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Baby names

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

Original poster

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

64 replies

Polkadotfanatic · 23/09/2012 11:35

Reading the baby names threads recently there have been a lot of more 'unusual' names that have come up and besides the "He'll never be a High Court Judge" lot, there have been suggestions that a child will be purely bullied by his peers on name only...

In your experience or opinion how true is this?

I always assumed that kids are accepting of things like names and that it tends to be the adults who have the problem with an unusual name, ie - a five year old is not going to know the reason that some adults will have a raised eyebrow or a cat's bum mouth towards a 'Gaylord' - purely example only, I dont want to be slated by any mums of little Gaylord!

It would just be interesting to hear what your experiences are with this - would be helpful to include the name too, if poss.

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EcoLady · 23/09/2012 14:50

When I was using my step-father's surname (age 9-14) it could easily be made into a word that was a synonym of 'dirty'. Having that yelled across the school at me constantly made me insist on reverting to what was my own surname (i.e. mum's first married name). It caused huge problems at home, but I preferred that to being constantly taunted at school.

FanjoPingpong · 23/09/2012 14:45

Yeah. I know a Hannah who got 'Hanny-fanny' and then just 'fanny'. There's no real guarantees, even with everyday names.

PoppyWearer · 23/09/2012 14:45

Yes, I definitely got stick because of my name, because of the similarity to a brand of sanitary product. It's definitely something I tried to think about when naming my DCs.

imustbepatient · 23/09/2012 14:42

Various Benedicts I know have been teased with 'bendy dick'. The one I know best though just took on those teasing in a couple of fights and won, which ended the teasing. if he had been a quieter shy type though I imagine it could have gone on throughout school. My DSis is Virginia and was called 'virgin' by some boys in her class, which upset her as she was only 8 at the time. So yes I think it can happen, but no guarantee what names or people will be picked on.

Original poster
Polkadotfanatic · 23/09/2012 12:43

Wild Poppy - interesting point, I came across this because of my surname - Green. In fact now I think about it my nickname at school (that I hated) was because of my surname. At the time I didn't winge though - I was overweight and it could have been so much worse!

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SecretNutellaFix · 23/09/2012 12:13

I was constantly harassed because of my name.

It says more about the morons than it does about me.

FWIW, my name is one of the most popular in the world, pretty, classic, never been slated on here as far as I can remember.

Maria.

So thanks to all the people who thought they were being original when they start singing one of the many many options of any of the songs with that name on there. or stuff from West Side story or The sound of music at me.

Not just children, either.

Bunbaker · 23/09/2012 12:12

I wasn't bullied, but teased and made fun of because of my name. I resolved that if I had any children I would give them names that couldn't have fun made of them.

wildpoppy · 23/09/2012 12:10

All the name bullying I know was more based on surnames than first names.

meditrina · 23/09/2012 12:08

An unfortunate word can be easily built from the stressed syllable of my surname. Yes that word was used in place of my name for a while, and yes it's horrible.

LadyWidmerpool · 23/09/2012 12:06

Yes, I know someone who had a really hard time because of her name. It was the name of a very unpopular public figure.

VeremyJyle · 23/09/2012 12:05

Yes a rather unfortunate boy named Larry, a slang word for loner Sad

LuellaLovesLavender · 23/09/2012 12:04

Well I'm a secondary school teacher and have never heard of any bullying because of their name.....plenty of bullying alright but not over names! And I'm in a pretty tough school.....they really don't save each others feelings!

happychappy · 23/09/2012 11:47

I was because it sounds a bit like custard. It wasn't bad and just remember it being a not particularly nice time at that school. I moved school and never had a problem again (I did get into a fight with the ringleader on the last day though). It's not a very usual name, kids are sometimes horrible and sometimes a bit stupid.

Psammead · 23/09/2012 11:43

I know someone who was a bully and who had a ridiculous name. I wondered if it was a self-defense thing for him.

In my school there were mainly pretty conservative names, really. Apart from the odd Indian/Pakistani name which were never commented on because obviously foreign names don't tend to be picked on.

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