then I would say, what's with the terrorist baby name?
If my neighbor names a baby Isis, I'm just going to think, oh like the goddess in Egyptian mythology. Like if they name a kid Osiris. Same deal. I'm not fussed about any acronyms. It's not like they named their baby Cia. If they did, then I would say, what's with the terrorist baby name?
what does that even mean ...
"IMO the connection to terrorism doesn't exist. It's only on paper and not in real life."
Do you never watch the news and hear ISIS spoken out loud? Do you seriously not believe that the group's Anglicized acronym isn't widely known across cultures and is only ISIS to a few in-the-know people?
Would be intresting if you could look at pre-2010's New Zealand lists of rejected names and see if Isis was on them before its current association.
"IMO the connection to terrorism doesn't exist. It's only on paper and not in real life."
Do you never watch the news and hear ISIS spoken out loud? Do you seriously not believe that the group's Anglicized acronym isn't widely known across cultures and is only ISIS to a few in-the-know people?
Would be intresting if you could look at pre-2010's New Zealand lists of rejected names and see if Isis was on them before its current association.
FWIW it’s often called “ISIS” in some other western languages than English, though pronounced “Eesees.”
It means: Isis as a person's name, has no real intelligible connection with a militant group called I.S.I.S. ... that is pronounced like the name Isis by news-readers, instead of saying what it stands for. I can't even say what the acronym stands for exactly ... and I don't think most people could, where I live anyway. We just parrot the news-readers and say "eye-sis". Islamic state something!
Take Mia. Mia is not ruined by the acronym MIA ... because nobody is lame enough to read that aloud pronounced as Mia. Maybe because the news doesn't cover MIAs like it covers them tErRiSts. Saying ISIS as Isis, seems like gimmickry to me. Like, imagine if they did read MIA as "Mia." It'd be lame. Yeah it seems awkward to spell out, "eye ess eye ess" ... but ISIL is always spelled out?? And not said as "is-ill" ... why not? Because calling it "Isis" is catchy, a gimmick... imo. Like Fannie Mae.
Isis the name, has been well known from the Egyptian myth, since a long time before. And Isis is a name that belongs to people in our own communities right now. A few thousand are out there; it was getting trendy for years before cooptation, about in sync with Aspen, and I think it would have taken off similarly if not for the news. People named Isis will still be living for a long time, establishing their name as a name. It's not shameful...
I think people who don't like it, are really feeling like their OWN association of it with the news keeps them from liking it as a name - which I get. I get why some people think it's an issue. But if people personally knew someone named Isis, they probably would not *really* think it was that unfortunate. They'd just think it was given because of the goddess. Unless they were being deliberately hysterical.
Take Mia. Mia is not ruined by the acronym MIA ... because nobody is lame enough to read that aloud pronounced as Mia. Maybe because the news doesn't cover MIAs like it covers them tErRiSts. Saying ISIS as Isis, seems like gimmickry to me. Like, imagine if they did read MIA as "Mia." It'd be lame. Yeah it seems awkward to spell out, "eye ess eye ess" ... but ISIL is always spelled out?? And not said as "is-ill" ... why not? Because calling it "Isis" is catchy, a gimmick... imo. Like Fannie Mae.
Isis the name, has been well known from the Egyptian myth, since a long time before. And Isis is a name that belongs to people in our own communities right now. A few thousand are out there; it was getting trendy for years before cooptation, about in sync with Aspen, and I think it would have taken off similarly if not for the news. People named Isis will still be living for a long time, establishing their name as a name. It's not shameful...
I think people who don't like it, are really feeling like their OWN association of it with the news keeps them from liking it as a name - which I get. I get why some people think it's an issue. But if people personally knew someone named Isis, they probably would not *really* think it was that unfortunate. They'd just think it was given because of the goddess. Unless they were being deliberately hysterical.
This message was edited 1/30/2024, 9:40 AM
I personally think it would be unfortunate to have the name Isis right now. I can know it's because of something else but still find it unfortunate because of its associations.
I think I get what Mirfak means. If I was to meet a baby named Isis, I would not immediately think "oh my god these people are terrorists." I would think "oh, like the goddess." People in government organizations might be paranoid about pro-terrorist families, but how often do we come across them in real life, as regular people?
This makes me curious.... Did they try to stop the use of the name Ira during The Troubles?
This makes me curious.... Did they try to stop the use of the name Ira during The Troubles?
I don't imagine ...
That anyone would seriously think a baby Isis was named *after* the organization; I think the reaction would be more like "Really bad idea in this day and age." More kind of the parents were clueless or didn't think very carefully.
I have a feeling Ira was never used much *in* Ireland, even before the Troubles; it seems to be a very traditionally Jewish name. But I bet it wouldn't go over well in Ireland now.
That anyone would seriously think a baby Isis was named *after* the organization; I think the reaction would be more like "Really bad idea in this day and age." More kind of the parents were clueless or didn't think very carefully.
I have a feeling Ira was never used much *in* Ireland, even before the Troubles; it seems to be a very traditionally Jewish name. But I bet it wouldn't go over well in Ireland now.
I hope so. It’s a shame that such a beautiful name has been tainted by this group.
Isis was a really rare name before ISIS came along. There will always be new terrorists to become the new bad guys, and I'm sure eventually people will not think of the ISIS group when they hear Isis, because they will be busy caring about someone else. I'm not sure how long that will take, maybe not in our lifetimes, but Isis (the goddess) has been around a long time. One day Isis will regain her status as an extremely rare name, I have no doubt. They could always use Iset in the meantime.
I think that ship has sailed ...
And unfortunately, Isis is kind of in the same boat as Adolf.
And unfortunately, Isis is kind of in the same boat as Adolf.
I agree.