Are children teased for their name on school?

[LizardOfOz]

I see on many threads the sentiment "don't call your child X , they'll be teased in school".

As a teacher for 15 years I have never heard a child's name being teased. At most it's an unwanted nickname eg Alex instead of Alexander. And never in a mean way. Just most Alexanders are called Alex.

What have other teachers/parents found

YABU : children are frequently teased for/about their name

YANBU : I have never heard of a child's name being teased by their peers either

My 1st thought was John Thomas.

I went to school with a Richard Littlejohn .

My DC go to a same sex school and they all tease eachother over their names. Actually over pretty much anything.

It reminds me of when DH was in the forces. Groups of men together turn in to children and rib eachother.

At school in the 1970s lots of people were teased over their surname. My friend was called Gray and he was called grey day, grey donkey and other daft things.

Obviously never in earshot of teachers

There was a headteacher in our area called Dick Power.

He named his son after himself. The son insisted on being called Richard.

I have a friend with the surname 'Cox' at school she had to sit in alphabetical order so she was seated next to a girl with the surname 'Dick'. Yes they were both teased.

She gave her little boy his father's surname so he wouldn't be teased.

I have no idea how it was spelt to be honest. We were infant school, I doubt I could spell my own name at that point.

I think we were told that it might be strange to us, but it was an Italian name, so your spelling is very probably correct.

We associated the pronunciation with skipping and kangaroos.

I think that perhaps people saying 'they'll be teased for their name' is an overhang from PP's school days.

When I was in school 80/90's kids were constantly teased for their names, so you assume it still happens.

Springtimesunshinesun is a lovely name, ignore them 😜

First name William

I have 2 children both with unusual names, and not teased. They have both had 'nicknames' where their names were played with but this seemed affectionate and they found it funny. Also a multi-cultural school where names are just clarified and accepted. I remember my kids being confused when they were little as a boy in their class had a name that meant something strange in our language. We simply explained that it had a different meaning in that boys language and that was sufficient.

There was also a William Bone.. Willy bone.. Poor kid...

I'm a teacher and yes, I've seen children be picked on because of their name many times. Usually it's mild teasing or thoughtless comments, but I have also seen bullying.

I've never seen someone with a foreign name be picked on for it, kids recognise the difference between a foreign name and a strange/funny/weird one.

I think it's true that a kids identify a target for bullying and then find anything to bully them for. But why give someone a potential easy ammunition?

I think lots of kids get teased over their names, it doesn't all descend into actual bullying, but it still is an experience many kids don't like.

My friend was called Frances and she used to be called Sir Francis Drake at school. I don't think she cared the first few times she was called that but after years of it it was wearing thin. Another friend of mine had an Italian surname that started with 'Fall..." and she spent many years being called Fallopian Tube or Fallanges. I also had a friend with the surname Pratt who was teased a lot. But tbh kids will always find a way to tease/bully others if that's in their nature and if it isn't a name then it would be something else.

Not in my experience, my two have foreign names and they are very used to other unusual names.

When my DD was about 4 she really laughed at our next door neighbours name - it's Paul. She thought this was hilariously like swimming pool. This is the only time names have been laughed at and obviously I told her not to be rude!

I knew a girl with a very ordinary name. When she was about ten, an actress with the same name became well-known. The actress was on a TV programme with a catch phrase, and she had endless hassle with people saying the catchphrase to her. Not so much bullying as people thinking they were being funny. I think that was just bad luck.

When I was at school, Gordon was an ordinary name. In 1978, Jilted John's song with the chorus "Gordon is a moron" made every Gordon's life a misery. Again, bad luck.

There were some very unusual names at my kids' school, but no teasing. One boy had a name which is a boy's name in his parents' culture but is a very girly name in English. He wasn't teased.

This AIBU is set up for a certain outcome - the only choices are "Frequently, all the time" or ""No, never, it is not a thing". But the reality obviously is not covered by either of these options.

The children who get genuinely picked on for their names (as opposed to friendly teasing) are the children who are likely to get picked on for something, and certain names make them an even easier target. The exact same name on a socially adept and charismatic child might be cool and unusual and add to their mythos.

His parents didn't name him after the Bush Kangaroo did the? Tell me they didn't!

Is it possible to set a third option?
Always, sometimes, never?

I've been teased over my name at school & beyond, so IMO YABU, some children definitely are, even if it's not your own experience.

I think even with two options you could go for "Children are sometimes mocked for their name" and "Children are never or very rarely mocked for their name". The two options chosen seem deliberately polarised.

I really don't see the connection?

Good point. I didn't mean to be polarized. I just kind of went with yes and no

I was teased (not bullied!) over both my first & surname. When my middle name was discovered that caused much mirth too. This was back in the 90's though & I think there were fewer unusual names. As an adult, I bloody love my name & it actually gets complimented a lot (not that I had anything to do with it)

Eldests name is also extremely unusual & depending on if you put the emphasis on the first or second part you can really get some different meaning from it. Again, teased not bullied & zero regrets.

Both our names are from books.

Youngest has the shortening issue in that he prefers his full name. Only his biggest brother & cousin are allowed to use the shortened version. But much more common so no teasing.

Middle child has normal first name &, frankly, batshit middle names which we all love. No teasing that I know of.

Yes.

My name was mocked relentlessly and it is still commented on as a adult either 'that's lovely' or a joke. Think seasonal name. It wasn't common when I was a child but now seems to be everywhere.

I absolutely hate it and have wanted to change it since I was small but think it wouldn't stick.

We have gone for very traditional first names at least for our children as a result.

I'm guessing they couldn't pronounce th.

"Befanny"

Point being kids will mock anything they can!

I've just seen another post with FIVE voting options! I need to improve my tech skills