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Help[Opinions] Re: Olena
in reply to a message by HailCthulhu
I'm not a fan of the sound. It makes me think of olé and of Olena Selenska. In the Ukraine I think it would be a common name and not particularly associated with anyone. But in English speaking countries people would automatically think Olena Selenska and associate the name with politics and the war.
She seems like a good person and what is happening in Ukraine is terrible but I always find naming kids after politicians or first ladies a bit risky. People in the public eye who are still alive and have an uncommon name mainly associated with them are always risky, in my opinion. Same with actors or popular film/TV series characters with an unfinished storyarch. You just never know what they may do and then your child's name is forever associated with them. I think after the Game of Thrones finale many people regret their Khaleesi or Daenerys name choice. Bill Clinton probably seemed like a good namesake to many people until his affair came out. Now with William that wouldn't have mattered because it's common but with Clinton it might have. Many people thought Kevin Spacey was a legend until it came out that he had molested people. So I would never pick from this category of names even though the person seems lovely.
I think she'll also always have to say "No, not Elena, Olena". I would also find it a bit odd and slightly cringe-y if the average person without ties to Ukraine named a kid Olena at the very moment. Not that I object in general to people using Ukrainian names or names from other cultures, I have absolutely no problem with that and love many Japanese names, for example.
If you have been to Ukraine even for a visit as a tourist or have any connection I think it is fine. But many people didn't know anything about Ukraine before the war started, most wouldn't have been able to name the president or give you a random fact about the country or find it on a map. If you had asked some random people on the street which language is spoken there or what the capital was then I am sure many people wouldn't have answered that correctly. I have been to Ukraine before and it is beautiful but most people never knew much about it or asked "why did you go there?". I am not saying you are one of these people, it is just a general thought. In my opinion if you have been there for a visit and liked it or have ancestry or any other connection it's fine, otherwise right now it seems weird. It reminds me of people on instagram who post how terrible the war is and then 5 seconds later some post of them dancing a nightclub or complaining about their neighbor being noisy. And of people who always post about any political topic of the moment (Palastine, Ukraine War etc.) and then never mention it again. Again not saying this applies to you.
I prefer Eleanor.
Odessa is a city in which many bloody fights took place so wouldn't choose that right now either.
Please rate my list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/6232
She seems like a good person and what is happening in Ukraine is terrible but I always find naming kids after politicians or first ladies a bit risky. People in the public eye who are still alive and have an uncommon name mainly associated with them are always risky, in my opinion. Same with actors or popular film/TV series characters with an unfinished storyarch. You just never know what they may do and then your child's name is forever associated with them. I think after the Game of Thrones finale many people regret their Khaleesi or Daenerys name choice. Bill Clinton probably seemed like a good namesake to many people until his affair came out. Now with William that wouldn't have mattered because it's common but with Clinton it might have. Many people thought Kevin Spacey was a legend until it came out that he had molested people. So I would never pick from this category of names even though the person seems lovely.
I think she'll also always have to say "No, not Elena, Olena". I would also find it a bit odd and slightly cringe-y if the average person without ties to Ukraine named a kid Olena at the very moment. Not that I object in general to people using Ukrainian names or names from other cultures, I have absolutely no problem with that and love many Japanese names, for example.
If you have been to Ukraine even for a visit as a tourist or have any connection I think it is fine. But many people didn't know anything about Ukraine before the war started, most wouldn't have been able to name the president or give you a random fact about the country or find it on a map. If you had asked some random people on the street which language is spoken there or what the capital was then I am sure many people wouldn't have answered that correctly. I have been to Ukraine before and it is beautiful but most people never knew much about it or asked "why did you go there?". I am not saying you are one of these people, it is just a general thought. In my opinion if you have been there for a visit and liked it or have ancestry or any other connection it's fine, otherwise right now it seems weird. It reminds me of people on instagram who post how terrible the war is and then 5 seconds later some post of them dancing a nightclub or complaining about their neighbor being noisy. And of people who always post about any political topic of the moment (Palastine, Ukraine War etc.) and then never mention it again. Again not saying this applies to you.
I prefer Eleanor.
Odessa is a city in which many bloody fights took place so wouldn't choose that right now either.
Please rate my list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/6232
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