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

No he is a man I think an outdoorsy type

I'm not so sure about the bullying issue. As far as I see in 'our' school, there are so many unusual names around that none of them register as odd to the children.
As for this thread, I'm not keen as I think Bear Grylls is a dick.

I hope he doesn't cry alot otherwise he will be a 'grizzly' Bear - sorry couldn't resist

and when he gets a black eye playing rugby he will be 'Panda' Bear

if he wears glasses he will be a ' Spectacled' Bear

Change it to Edward .

Sorry kidderminsterkate but Bear is an awful name to give to your son. I work in a secondary school and kids can be awful, please change it. The poor boys life will be made hell in school and believe me teachers at both primary and secondary will make assumptions about him/you (not nice ones) because of his name. He will change it when he is an adult, after years of hell. Change, and I'm not sure I like Ted either, again, kids will take the piss big time! Sorry, but you did ask. Change it and blame it on the hormones.

"A child will rarely be teased due to his/her name - kids are pretty accepting of different names. A child will be bullied if it allows itself to be bullied."

I was, Hellokitty. And it certainly wasn't because I allowed it.

Have you put it on birth certificate yet ??

Sorry I am not surprised that people are a bit surprised but surely you must have thought of this before you gave the child the name ,i feel sorry for him when he gets older he will have the mickey taken out of him something rotten. Lovely nickname for a baby or a grandad.

I know an eleven year old 'Bear', his name is Edward, he loves his name and I think part of who he is is in his name.

Oh ffs, woman, your title says it all.
Everyone is laughing at the name you have given your son, why oh why do you still think it's cool?

Please give your child a proper name-and I say this as someone who loves unusual/not common names but how can anyone expect to be taken seriously as an adult when they have such a name.

Davina mcccall planned to call her ds bear I believe but opted for chester-maybe she thought even as a celeb she couldnt pull it off?...

Going back to Tee Jay which was talked about earlier in the thread ... we have a maths scheme at school called Tee Jay. I am, of course, now willing some parents to name their child this so I can say 'Tee Jay, can you fetch the Tee Jay?'

hellokitty123 do your children go to school a child will be bullied if it allows it oh yes it is always the victims fault ...

hellokitty123 'A child will be bullied if it allows itself to be bullied'?

Really????? Hmmm, not sure that's how bullying works. Oh if only that child didn't allow themselves to have a physical impairment, crippling shyness, different coloured skin etc. etc.

"and as for piss taking at school, kids will always find something."

"But why make it easy for them?"

A child will rarely be teased due to his/her name - kids are pretty accepting of different names. A child will be bullied if it allows itself to be bullied. And if it does, the bullies will find something!

"and as for piss taking at school, kids will always find something."

But why make it easy for them?

I think it?s fine as a nickname but as an official name, I wouldn?t do it.

The thing about nicknames is that they evolve as people get to know someone?s personality and physical attributes. But just plonking Bear on someone from birth seems a bit hopeful that your son will grow up to be a rugged and intrepid explorer. He may be far from bear like.

There is a z list celeb who has called her child Striker. I would say you calling your son Bear puts you in the same category as this celeb. You have chosen the nickname belonging to a handsome, charming, posh, adventurer she has chosen a football kicking related name and would presumably love him to grow up to be a soccer ace. But they?re both silly.

I love unusual names but Bear is honestly awful, sorry to be blunt.
Edward is dull! Maybe you should find a middle ground?

I have an Edward and I call him Edward Bear or Bear. I prefer having a proper name tbh.

(I am pg again and quite like Wolf for this one! the family have vetoed it).

Why would you change a cool name like Bear to a dull, overused one like Edward? As others have said, any name 'becomes' the person they are and no one bats an eyelid. He'll be the coolest teenager with the name Bear. He'll also be much easier remembered than if was another Ed or Jack.

Will he like it? And will his future girlfriends like it? I hated my nameand cringed whenever my dm used it in public an; my adolescent school days were blighted because people teased me. I've finally got used to it but still don't like it. My dh also has an unusual name and I avoid saying it when talking to friends who don't know him. I know I'm being shallow but I wonder if Bear will experience the same reaction?

I love Bear! DS age 7 said the other day he wished he'd been called Bear as it so cool, obviously popularised by Mr Grylls. (I wanted to call DD Tiger, so I could have had a complete zoo!)

Stick with it and ignore the meanies who think its acceptable to laugh at anyone's name.

I've just skim read this thread so apologies if someone else has said this, but when I hear Bear I think of this. Maybe it's just me??

That aside though I do actually like it as a name and it's not as outlandish as I expected.

But Edward is soooo dull. I think Bear is cool. I have known people with odd names and maybe the first time you hear it, the reaction may be a bit 'what?' but then it just becomes them.

Whatever you do, don't go with Edward. How many Edwards do you know who remain Edward? They always try to change it to something else, Ed, Eddie, Ted, Ned, etc. This is because Edward is boring.

Edward bear was Winnie the pooh's original name...

Except Edward gives him a choice. Go with his family nickname of Bear, his full name or choose Ted/Ed/Eddie - without having to faff about with Deed Poll.