A teen mum has defended her daughter's unusual name after relatives mistook it for a car manufacturer and trolls said the tot would be bullied. Bella Davis, 18, named her six-month-old daughter Polaris - another name for the North Star - when she was born on July 7 2022.
Despite "loving" her daughter's name, Bella and her boyfriend, Reason Robison, 20, who works at a nearby Carbon Fibre manufacturer, have found themselves having to defend it. Strangers online claim the moniker "sounds like a disease" and another commented her: "girl be ready to have a bullied baby."
Even their loved ones have had doubts of their choice of name - suggesting it sounds similar to the car manufacturing company Polaris Inc. Bella, a stay-at-home mum said: "When we told our friends and family almost everyone didn't like it.
"A lot of people thought of the car manufacturing company, Polaris inc., who sell All Terrain Vehicles. My sister absolutely hated it but once Polaris was born, she's started to like it a bit more.
"A lot of people have warmed to it since, my mum said she liked it, but I don't know if she was lying to me. I've had a lot of people online who don't like it as well.
"A lot of the comments are saying she'd be bullied in school for her name and that it's ugly. I've just stopped reading the comments now because they're too hateful.
"I don't really care but it's also not very nice to hear at the same time."
The name had a personal meaning to the young couple, as they first bonded over a love of astronomy and would go stargazing together on their dates. Bella recalled how Reason had pointed to the North Star, or Polaris, just before asking her to be his girlfriend.
Despite the backlash, Bella and Reason claim they don't regret naming their daughter Polaris - pronounced as 'Pol-air-is' - and encourage parents to "go for it" if they like an unusual name.
Bella said: "I've never once regretted naming her Polaris. To all the people online, I'd say it's not your kid and you shouldn't give your opinion unless it's wanted because the things people say do hurt and it's unnecessary.
"I'd definitely say to other parents that if you love a name then go for it. Your opinion is all that matters and at the end of the day it's your decision.
"There's no name in the world that everyone's going to like. And to the people who say she'll be bullied - I think kids will be mean either way and if they're mean about her name then they're not very good friends anyway."
