What’s does everyone think of the name Bindi like Bindi Irwin (Steve Irwin’s daughter) I really enjoy this name. But now living in the world we live it would people take offence to it? Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on it:)
[name_f]Bindi[/name_f] is sweet though i probably wouldn’t use an aboriginal name if i didnt have aboriginal heritage
8 Likes
Bindi is a beautiful name, and I really love the Bindi Irwin association, but it seems inappropriate to use unless you’re from certain cultures. sorry!
(eta it’s sometimes fine to use names from different cultures, but it’s generally seen as inappropriate if that culture has been oppressed/faced discrimination/etc.)
9 Likes
This is just my personal opinion, but I don’t think it’s wrong to use a name you love that isn’t from your heritage. People really do it all the time. I think it’s a way to show your appreciation and honor for something. [name_f]Bindi[/name_f] is sweet and quirky, I think it would work beautifully!
3 Likes
I personally don’t find it offensive to use a name from another culture (so long as you’ve done you’re research and know it isn’t offensive to name a child that in general, like Cohen)
With that being said though I do strongly associate this name with [name_f]Bindi[/name_f] [name_m]Irwin[/name_m], it would be kind of like naming your child [name_u]North[/name_u] or [name_u]Blue[/name_u] [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]. However if the association doesn’t bother you it’s a cute name,
1 Like
I usually like to be open-minded with using names from other cultures because, as a white American whose family hasn’t lived outside the US for several generations at least, I find the arguments a bit ridiculous when people try to draw a hard line. I would be cautious about this name though. I don’t know if aboriginal people would find it offensive to use because I’m not from Australia so I highly recommend doing some research on it and, if possible, finding people of that heritage to talk to.
This is a tough one. Normally I would steer clear from aboriginal names just to be safe, but being popularized by a celebrity does seem to change it a bit. I would do a lot of research on this one.
For the record, I do think it’s a great name.
I think it’s a very sweet name, but I also think it is highly disrespectful to use an Aboriginal name when you aren’t Aboriginal.
Additionally, a bindi is a fairly sacred forehead decoration in Hindu culture, so you’d be taking the name/word from two different groups (and my main association with a bindi is the forehead decoration, so to be honest my first reaction if I heard the name on a child would be ‘why did you name your kid after a forehead dot??’ let alone a dot sacred to another culture).
Some similar sounding names are [name_f]Lindi[/name_f], [name_f]Mindi[/name_f], [name_f]Cindi[/name_f], [name_f]Windy[/name_f], [name_u]Indie[/name_u], Finley…
1 Like
I think the name is cute, but maybe a little too cute. Not sure it would age well. I also think of bindi grass which is horrible. I think a good alternative would be a name like [name_u]Indiana[/name_u] or indigo with the nickname indie or bindi.
I tend to agree. I think this is a case of a name having more than one origin. I’m familiar with Bindy as a nickname for Belinda. I’ve met a British Belinda “Bindy” with no Australian connection, so I really don’t think her name had anything to do with the Indigenous Australian name.
OP, would you consider spelling it Bindy?
1 Like
Hmm, a tough one!
I would personally avoid it unless you have any connections to the culture. This is largely because of events such as ‘The Stolen Generation’, and the oppression and marginalisation of Australian Aboriginal culture that caused many traditions, languages, and rituals to be lost. I know that for many Aboriginal Australians these cultural names represent their ancestors, history, and the importance of keeping their culture alive, and so for this reason I probably would not give it to a child outside of (or with no ties/influence to) that culture.
However, I am not Aboriginal Australian, this is just my opinion so I can’t say for certain! I’d recommend asking an elder, you might find that they would be overjoyed if you used a name from their culture, but I would definitely seek out their opinion! 
1 Like