Did I really give my child an unusual name?

Ewan isn't an odd name I'd get on about the bullying immediately he's been there 4 bloody days and starting secondary is hard enough already without some little shits making it worse

It’s a nice name I have a 13 year old
relative with the same name. Kids will pick at anything.

Especially when I think of how common my DS's name is!!😂

Ewan is a lovely name. A friend of mine has a son with the same name, nowhere near Scotland, and I thought nothing except, how lovely to hear something a bit different.

The name is just an excuse for bullying. You need to be complaining to school whenever any happens to your DS. I know from experience, that if you constantly message the school, they will act on it to stop you from constantly contacting them!

I meant shouldn't. I did write that in the next post below but you may have been too quick to see it. Sorry, bad proofreading on my part.

That's not only bullying, it's downright assault.

??

Don't leave this go any further contact the school now, make an appointment to get this stopped! Bullying has serious impacts on mental emotional & physical health, if you get no satisfaction from the school please take it to the highest level you can! Do not leave your child suffer one more day

This is nothing to do with a name, this is about bullying. I would take it up with the school immediately.

This.

see the thread about why were you bullied at school. Huge number because of their name.

This crap needs nipping in the bud or it’s going to be a long 5 years for him.
His name is perfectly mainstream but these little shits don’t need an excuse to make other kids lives miserable. Get it stamped on.

It's not a weird name at all. I guess it's a name you can pathetically make something of if you want to and they've decided they want to based on who knows what. Nip it in the bud by talking to his teacher. What does your son say they are commenting on, are they using his name to bully?

My ds sounds similar to your ds except mine does have an unusual name (after non English grandfather). He was bullied at primary school so we decided to take him private. He passed the entrance tests to 2 academically selective schools and was offered a full bursary at each one. He chose the all boys one and it was the making of him. He is ND and the school were so good with him. There were a couple of issues with the other boys in prep school but it was quickly nipped in the bud.

Def not a weird name but there weren’t any in DCs’ schools.
It’s probably more his ND and lack of social awareness and the bullies are picking up on that.
The slightly uncommon name is just easy for them to target. .

I think I voted the wrong way because the poll wasn’t clear. I’m a teacher, there are plenty of Ewans about, just not as many as there are Jacks and Georges. It’s not the name that’s the problem. They’re targeting because they perceive him as an easy target. If it wasn’t his name they’d come up with something else.

It's not his name, if it wasn't that they'd find something else to pick on. They're just bullies and he is presenting as a classic victim.
I'd teach him some strategies for dealing with it but not being a victim ever I don't know what to suggest.

The name is just an excuse he’s being targeted. I’d speak to school immediately and expect it to be dealt with I’d also start looking at other schools.

What do you mean should get weird vibes?!

Jeesus

Your son's name is not unusual.

I've been a teacher for over 40 years. In many ways, the schools have their hands tied by policies, but you do have to give them a chance and they can't change what they don't know about.

I'd start with the Head of Year or similar position at your son's school. Make sure they know you're not messing around, you will take things further if need be. Now, sometimes, as a teacher, I know I might as well be talking to a wall with some bullies, but hearing that a parent is prepared to take things further does get through to some kids. Let the teacher know that you'd like them to share with the students that this will go further.

If it happens again, lets say they stop for a couple of days, but it starts again, then take it higher. Again, let them know that you're not going away quietly, this will go further.

I've seen horrendous bullying brushed under the carpet by some school leaders. They don't want to suspend students as it is reflected in data for the school. Higher up, some see suspensions as a sign of weakness in a school, whereas I see it as a sign that a school won't put up with bad behaviour.

The squeaky wheel gets the oil, please squeak as loudly as you need to for your son. As I said, classroom teachers can only take things so far, consequences for really appalling behaviour often have to be given the okay from above.

I always tell kids they are lucky that more parents don't go straight to the police, as their behaviour is considered as assault on the other side of the school fence.

I have seen incidents where parents went to the police (yay) and it did have the desired effect, it also had an effect on some of the fringe dwellers, who didn't want to end up in that sort of trouble. Hopefully you won't have to go that far, but bullies can be sneaky, do things as soon as adult backs are turned. If you do end up having to go to the top, just know, that secretly, plenty of teachers will be cheering you on. Unfortunately, they can't publicly go against the actions of the school, but they agree with you.

My little boy is called Euan, and I love his name - I don’t know any others but I just can’t imagine children being so horrid. I’m so sorry your little boy is going through this xxx

Bullies don't need an excuse to bully. This needs to be nipped in the bud. Speak to the head of year as soon as possible.