So come on then, was anyone actually bullied or knows someone who is/was solely because of their name?

And a child called 'Geoffrey' which was so out of it's time that he got bullied over it. His parents changed it to his middle name and moved him to a new school.

Tamara known as Tammy was called Tampax.

I was teased but not bullied. Mostly in primary school and then when I was in my early 20s. People would deliberately mispronounce it to annoy me. My name isn't wierd really or even difficult to pronounce, it's just very unusual.

I have to say I didn't find it upsetting but I did find it very tedious, what I found most tedious was the attitude of teachers or other grown ups who made much more fuss about it (and not in a nice way) than other kids.

"my mum refused to go out with a boy because he was called Cedric"

That proves my point - adults are far more narrow minded than most kids! BTW, I think Cedric is a cool name myself!

Children might bully obviously teasable names, like
Will -> Willy
Benedict -> Bendy Dick

But most other 'unusual' names are just accepted as kids are far more accepting of different (cultural, class etc) names than a lot of adults (or at least mumsnetters who worry a child might be bullied for being called Arlo or Thor for example).

I knew two people at school who both had negative attention and unkind NNs assigned to them as a direct result of their names.

Clifford and Harbans. I went to secondary school with both (mid-late 90s).

Clifford was bullied because it is such an 'old man' name, given to a lad in the wrong time (i.e. before such names became popular) and the wrong place (inner city).

Harbans was Pakistani and her name was easy to derive disgusting NNs from. I won't divulge as it's not necessary. Suffice it to say that it was an inner city school filled with lots of offspring of racist white thugs, so that she was a Muslim with a 'funny name' didn't help.

Vile pigs at my old school. I never, ever admit that I went there, you know? I've worked hard since to distance myself from it. I'm going off-subject now but when my DDs reach secondary school age, I'll ever make the mistake
of sending them to a school like that.

Guy had his name changed to Gay by some of his contemporaries and was teased a bit though not seriously bullied.

Happened to me. Made me unhappy for most of the fifth form. Maybe if it wasn't my name it would have been something else - it was just 2 horrible boys - but my name made it easy.

I think that's why am struggling with names for my baby

Not bullying, but my mum refused to go out with a boy because he was called Cedric.

same for my DC Tit! both have top 10 names for that reason!

Yes, her name was Marigold.
This was the north east in the late 80's, early 90's.

yes, I was teased throughout Primary, and then in Secondary it was ammunition for those who were bullying me for other reasons. I just wanted not to stand out, to blend into the background, and although it wasn't the name that caused it, it certainly didn't help.

My DS got a top ten name!

More teased than bullied as my name rhymed with pee and sea.

Later on teased about having a double barrelled first name.

yep.

named after a popular margarine brand.

bullied RELENTLESSLY at primary for it. then got the 'spreads well?' comments in secondary.

It didn't help having an english accent in a scottish school, but my name was the focus for the teasing and bullying.

I am 30 now and just starting not to hate my name.

My mind goes straight to "fartin Martin" who I was in primary school with. That went on for years.

I was teased throughout primary school about my surname.

I don't know anyone bullied because of their firstname. DD has some classmates with unusual names but she thinks nothing of it, they're normal to her I guess.

I knew a kamaljit at school who got called camelshit but she was one of only two non white kids in the school so maybe just racism.

Bullies rarely take umbrage at the actual behaviour or characteristic of their victim.

If they have chosen a victim, they will latch onto a characteristic that they happen to have and bully them about that.

So if the bully picks on a boy, say, with long hair, if the victim gets it cut, they will often just choose something else to pick on about the victim (his name, perhaps).

Yes, my brother. A Jeremy who stood out like a sore thumb with that name in a very rough school.

Ds got into trouble with a mum in infants ( he doesn't have a mean bone in is body) for chasing her same age son about shouting " you are Bacon and I'm going to eat you up" ( his surname ).

The rugby team ds plays with all have nicknames that are semi offensive based on their actual names but I am told this is "banter" not bullying. Apparently no one takes it to heart. I'd out myself if I told... (don't ak e where acceptable banter stops and bullying starts - I guess it's if it's upsetting someone).

I knew someone named "Praisethelord".

Yes.

I don't know about bullying but I was recently involved in recruitment and it was interesting that the final selection of people recruited had very normal names, not always English but definitely down the John, Sarah, Mohammed line.

I'm not sure how deliberate it was and how much there is a correlation between unusual naming and people who don't present themselves professionally. I'd like to say there isn't but on the evidence of my colleagues and our recent recruitment I'd say there is a relationship. We're a firm of accountants.

Ask poor Stephen Kerr who ended up with the nn of "Wang"

TBH Kids will use anything to get a rise.

I was bullied because of my name, or rather I was bullied and my name was one of the things people picked up on and used in their delightful verbal abuse.

The kids would sing advertising jingles and make other references to a doll with an abbreviated version of my name (you know the one, same first two letters as my user name).

It doesn't sound like much, but if enough people do it it can make life in the playground pretty hellish.