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HelpBodhi / thoughts on religious names?
Hey all,
Been a while since I've been here, but I stumbled across a name I like a lot and would like opinions. What do you think of the name Bodhi? For a girl? I could see myself using it on either a boy or girl, but the idea of a daughter named Bodhi felt especially good...maybe just cause it's different. Middle name combo ideas?
Bodhi is a Buddhist name that means "awake". The tree that the Buddha sat under was called the Bodhi Tree as well. I've been studying Buddhism this year so it does have a spiritual/religious significance for me. I also like that it's similar sounding to Cody, Brody, etc. so it's familiar without being unheard of.
Also, what's your opinion on giving a child a name that's strongly associated with a certain religion? Growing up, I always thought a name like Christian was too much like a label. What if Christian's beliefs change and he converts to another religion down the line? Or what if Christian becomes Agnostic or Atheist? Is there too strong of an association? I would wonder the same thing about Bodhi. What if Bodhi doesn't want to be a Buddhist down the line? Or is it more important that you are passing on a name that has important spiritual/religious/moral significance to your child, and you'd hope he/she would find the same comfort in those beliefs that you do? Any thoughts or discussion would be both interesting and helpful.
Thanks!
Laura
Been a while since I've been here, but I stumbled across a name I like a lot and would like opinions. What do you think of the name Bodhi? For a girl? I could see myself using it on either a boy or girl, but the idea of a daughter named Bodhi felt especially good...maybe just cause it's different. Middle name combo ideas?
Bodhi is a Buddhist name that means "awake". The tree that the Buddha sat under was called the Bodhi Tree as well. I've been studying Buddhism this year so it does have a spiritual/religious significance for me. I also like that it's similar sounding to Cody, Brody, etc. so it's familiar without being unheard of.
Also, what's your opinion on giving a child a name that's strongly associated with a certain religion? Growing up, I always thought a name like Christian was too much like a label. What if Christian's beliefs change and he converts to another religion down the line? Or what if Christian becomes Agnostic or Atheist? Is there too strong of an association? I would wonder the same thing about Bodhi. What if Bodhi doesn't want to be a Buddhist down the line? Or is it more important that you are passing on a name that has important spiritual/religious/moral significance to your child, and you'd hope he/she would find the same comfort in those beliefs that you do? Any thoughts or discussion would be both interesting and helpful.
Thanks!
Laura
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Replies
I quite like names with religious associations, like Bodhi. (Btw lovely name). Naames with religious associates like Bodhi, Mark, Luke etc don't necessarily reflect the individuals religion or family's religion. Normally it's a reflection of where their parent's grew up so I really have no issue and can see no issue with those types of 'religious' names.
I don't like the name Christian because I immediately think of religion when I hear it. That's where I have issues with 'religious' names. I'd have the same issue if someone called their child Muslim, Jewish or Sikh.
I don't necessarily think that a name forces beliefs or meanings on a child. I like a lot of Gaelic names (which where I'm from normally means that you are Catholic, which I'm not - I just like the names). I think its nice to give a child a name that means something to you (like Bodhi obviously does) like honouring someone or a word of significance.
And being completely honest whether a child's name has great meaning or not to you there will always be a chance that they will dislike their name but also a good chance that they will like it so I wouldn't worry too much
I don't like the name Christian because I immediately think of religion when I hear it. That's where I have issues with 'religious' names. I'd have the same issue if someone called their child Muslim, Jewish or Sikh.
I don't necessarily think that a name forces beliefs or meanings on a child. I like a lot of Gaelic names (which where I'm from normally means that you are Catholic, which I'm not - I just like the names). I think its nice to give a child a name that means something to you (like Bodhi obviously does) like honouring someone or a word of significance.
And being completely honest whether a child's name has great meaning or not to you there will always be a chance that they will dislike their name but also a good chance that they will like it so I wouldn't worry too much
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I've read, several times, about an Englishman who was a Supreme Court judge - clearly well educated and a prominent citizen, between the 1930s and 1950s I think - whose name was Christmas Humphreys. Which is unusual enough ... but he was also well known for being a Buddhist! Clearly he was able to remain undisturbed by any raised eyebrows he might have encountered. And a friend's brother, Jewish but happily atheist, married a woman named Christine - I don't know what her religious position was, but I don't think a person with any belief system would have married the guy she did marry.
So, no reason to avoid a name with religious significance. However, I can imagine that there could be times in a young girl's life when having a name that looks that close to Body might cause embarrassment to her and lots of fun to her friends.
So, no reason to avoid a name with religious significance. However, I can imagine that there could be times in a young girl's life when having a name that looks that close to Body might cause embarrassment to her and lots of fun to her friends.
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I'm not a fan of it or most other religious names. I've never seen or heard the name Bodhi before but for whatever reason, it feels male to me. Of course that's just me.
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I've never been a fan of the name Christian; as you said, it's a bit too much like a label. I prefer Christopher, actually, since it feels a bit less so (though it's also super popular).
I don't feel Bodhi is quite in the same category as Christian, though. It doesn't mean "Buddhist"; it means "awake." It's more like naming a child Clarity, imo. Or Grace. Grace is one of my favourite names; it also happens to be my sister's middle name as well as the name of one of my aunts. If I have a daughter, her middle name will be Grace. I think the thing about names like Clarity, Grace, and in your case Bodhi is that they are not overly specific to a certain religion. They can of course hold deep spiritual significance, and that's fine too. :)
I don't feel Bodhi is quite in the same category as Christian, though. It doesn't mean "Buddhist"; it means "awake." It's more like naming a child Clarity, imo. Or Grace. Grace is one of my favourite names; it also happens to be my sister's middle name as well as the name of one of my aunts. If I have a daughter, her middle name will be Grace. I think the thing about names like Clarity, Grace, and in your case Bodhi is that they are not overly specific to a certain religion. They can of course hold deep spiritual significance, and that's fine too. :)
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My brother is named Christian, and is a wiccan. His entire life is a bit ironic though, so it kinda works.
I am not usually a fan of overly religious names, but I do like many of the names that are considered religious. I think it all depends on whether you have a middle name and what it is.
I mean something like Bodhi Fatimah might be a bit much, especially if you are not Muslim.
I do like Bodhi btw, I just usually hear it on boys. I find it totally unisex though.
On the religious note - I DO believe that parents with strong religious or cultural connections do well to incorporate that into the meaning of their children's names. This is the main reason I am mildly obsessed with the Italian name Gilda, which means "sacrifice" or "value, worth". Parents can be creative and use a combo like Nadine Perlas Gilda to mean "hope in the pearl of great worth" which would refer to a Christian parable and, thus, make a much stronger statement about their faith than they would naming their children Adam and Eve.
I am not usually a fan of overly religious names, but I do like many of the names that are considered religious. I think it all depends on whether you have a middle name and what it is.
I mean something like Bodhi Fatimah might be a bit much, especially if you are not Muslim.
I do like Bodhi btw, I just usually hear it on boys. I find it totally unisex though.
On the religious note - I DO believe that parents with strong religious or cultural connections do well to incorporate that into the meaning of their children's names. This is the main reason I am mildly obsessed with the Italian name Gilda, which means "sacrifice" or "value, worth". Parents can be creative and use a combo like Nadine Perlas Gilda to mean "hope in the pearl of great worth" which would refer to a Christian parable and, thus, make a much stronger statement about their faith than they would naming their children Adam and Eve.
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