I love the name [name_f]Medea[/name_f]. I like it’s sound and it’s shape. Obviously though, [name_f]Medea[/name_f] has a rather negative association which I will briefly explain for those who are unfamiliar.
[name_f]Medea[/name_f] was abandoned by her husband, [name_m]Jason[/name_m], so he could marry at a higher station. She is told she and her children must leave the city by the new wife’s father, who was worried she’d take revenge. She does. She decides to kill them and this plan expands to include her own children. She poisons the new wife with the gift of a coronet and dress. The new wife’s father, distraught by finding his poisoned daughter, kills himself by embracing her and also absorbing poison. Upon discovering the bodies [name_m]Jason[/name_m] rushes to confront [name_f]Medea[/name_f], only to find she has killed their children as well. [name_m]Jason[/name_m] is left to suffer, having lost everything, while [name_f]Medea[/name_f] rides away in a dragon-pulled chariot.
I’m not too bothered by the association, as she is just a character in a play. However, I’ve noticed others seem completely taken aback by the name.
What do you think? Is [name_f]Medea[/name_f] forever tied to infanticide? Would I be crazy to consider her?
Honestly, I’d be more concerned with it’s connection to the [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] [name_u]Perry[/name_u] character from the Madea movies then the mythological associations. That’s the first thing that comes to my mind. A lot of people won’t know the Mythology, though for those who do it might be slightly off-putting. Personally, I wouldn’t use it.
Ya’ know, I was more concerned about the mythological association I didn’t even think about [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] [name_u]Perry[/name_u]'s character. Thank you for bringing it up.
I find the name quite stunning though I would never use it due to the mythological character. But I have seen other names with not so nice associations been considered before so I wouldnt think strange if I meet someone with that name.
I love Medea (or Medeia) too, but the myth does put me off enough, for once, for it to be a guilty pleasure. I think it’s more to do with the fact I’m not sure what the average person would think of when they hear Medea. I might be able to get over the myth myself, but if the first association most people have is the events of the myth, I doubt many other people would get past it and appreciate the beauty of the name, or listen to any of my arguments why it might not be so bad. On the other hand there’s a chance fewer people than I think know Medea’s story, so it might not be a problem, and to be honest it’s not like most characters in mythology escape bad associations. I must admit it’s difficult for me not to feel a little hypocritical saying I wouldn’t use it when my favourite name isn’t much better, but I guess murder sours things a bit more. But I would be thrilled to meet a Medea; I’d assume her parents were able to see past the associations to a wonderful name ;).
ETA, I did consider Hedeia instead, since it has a very similar sound without the associations. I think I slightly prefer Medeia still, but it’s still a nice alternative. I found it at British Baby Names if you’re interested.
I’ve never heard of Hedeia before. It’s interesting. The first thing that comes to mind is that one of my best friends when I was in middle school was named Hadia and it’s so similar.
I wouldn’t use it, but I’m probably more bothered by bad associations than most. A lot of people won’t have heard of [name_f]Medea[/name_f] anyways. I used to know someone named [name_f]Meda[/name_f] (med-ah, first syllable rhyming with bed)- maybe that would work for you?
[name_f]Meda[/name_f] is really lovely and fits well with my short, 2-syllable and end in -a names. Unfortunately it is much too similar to the word ‘medical’ to me.