To think my new colleagues are being very childish

[Elise101]

I started a new job a month ago and in the company I work for, they often use people's initials to refer to them in bulletins, emails and meetings etc. My initials are RC and this has been the butt of everyone's joke constantly. The first time I could understand as it is quite funny due to it sounding like 'arsey'. But literally every day someone makes a comment or starts laughing in my face about it.

AIBU to think this is rude and childish? I'm talking about a range of people, most of them over 35. I didn't mind the first time but I'm getting sick of it and it's making me feel irritated now, as it's not like I can change my name. Nobody in my life has ever said anything until now. My boss is now suggesting I use my middle name initial as RC isn't appropriate!!

Middle name is Elise by the way, hence username! Lol

If you hadn't explained that RC sounds a bit like "arsey" I would have had no idea what they found so funny. They're being dicks and your boss should be telling them to stop being dicks rather than saying the completely innocuous initials are inappropriate.

They are being very childish indeed

I would just laugh- I imagine the more you react and get 'arsey' about it, the funnier they'll find it.

We use initials like you, and have an RC who chuckles along, it's barely mentioned though.

Unless you think they're being deliberately unkind and want to upset you, I'd just take it as a different sense of humour.

Can you be referred to as REC from now on? Might be a diversion tactic, but yes they are being very juvenile.

If it's upsetting you, you shouldn't have to put up with it.

I'd say something along the lines of "yeah yeah jokes over" whenever someone mentions it.

Fwiw I thought "Roman catholic"! "Arsey" wouldn't have occurred to me.

They are being childish - I saw your initials and I wondered what was so funny about Root Cause (which is what RC means to me)

Another one here who wouldnt have known if you hadnt explained it

RC isn't appropriate? They are letters, anything else is in their heads!

Well, I know he is your boss and the job is new, but fucking hell. That tells you all you need to know about him/the office. Childish, childish and utterly unprofessional.

Tell him to fuck off, but choose more job keeping appropriate words

I am sorry my initials seem to cause a commotion, but they are my initials. If I add an initial will everyone else do so too? or am I being singled out because you are all so fucking childish?

Well, almost

Maybe suggest they use peoples names in emails etc

That is honestly one of the most pathetic things I have ever heard. I would have a very hard time not telling them to STFU when they started sniggering about it.

REC would be rectal!

It's a bit odd to refer to people's initials. What happens when two people with the same initials come in?

I'd suggest using names.

'There is a reason my initials spell RC. If you don't want to find out why then I suggest you shut.the.fuck.up.'

One of the locations in my work is referred to as RC, I have never heard this and am glad you explained as I would have been totally lost! They're a bunch of twats, how immature!

They are been childish. We have the same initial system for minutes at work, I know of 2 RC's and this has never been raised. I had no idea what you even meant. I think you need to getMN to help you with a way /one liner to put an end to this.

I worked in company once that used your first initial followed by the first initial of your surname, followed by the last initial of your surname. It worked well as it was unlikely there would be two the same. Your colleagues are being childish and hateful....I hate it when people go on and on with the same old hurtful joke. It is boring, mean, a gang mentality and goes beyond humour into picking on someone.

It's just so annoying. I'm hoping they will drop it soon as it's getting old now. I've told my twin sister about it and she thinks it's ridiculous. We were named after members of my mothers family that died, so I doubt she was thinking much about the way the initials sound at the time.

If you changed to EC, they would probably say it sounded like you were 'easy.' Unfortunately a dickhead will always find something to be a dickhead about....

Sounds bloody irritating. Are they 5?

That is madness, RC to me would mean Roman Catholic, if anything at all. RC are not weird initials, they are quite normal.

I'm with PP in not getting why they aren't using your name? "Rose, in our sales team" or "Rose, in strategy" are fine, whatever your name is (using Rose as an example here).

Change your name by deed poll to Faith Ursula Celia Katherine Olive Freda Fullsmith.

Hey presto! Problem solved.

Can I suggest a slight variation on FunkyBoldRibena's response...

'There is a reason my initials spell RC. If you don't want to find out why then I suggest you STFU."

And yes, they sound like fucking idiots unpleasant. YANBU.

There are a lot of childish people around.

Should DP and I ever get round to marrying one of the reasons I wouldn't ever consider taking his surname is that I would then become RC Darcy. I can just imagine how people like your colleagues would react to that.

my Uncle's intials are WTF - he takes great pride in them.... so, it could be worse I guess... some people will giggle about anything - but not his initials - he is built like a bus and has a "fuck-off" scowl.....