Never heard of The Lion King?

LisaG09 · October 2013

I overheard a conversation earlier between a woman with a daughter named Nalah. Another mother said something about how it was so cute to be named after a classic kid's movie, Nalah's mom (rather rudely) informed her that she never knew about the lion until after her child was born. She came up with it all on her own, that's why there is an h at the end. How did a twenty something American not link Nalah even with an h to The Lion King sometime during her pregnancy? And does she really have the right to get mad about this sort of thing?

WashingtonQueen · October 2013

I'm LOLing.

lifeonthehill · October 2013

I know a woman who had her daughter at 14. She named her Jasmine after the disney movie. Now that she is older she claims to have never seen the movie before hand because she says it is embarrassing.

NerdyLucy · October 2013

I don't really find it surprising that someone hasn't seen Lion King; I knew people growing up whose parents wouldn't allow them to watch anything Disney. Once they were adults, they just never bothered.

Having said that, as another pp said, it's common sense to research your child's name before you give it to him or her. If you "created" Nalah, look it up to see if it exists, or what it may be associated with.

For example https://www.behindthename.com/name/nala

ktpaladino · October 2013

The Lion King has also been on Broadway and performed in Vegas and whatnot. I've never been to the live shows, so I wouldn't expect/assume that anyone else would, but come on.... it's not like it's an ancient Disney movie that is no longer relevant. And like PP said, it's up to the parent to research a name before choosing it. Surely if she did her homework she would have known the association in advance. It sounds like she's pissy because she thinks her name is different just because it has the H on the end. In any case, I feel bad for the lady that got her head snapped off. You would think that the woman has heard the association enough now to find a polite way to say she didn't name her daughter after a lion.

HLB7 · October 2013

I don't know...the Lion King came out almost 20 years ago. I was in college when I saw it in the theater. I liked it, but it's not like I watched it over and over and over again, and memorized all the characters' names. I remember there was a female lion character, but I definitely had no idea what her name was until I read this thread. I wouldn't have associated the name Nalah with the movie unless someone told me.

Helenahhandbasket · October 2013

I have never seen most Disney movies (I am old and was a teenager when Lion King came out- so I was obviously too cool for Disney at the time).

Anyway-- that aside I still know the name Nalah is from the movie. She's an idgit.

Scarlett&Gatsby · October 2013

You should never get bent out of shape over a vey obvious name association. Even if she's never seen The Lion King, she should know it was the name of a major character in the movie. It should have come up at some point when she was choosing the name. That said, Nahla is legit African (Swahili?) name and I don't side eye her for using it.

Sam Buttons · October 2013

I don't buy that she had never heard of the name's association with the Lion King before naming her daughter. She probably doesn't want to explain that she a. had heard it, but decided to ignore the association (which is no biggie) or b. that she got inspiration from the movie -- so, she played dumb.

saham07 · October 2013

Isn't Nalah (with an H) the name of Halle Berry's daughter?

bingbongsmama · October 2013

It's an African name. Not necessarily named after a movie

HattieLove · October 2013

NerdyLucy said:

I don't really find it surprising that someone hasn't seen Lion King; I knew people growing up whose parents wouldn't allow them to watch anything Disney. Once they were adults, they just never bothered.

Having said that, as another pp said, it's common sense to research your child's name before you give it to him or her. If you "created" Nalah, look it up to see if it exists, or what it may be associated with.

For example https://www.behindthename.com/name/nala

This. There are lots of people who may not have seen or done things that other kids did, but as an adult naming your child you should at least google it.

allardr · October 2013

Sam Buttons said:

I don't buy that she had never heard of the name's association with the Lion King before naming her daughter. She probably doesn't want to explain that she a. had heard it, but decided to ignore the association (which is no biggie) or b. that she got inspiration from the movie -- so, she played dumb.

this. No big deal either way, just that she was so pissy about it. Just be like "yeah we get that all the time, but it actually isn't why/how she got her name". No pissy attitude required.

LisaG09 · October 2013

She's a few years older than me and we live in a very small town. I remember when The Lion King 2 came out they made an event of it at the middle school (the only school in town) sort of like a drive-in deal. I just don't believe she didn't make the connection!

Dr.Loretta · October 2013

I have never seen any variation of The Lion King. I would have no idea about the connotation.

Of course she has the right to get excited about anything she wants to. Doesn't make anyone right or wrong.

We gave our DD a very Gaelic Irish name. I found out its political connotations when she was 3 months old.

moonfaerie · October 2013

I also have never seen the Lion King, and wouldn't have known the name Nalah from it.

Never heard of The Lion King?

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