Did I really give my child an unusual name?

[GameSetMatch]

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.

Ewan is a nice name but I would raise this immediately with the school.
Does he do any martial arts. Its really good for raising kids confidence to deal with bullying and life in general. Also Rugby is good for this too.

Ok it sounds a bit like "eww en" doesn't it ? But that absolutely doesn't justify these kids behaviour stop sending him in until it's been dealt with by the staff & escalate it with the other kids parents if he's young enough for that to be appropriate.

It's disgusting behaviour that can have a real long term effect on your child's mental & physical health

I'm in the US and it's an uncommon name here, but it's not weird. I think most people are aware of it as a name.

Are you in England? It’s very common here in Scotland. Probably more Euan than Ewan but both sufficiently popular that you’d ask (like Stephen and Steven in my generation).

Ewan is a lovely name; not particularly unusual and certainly not weird. The other kids just sound like rude little ratbags. I wouldn't let it slide. Unfortunately, you're going to have to be 'that parent' and complain immediately, in writing. It won't stop or be addressed if you don't make a fuss.

Surely these kids have heard of Ewan McGregor, aka Obi Wan Kenobi?? I would have done anyway, sheesh! Kids these days!

Ewan/Euan is a very common name up here in Scotland, I can’t imagine it being unusual in the rest of the uk.
It looks like that’s what the bullies have decided to use to target your DS, def speak to the school op

This is absolutely appalling.
Nothing weird at about the name Ewan.

Lovely name, not remotely unusual.

Don’t stand for this. Follow it up with the school and do not let up.

Its a grand Scottish name that has stood the test of time.

It's not about the name, if his name was Jack they'd find something else to bully him about.

I'm very sorry OP. All of the above, yes. Just to add that the school should have its Anti Bullying Policy on its website. My youngest was bullied at junior school, we moved her and things immediately improved. I hope you have options. X

My DS has a good friend Ewan and we have good friends with a DS called Ewan. Really normal, good name.

I assume it’s the EW bit they’re mocking.

Like “ewww yuck”

Poor kid. If he was named James he’d be given a hard time for something else. It will pass.

I would say it’s quite an unusual name at least where we are, I don’t know any Ewan’s or know of any, so it is unusual but I wouldn’t say it’s weird.

As others have said, kids are arseholes when they want to be and when someone is a bit different. If it wasn’t his name it would be his hair, or his shoes, or his bag, they just choose anything. Personally given he’s already had a tough time in primary I’d get in touch with the school ASAP to try to nip this in the bud.

There are some cruel jokes about first names and the surnames that would make them different. e.g. Albert Ross (sounding like albatross) or Ivan Hardy. So if your ds's name was Ivan, bullies might ask is your surname 'Hardy'.

I think Ewan has sometimes been included in this e.g. Ewan Kerr (you w***).

I hope not.

This isn’t about his name - kids have also era of yoonique names these days, and Ewan isn’t one of them. Go straight to the head of year and let them know you will not tolerate your DS being bellied. Dont think this is about your DS, or his name. It’s about bullies being allowed to bully and it needs to be stopped immediately.

Vile little beasts, Ewan is not unusual or "odd" Those nasty kids have just spotted that somene they hope they can make a target and are using his name as a springboard. Your poor lad, bulllying is awful and like others have said go to the head and get it nipped in the bud (not easy I know) or start looking for a different school.

That is a truly terrible way of phrasing things!

Sounds like your child may be on the spectrum and a target for bullies regardless of his name. But he's unlikely to be the only one in his year group, so I'd focus on helping him find like minded friends to make his school life easier to get through. Maybe school could even help facilitate this if you ask.

And of course, complain about the bullies.

If it’s a rough school then I’d seriously consider moving, I went to a rough school where I was one of the few kids from a home with two parents who were still together and worked in professional jobs and it was awful, I stuck out like a sore thumb and was a magnet for bullies, the friends he makes at high school could be his friends for the rest of his life, he’s much more chance of finding them in an environment with people like him.

After reading about that couple from Wiltshire that named their kid 'Fenchild-Moonbeam-Afterglow - to be known as Moobie' (gender unrevealed), it's put me off unusual names permanently.
I'll see what they're like after they are born, but Alison and Daniel look good safe choices for now.

As everyone is saying OP this isn't about his name at all. It's bullying. And bullies need to be dealt with.

Is your surname Kerr?

https://share.google/6xgxzH3iKBLC261EE

Here is a link to the National Bullying Helpline, OP.

It’s not the name, it’s shit kids picking on him because they think he’s different and he probably doesn’t fight back.

My DS had an awful time in the first two years of secondary school because he was seen as different. He was quiet and shy and very bright but afraid to speak out. He wouldn’t tell us who the perpetrators were as he was afraid of further retribution.

We went to the school and had a couple of meetings with his Head of Year and it improved a bit but it was a tough ride with him struggling with self harming and suicidal thoughts.

He was finally diagnosed in 3rd yr with autism.

What really annoyed me was that one of his best friends from primary was involved but I didn’t find out until the summer holidays after 2nd yr.

My advice is to not let this lie. Be the difficult parent if you have to be. Insist on meeting to discuss how they plan to keep him safe. The schools are often rubbish at dealing firmly with it, partly because their hands are tied to some extent.

When I discovered his ex best pal was involved, I went straight to his parents and told them and he was made to apologise to DS and hasn’t bothered him since.