Lisa Hotton who started her business Isis Financial Services in 2004

A debt collector has been forced to change the name of her business which shares the name as terror group ISIS, after being told by a stranger that he wished her head would get chopped off.

The financial services company based in New Zealand was named Isis in 2004, referring to the Egyptian goddess of beauty and femininity.

Founder of the business Lisa Hotton told Daily Mail Australia that she's been receiving messages of hate since the beginning of the year and she's now had enough of the abuse.

Isis Financial Services has been running in The Bay of Plenty - New Zealand's North Island for about 11 years.

'At the time I thought it would be a suitable name for my company as I am greatly interested in Egyptian belief,' she said.

'I wanted something feminine and thought the goddess Isis would be perfect.'

But couple of weeks ago, Ms Hotton reluctantly changed the name of her business to Bay Debt Services while keeping her company logo of the Egyptian goddess.

The owner of the financial services company based in New Zealand was named Isis, referring to the Egyptian goddess of beauty and femininity, has been forced to change her company's name. Pictured are members of the Islamic State in Iraq waving ISIS flags

Isis Financial Services has been running in The Bay of Plenty - in New Zealand's North Island for about 11 years

'For over six months I've been getting these horrible messages on Facebook and by email from strangers because of the name of my company,' she said.

'I've had the name Isis since 2004 and they were talking to me as if I had just come up with this name recently.

'People were asking me "how could you" while one man, who I don't even know, told me that he wished that my head would be chopped off. I thought that was really over the top and it just shows how ignorant people can be.'

Ms Hotton, who has been in the industry for 30 years, also says the negative effect the name Isis has had on her business also prompted the modification.

'I really didn't want to change it and I was determined to keep it at first but people kept reminding me of the negative connotation of the name and I was getting sick of that,' she said.

'I feel a bit sad that it had to come down to this but I guess it's a way of starting fresh.'

'At the time I thought it would be a suitable name for my company as I am greatly interested in Egyptian belief,' Ms Hotton said. 'I wanted something feminine and though the goddess Isis would be perfect'

ISIS - THE EGYPTIAN GODDESS: The goddess Isis was first worshipped in Ancient Egypt as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patroness of nature and magic. She is often depicted as the mother of Horus, the falcon-headed god featured throughout Egyptian theology. Her image as a model of womanhood made her popular both with the slaves, who saw her as a mother-figure, and the wealthy, who saw her as a example to wives. It was believed that the annual flooding of the River Nile came from the tears of Isis as she wept over the death of her brother Osiris. The figure of Isis passed into Roman and Greek mythology and she is still worshipped by some pagans today. Advertisement

Last year staff from an Australian office fitout company had also received similar abuse for the name of their company, which was also inspired by the Egyptian goddess.

While chief executive Michael Barnes did consider changing the name ISIS Group Australia, the company has decided to keep the title which was established 25 years ago.

'Our name carries a lot of heritage and stands for quality and delivery in the construction market,' Mr Barnes said.

'We take the safety and well-being of our workers and subcontractors very seriously and are being proactive in managing any potential for negativity from ill-informed members of the public.