Rotorua mum won't change Isis name

Joanne Keefe with her daughter Isis, 2. Photo / Stephen Parker

A Rotorua mother says an extremist Islamic militant group is tarnishing her daughter's name, but she won't be changing it.

Jo Keefe said when she named her daughter Isis more than two years ago, there was no talk of the rebel terrorist organisation commonly known as Isis - Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

"In sixth form I went to Europe - John Paul College did a trip for history and one of the places was Egypt," Miss Keefe said.

"I was into Egyptology and we went to a temple named Isis. It wasn't until I was researching for names [when pregnant] that I remembered it.

"When I found out the meaning, of it, goddess of motherhood, love and power I really liked it. I was going to name her Summer or Manaia but there were too many of those," she said.

"Isis wasn't even around publicly at the time she was born. If it had been a problem back then, I wouldn't have chosen it to be honest, probably because I thought people would hold it against her but that hasn't happened at all."

Miss Keefe has no intentions of changing her daughter's name.

"Not at all, I love the name, but when I do introduce her to people I pre-empt it and say, 'This is Isis, named after the Egyptian goddess'."

An Australian couple last year spoke out about the fear their 8-year-old daughter maybe singled out because she too had the name Isis.

"Every day there's some sort of reference in the media or brought up in conversation about fighting Isis, about how Isis is evil, and I'm worried that she's going to be targeted," they told news.com.au.

But, Miss Keefe said she's faced no criticism or negative comments in Rotorua.

"People here have been fine, but when we go to Wellington I am conscious not to yell out 'Isis' in McDonald's or anything.

"We are concerned about it when she gets older but will just deal with it when the time comes."

Miss Keefe said 2-year-old Isis was happy being oblivious to what all the fuss is about.

"She just thinks of herself as Princess Isis."

Meanwhile, Egyptian history buff Lisa Hotton said she was determined her business, Isis Financial Services, will keep its name.

Miss Hotton named her Tauranga debt collection business after the Egyptian goddess as well.

"I am so into Egyptian history -- the culture, the civilisation, the pyramids. They were such an intelligent race of people," she said.

"I have Egyptian stuff all through my lounge, including some Isis statues. They are everywhere."

When Miss Hotton set up her business in the mid-2000s, she wanted a feminine-sounding name and also wanted to tie in her love of Egypt, so decided on Isis.

Miss Hotton has had to explain the source of her business name a number of times since the militant Isis became a household name, but said everyone she told had "understood totally".

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