Honest opinions on what you guys think about the name, Cambodia? nn [name_m]Bodi[/name_m] and/or [name_f]Dia[/name_f]. I really love it as a first name.
What are some good middle names for Cambodia? Thanks!
Honestly, not a fan. To me it’s just the name of a country. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any connection to Cambodia or just like the way it sounds?
It just makes me think of a place of sadness and loss.
Honestly, I think it’s very strange. Cambodia is the name of a country, not a person. And, as @rkrd said, it’s a country with a troubling and sad history in recent decades. If you are of Cambodian heritage, I’d suggest using a Khmer name to honour that, and if you’re not at all of Cambodian heritage, it would look very, very weird.
Agreed. I think of the Cambodian genocide and Khmer Rouge. I also receive a daily devotional to my email that revolves around the persecuted church, and I’ve heard a lot of very sad stories involving Cambodia (also Laos, and Vietnam, and other neighboring nations!). Unless Cambodia has some significance to you, I definitely wouldn’t use it. And even if it does, I would find another way to honor it. If you have to use it, I’d use it as a middle.
Not a fan. It’s a country, not a person name. It seems like trying too hard to be hip and bohemian and worldly.
I honestly wondered if this was a troll post before I read it fully. It’s really, really not a good idea… one of the sad cases of something having a lovely sound but not a suitable name for a person.
Please don’t. I can see the appeal on a purely aesthetic basis, but there’s so much more to this name that you can’t escape, it’s almost disrespectful to use it so casually. If you have a connection to the place that you want to express, just use a Khmer name.
I have to agree with previous posters. Cambodia is a beautiful country, but still very much affected by its horrific history. Some suggestions of nice Khmer names:
Sopheap
Theara
Kalliyan
Sothea
No, for all the reasons already mentioned.
Angkor Wat?? Terrible idea. 
Like the country? No
Er no, just no.
Would you really want the first association people have of a child’s name to be genocide and other horrors?
Right?!?!?!?!
Cambodia on a child is just wrong. Are you trying to punish your child?
exactly this
Well, if you’ve BEEN there and [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] the place, then maybe. But if you like it enough to use it as a name then you might as well just go live there. This is my general opinion on all place names.
If you haven’t been there, absolutely not.
Please, NO.
If you’re using it just because you like the sound and you have no real connection to the place, then it’s an inappropriate and, no offense, ignorant and unimaginatove choice. There are a lot of unique names out there that don’t involve cultural appropriation. If you do have a connection to Cambodia, I still think its unimanative. There are lots of names you could use to honor Cambodian heritage. As others have said, Cambodia has been a very troubled place. I’m sure you wouldn’t people to associate your child with genocide.
This exactly.
No, as above. Not a good idea at all.