To think Mumsnetters are much more creative bullies than any children could be?

[dootdoot]

So often on baby name threads I see people saying "oh no you can't call baby that, everyone will call them (insert vaguely related rude nickname)"

Don't get me wrong, children can be nasty and creative when it comes to bullying but it always gives me a laugh when people act like their tenuous connection will be the absolute first thing that will occur to other children!

I can't think of any examples off the top off my head so I hope people know what I'm talking about

I don't know the examples you're talking about, but I think Mumsnetters are some of the most creative at needling and making an OP feel a bit shameful.

Some of it may not even be based on reality or the likelihood of a person being called such a thing. It's just done to make a person feel a bit shit about their name choice.

I work in an infant school with a full and varied names list and the children really don't tease each others about their names. My own children are completely deadpan about names too I don't know if this is a teenage thing that the teasing beings but its not my experience of names in younger groups.

The baby name board is always hit and miss. Most threads involve people saying it is a pet's name or giving some obscure personal connotation that nobody else would think of or care about!

@MildredPuppy agreed! Children tend to accept names without question in my experience. I went to school with a girl with a typically male name, I've never heard another girl with the name my whole life but as a child we just accepted it! That just was her name

I know what you mean - it’s the threads where someone suggests Peter as a baby’s name and someone responds he will be bullied because of Peter Suttcliffe, or something.

Recent example of OP suggesting Dove and a poster claiming they'll be called "Div" forever at school. I've not heard the word div used as an insult in years!

But I do think names can lead to bullying. Perhaps not so much now or maybe it depends where you grew up. They can make you stand out and be different and that can be a good or bad thing.

@dootdoot

Recent example of OP suggesting Dove and a poster claiming they'll be called "Div" forever at school. I've not heard the word div used as an insult in years!

Exactly. I just think it's people trying to find an angle where they can snipe at a poster in some way, rather than there being any real danger of anything happening there

Children tend to accept names without question in my experience.

Not in my, personal, experience.

“Mumsnetters” are people and include you, OP? So not sure why you would lump “them” into a distinct group, when the reality is, that it isn’t.

And plenty of people can be cruel and do come up with nasty ways of bullying 🤷🏻‍♀️

Plenty of bullies on MN in general, unfortunately.

Yeah in my experience kids are nowhere near that creative actively trying to find hurtful nicknames. Maybe if there was a song with that name in it, it would always be sung to them, but nothing more.

@Iggly I of course don't mean all mumsnetters, I just mean this is something I see on Mumsnet more than in real life or elsewhere on the internet

I mean, someone has just asked for opinions on the name....Harmonica

@daisyoranges

But I do think names can lead to bullying. Perhaps not so much now or maybe it depends where you grew up. They can make you stand out and be different and that can be a good or bad thing.

I think it’s the other way round. If you are the chosen victim, they will use whatever they can to bully you, including your name

Another one! Someone said the name Violet makes her think of the Krays most people would go to the incredibles!

I've never seen the Incredibles, I don't think "most people" will have done either.

That's the thing, the baby name threads sometimes help the OP. There was one that wanted to call her kid Sherlock.

She'd never heard the saying no shit Sherlock yet that was the overwhelming response. Hopefully saved a kid from a lifetime of it.