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Original poster

Did I really give my child an unusual name?

197 replies

GameSetMatch · 08/09/2025 19:20

My DS1 who is 11years old and has just started high school has come home every day since starting upset with different children taking the mick out of his name! He’s been shoved and his chair kicked whilst being taunted because his name is ‘weird’ according to the children.

His name is …. Ewan, to me it’s just an ordinary name not popular but not out there or strange, is it??

I also would like opinions please on what to do, do I just let everything pan out and see if it settles because it’s only been four days or do I set my stall out with the teachers early? I’m leaning towards the wait and see option.

A bit of background is, he’s extremely intelligent but not socially aware as we think he is ND he was bullied in primary school but only the last year and it was never really delt with properly, with the teachers turning a blind eye to it. The bullying was verbal and physical ranging from a black eye to being made to sit in a puddle.

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 08/09/2025 19:22

No, ewan is not a weird name. Its a proud Scottish name, right?

Pull him out of school until the fucking bullying stops though 😡😡

Go round to their parents houses and shame them!

Are you in a rough area? I'd pull the culture card to the teachers re the Scottish name

REDB99 · 08/09/2025 19:23

Ewan isn’t a weird name at all. Kids are awful. I hope your son is ok. Is it likely the Y6 bullies have told other kids to pick on him? I’d definitely contact the school.

hannonle · 08/09/2025 19:23

His name is fine. It's just an excuse to bully someone different.

JustFish · 08/09/2025 19:24

It's not exactly Balonz, is it?
Ewan is a lovely name

ratatouille99 · 08/09/2025 19:24

Honestly it's a completely normal name.

BlueMum16 · 08/09/2025 19:24

What does DS want you to do?

MonGrainDeSel · 08/09/2025 19:24

Take this to his form tutor and head of year immediately. It will not get better until it's stamped on firmly by the school.

Lostworlds · 08/09/2025 19:24

Ewan isn’t a weird name, it’s just an excuse to bully him. I wouldn’t wait and see, I would contact the school and report! Any chance you can look up the behaviour policy online?

QueenClinomania · 08/09/2025 19:24

Not at all. Its a perfectly normal name.

He's not being bullied because of his name.

He's being bullied because he's different and the bullies are little shits.

They'd use any excuse they could. His name is just their excuse of choice.

The school need to come down on them like a tonne of bricks.

You need to go in there and start talking about their duty of care.

Original poster
GameSetMatch · 08/09/2025 19:26

REDB99 · 08/09/2025 19:23

Ewan isn’t a weird name at all. Kids are awful. I hope your son is ok. Is it likely the Y6 bullies have told other kids to pick on him? I’d definitely contact the school.

I wondered too about if the kids from primary have said something. It’s all new kids doing the taunting.

Thank you, I really didn’t think I’d gone with an unusual name.

OP posts:
Gymrabbit · 08/09/2025 19:26

Definitely not a weird name. It’s not super common - about one per year group at secondary but not weird at all.

MonGrainDeSel · 08/09/2025 19:26

Also, you need to be really on it and contact the school every single time there is an incident. Keep notes of everything that has happened. You need to make it harder for them to let it slide than to do something (it may be a good school and they'll do something straight away, but just in case).

MonGrainDeSel · 08/09/2025 19:27

Even if he did have an unusual name, it would not be OK. It's nothing to do with his name.

Original poster
GameSetMatch · 08/09/2025 19:27

MonGrainDeSel · 08/09/2025 19:26

Also, you need to be really on it and contact the school every single time there is an incident. Keep notes of everything that has happened. You need to make it harder for them to let it slide than to do something (it may be a good school and they'll do something straight away, but just in case).

I have kept a log, it’s only been four days of high school I just can’t believe how nasty they can be!

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 08/09/2025 19:28

Ewan is a perfectly normal name, but anything is strange to kids who haven't heard it before. I went to school with a boy called William who got bullied because everyone thought it was posh!

I would speak to the teachers immediately. Don't let it fester. It's unacceptable and they need to be pulled up immediately.

MonGrainDeSel · 08/09/2025 19:28

It's great that you have a full list. Definitely contact the teachers straight away.

roseymoira · 08/09/2025 19:28

It’s not a weird name, presumably you’re Scottish?

Sounds more like he’s a little different and an easy target unfortunately 🙁

Original poster
GameSetMatch · 08/09/2025 19:29

Not to drip feed but we are in a VERY deprived area and the school ‘requires improvement’ I applied and appealed for other school but I just didn’t win the appeals so I’m stuck!

OP posts:
booksnpepsimax · 08/09/2025 19:29

I work with a Ewan, always thought it’s a nice name

dizzydizzydizzy · 08/09/2025 19:29

I would email his form teacher. Bullying needs to be nipped in the bud. Decent schools will take this type of thing seriously.

On another matter, if you think your son is ND, please get him a formal diagnosis. Speaking as a late diagnosed person with autism and ADHD, my life could have been so much better if I'd had these diagnoses at a much younger age.

KaitlynnFairchild · 08/09/2025 19:29

Kids are horrible, my son has a very normal name along the lines of Thomas or Daniel, kids still found a way to wind him up about it.

Dpeak to the for tutor straight away they may be able to move forms, that’s what happened for my son.

Original poster
GameSetMatch · 08/09/2025 19:32

dizzydizzydizzy · 08/09/2025 19:29

I would email his form teacher. Bullying needs to be nipped in the bud. Decent schools will take this type of thing seriously.

On another matter, if you think your son is ND, please get him a formal diagnosis. Speaking as a late diagnosed person with autism and ADHD, my life could have been so much better if I'd had these diagnoses at a much younger age.

we spoke to his primary school who said ‘his intelligence doesn’t match his personality’ whatever thst means and we are awaiting assessment.

OP posts:
Keroppi · 08/09/2025 19:32

Report to school, go in to speak to head of year, seek support for ND potentially
His name is perfectly fine. Kids will try and pick on you for anything unfortunately and try to establish some horrible social standing.
I suggest he starts a martial arts club.
He needs to learn some smart arse retorts to stop the bullying before he gets pinned as an easy target. It's really hard. I read "bullies bigmouth and so called friends" with my teen dc but not sure if better editions exist these days. It's probably a bit outdated but the general advice is good

DeathStare · 08/09/2025 19:33

Is there any chance its his last name that they are calling weird?

StrangerOnline · 08/09/2025 19:34

Poor kid… hopefully you’re reassured by now that it’s not due to his (very ordinary) name and - in a way - that’s better than picking on something more personal (being short, or fat, or smelly).

Have the bullies from his primary school gone to his secondary too?

Agree you need to jump on this early. Follow up every single incident with staff, bullying needs to be nipped in the bud

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