Names with stigmas, would you use them?

[Glamourcide]

I think Azaria's pretty. Speaking as a Gen Y (who vaguely remembers bits and bobs about the Chamberlains (sp?) from movies and news), when I hear the name 'Azaria' the first thing that actually comes to my mind is the dude from that band who the hot Veronica was/is shagging. Lol... I know that made no sense, but yeah, I didn't even think of the whole 'dingo baby' thing until someone else mentioned Chamberlain. I think enough time has passed now that the name doesn't have that stigma attached to it, and come to think of it I actually recall an Azaria or two in my class throughout my school years. It's still an uncommon name, but I definitely think it's been long enough for it to be used without people automatically linking it with that sad story. Go for it, I reckon

[Visitor7]

when I hear the name 'Azaria' the first thing that actually comes to my mind is the dude from that band who the hot Veronica was/is shagging. Lol...

LOL, I know that guy! He's a friend's BIL.

For me, I didn't even think of the Chamberlain's, but when I mentioned it to DH, he mentioned them straight away. But I don't think it's a bad thing, not in my mind anyway.
My grandmother lost one of her daughters at the age of 9 months, named Christine. It was a horrible time for my whole family at the time, and when my mum had her first daughter, she named her Christine, after her sister who is now an Angel.

I think it's a beautiful name.

[willow5]

If you like Azaria then I'd say use it.
There will always be people that link it to the Chamberlains(sp?) but if it doesn't worry you go for it.

[Trillian]

I'm with BG - she's the only famous Azaria, not the only one ever. I have always thought it was a really pretty name and never thought anything bad about it. Now if you had of been wanting Lindy, well that's another story LOL. Personally I wouldn't use a 'famous' name just to avoid that kind of thing where everyone assumes that the celeb was the inspiration for it, but as time goes on less and less people will make a connection between the two

[Amity]

I would...

My son's nickname is after a very famous bushranger... I loved the "full" name because it had family connotations, however XH liked the nickname... Think the most famous bushranger... such is life.

Azaria is gorgeous - I've come across a few in my time, at work, as I deal with different families every day. It's very pretty. And I think it goes with your other two... But if you have a fourth, you're going to have to call it something beginning with J... (A, J, A, J...)

LOL!

[JordieC]

I think it depends on the era. I think you could safely get away with Azarai now more so than say 10-15 years ago. For example there is no way you could call your kid Schapelle at the moment and get away with it! It would be too weird. But in the end you choose names that you like and deal with any issues as thhey come.

[Jellyfish]

To be honest, I know of "the dingo baby" but never even knew her name until now, only her Mother and last name. I'm 21 so I am guessing as you get younger and younger, it would be less common knowledge.

[Erin_25]

Oh...Azaria I've known two little girls with that name in the past few years & it's never crossed my mind. I think the stigma is more with her Mum/family than the child herself IYKWIM.

I actually think today's fashionable sunglasses carry more stigma with that, I don't know how many times I've tried on a massive pair of sunglasses & turned around to DH to say "the dingo took my baaaaby"...

[Curly]

I think Azaria is a beautiful name but I still relate it very strongly to the Chamberlain case and no, I wouldn't use it for that reason. But I'm in my 30s so I remember the case and the press coverage quite vividly.

I have a somewhat similar issue - I wouldn't say stigma though - in that if my next baby is a boy DH and I want to name him Heath. Heath is a name I have liked for over 15 years...way before Heath Ledger was well-known. I don't like the idea of people thinking we have named our son after Heath Ledger, fine actor that he was regardless. But I love the name and have loved it for so long that I feel I can put up with (and ignore) the "oh like Heath Ledger" comments.

[Kitt3n]

Azaria is a really beautiful name.

We wanted to use Nikita but DH's family were very anti that (being polish, Nikita Khrushchev - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I would love to name a son Amadeus.......

[Curly]

Lindy Chamberlain was exonerated.

She had always claimed that Azaria was wearing a matinee jacket which wasn't found along with the rest of Azaria's clothing. They couldn't find the matinee jacket and accused her of lying. The clothing they did find was tested and they found no dingo saliva on it which was largely the reason Lindy was convicted. There was a huge fuss about the jacket and whether or not Lindy was telling the truth about it because it would explain the lack of dingo saliva on Azaria's recovered clothing. Azaria's body was never recovered.

10-odd years later a Canadian(?) tourist fell to his death from Ayers Rock and when they recovered his body they finally found the matinee jacket that Lindy said all along Azaria had been wearing.

So yes, Lindy was eventually proven innocent - after spending years in a Darwin jail for a crime she did not commit. You will still find many people, even after this, who still believe that Lindy did kill her baby. She lives in the USA now and I can't say I blame her.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I LOVE Azaria!

FWIW, the only reason names have these stigmas is because they have committed some kind of heinous crime - like Adolf, or that they are unique...

There are probably a number of Tom, **** and Harry's out that have been prosecuted for some kind of murders and yet only some people would be deterred from using them. It's not going to be universally hushed, IYKWIM. Azaria would only be recognised because it is so unique, and just so beautiful

[Lulu]

There's 8 millions Jacks in the world, so The Ripper doesn't come to mind necesarrily.
Charles Manson, Henry the 8th etc etc etc etc.

Azaria is just beautful but it was too soon to use it for DD17, darn.

Anyway, Azaria didn't do anything terrible. Maybe don't use the name Dingo though...

[Tiff+2]

I think Azaria is a beautiful name and to be honest, I have no idea who it is you're refering to. Hope that doesn't make me ignorant! I think it is a beautiful name!!!

[~clover~]

Pish - Azaria Chamberlain is a baby who was with her family camping & got taken away by a dingo. Over the years there was so much controversy. Alot of people didn't believe her poor mum. They only ever found part of her clothing.
It was so sad. Nothing has been proven either way to this day. It was a very famouse case throughout Australia. I remember alot of it.

[{sarah}]

The story behind the name Pish (if you're interested)...

Azaria Chamberlain was 9 weeks old & camping with her family at Ayers Rock in 1980. Basically she disappeared & her parents claimed that she was taken by a dingo. Her clothes & nappy were found bloody a bit of a distance away, but she was never found. Her mother ended up accused & went to gaol because of it. I think she was released early. Basically no-one really knows if it really was a dingo or a person that killed her. It went on for years & years, with her parents maintaining it was a dingo, but nothing was ever really proven.

[tellytubby]

sorry just read on and realised what name you're talking about

Azaria is a beautiful name; but i'm not too sure that i would use it because of Azaria Chamberlain. But with that said, i knew the name "azaria", and couldn't put my finger on who it refered to until i read further on, haha. I would be worried that the people who do remember the accident, would constantly make the "dingo got my baby" comment when she was around - which would send me crazy!! BUT mind you - my family is VERY country and slightly ... 'redneck', hahaha So they'd have a field day with it

Good luck with your decision, and remember it is YOUR decision. It is a beautiful name - i agree with you there!