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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Everyone laughs at my babies name......thinking of changing it????

486 replies

KidderminsterKate · 04/03/2012 12:48

Well, title says it all really. DS is 10 weeks old and is a handsome smilng chap already so gets alot of attention. My parents hate his name but are sort of used to it...my other DC's love the name but its HVs and shop keepers and friends and friends of friends that usually just eh and then oh.

I wasnt bothered at first but now its starting to get to me. I do love the name but am a bit embarrassed now.

Would these sort of things make you change the name??? I'm thinking of changing it to Edward (Ted).

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SchrodingersMew · 04/03/2012 18:16

And just to add, he might end up changing it anyway. I am about to change my name by Deed Poll because it is affecting my job and Uni opportunities.

ChickensHaveNoLips · 04/03/2012 18:15

I'd give him Edward as his birth certificate name, and call him Bear. We call DS2 Boo, but it's not his official name. There is a good reason for this.

duchesse · 04/03/2012 18:15

Just change it to Edward and keep calling him Bear! I see no problem with a cute nickname, but I do think he might struggle to be taken seriously later if his name is actually Bear.

bumbums · 04/03/2012 18:15

I have a friend who called her son Tiger Jake. We knew him as Jake. Wasn't at all sure why he was given the name Tiger and then not generally called it?

I presume you have an interesting sir name too?

SchrodingersMew · 04/03/2012 18:14

Totally agree with karma ^^.

WetAugust · 04/03/2012 18:14

It's not out and out stupid - just so unusual that it will invite derision.

I'd change it.

SchrodingersMew · 04/03/2012 18:14

I got laughed at in school for having an unusual name, totally wrecked my school years. If you pick a name that kids can find nick names with it to make fun of then it's definitely a bad choice.

Sorry but you have to think how your child will get through life with that name and if you choose a name that means he will get picked on because of it then that's selfish. You don't have to live with it, he does.

fedupofnamechanging · 04/03/2012 18:13

Bear is a stupid name. He will spend his whole life dealing with the sniggering of everyone he meets.

mybootsaremuddy · 04/03/2012 18:11

You want to change your DS name from Bear to Ted?........... Do you not think that this will make those that laughed, laugh more? (thinking you have obsession with cute, fluffy, stuffed things).

Saying that you could always put Edward on birth cert then call him Ted/Bear from day to day. That way if he wants somthing more grown up as a teen/adult he has more choice Ed/Ned/Edward?

puds11 · 04/03/2012 18:10

like everly bear- anthony keidis sons name, is that the inspiration?

I like bear, but wouldnt choose it as a first name. I think you need to be of a certain build to carry off the name bear.

eurycantha · 04/03/2012 18:09

Bear Grylls name is Edward MIchael.

SoFarWeAreEqual · 04/03/2012 18:09

Oh I see Tooblunt2012 does know. I take it back.

Bunbaker · 04/03/2012 18:08

Bear Grylls is called Edward.

Bearcrumble · 04/03/2012 18:08

Bear is brilliant. I am biased, obv. but stick with Bear.

PosiePumblechook · 04/03/2012 18:08

I love it, but if you can't carry it with confidence change it to Edward...

youarekidding · 04/03/2012 18:07

Bear is fine, yes it's different and a little shocking at first but it's not a horrid name iyswim.

And please don't keep Bear as a NN and change it to Edward, Ted, Teddy.

rocketeer · 04/03/2012 18:07

Just stick it out! Really! My ds2 has a very unusual name and we nearly changed it because of people's reactions but stuck with it, he is now 6 and totally suits his name!

HandMini · 04/03/2012 18:07

Well, if your reasons for choosing it still stand (presumably you liked it) what's changed, other than that others don't?

SoFarWeAreEqual · 04/03/2012 18:07

I love Bear. Yes it is unusual but it never seems to do Bear Grylls any harm (I do realise that is not his real name but does anyone know what his real name is? Exactly).

spanky2 · 04/03/2012 18:07

Jason Lee (My Name is Earl,) has a ds called Inspektor Pilot. I like Bear. People laughed at first to ds2's name Milo, no not named after a Tweenie. GGrr! Can you imagine him in as an adult though. Dh went to a conference where someone was called Nicholas Sex. That must have been a joke.

RitaMorgan · 04/03/2012 18:06

Edward/Ted with Bear as a nickname would be nice.

To be honest, Bear is a name that will attract some ridicule I think. I would change it.

Bunbaker · 04/03/2012 18:06

I'm sorry but that is a name that will invite derision. Were you inspired by Bear Grylls? And I'm afraid that boys will be boys and he will get called bear (bare) behind all the time.

Tooblunt2012 · 04/03/2012 18:04

I'm sorry, I did just laugh a little.

Bear Grylls comes to mind though, although dont know how he got that other than Teddy for Edward then becoming Bear (or am I making that up completely??!)

If you love it, then stick with it, but I can now see why there might be a reaction. Not much help though, sorry!

Viewofthehills · 04/03/2012 18:02

Sorry, it made me laugh too, but actually I quite like it. Bjorn in Scandinavia means Bear, after all and has been a very popular name for centuries.

You might start a new fashion , but I'm not sure I'd want my son to have struggle with it, en route.

TidyDancer · 04/03/2012 17:58

Hmmm. See, I like it, but would never use it as a first name. It's not enough of a name for me, if that makes sense.

Anthony Kiedis from the Chili Peppers has a son named Everly Bear. That's how I would use it.

Do you still love the name?