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.

100% agree with this.
We actually took our ADD lad out of secondary after 6 weeks because other pupils picked on him and we could see his confidence plummeting. Don't stand for it OP.
We were initially refused our first choice but he got in a few weeks after term started as it was clear he didn't fit in to the awful hell hole they'd sent him too.
From day one at new school he loved it, kids were decent and he settled straight away.

I’m a lecturer in Scotland - of my two new first year classes this AY, I have two Euans and one Ewan. Totally standard name here.

I wouldn’t say it’s a common name but it’s certainly not an unusual one, if that makes sense. Very standard. Potentially could cause spelling errors but not at all strange or bizarre.

Perfectly ok name.
He's probably being bullied because he’s a bit different in some way, ie his social skills as you say.
Bullying should not be tolerated by him, you or the school.
Keep a log and ask for an appointment with his Head of Year/pastoral head via his form tutor or school office. Don’t let this carry on, take action now.
I hope all is resolved soon. Keep trying for a different/better school.

it is not unusual it is lovely

Also, poor lad. 😢 Hope you get it sorted OP, sounds awful for him.

This too
Also posts about a diagnosis are useful too.

It is a lovely name for what sounds like a great kid

Those people are dicks.

Ewan isn’t at all weird. It’s a lovely Scottish name. Maybe inspire him with some famous Ewan’s. Ewan McGregor etc
I can’t help but feel sorry for kids who have got silly names though. Eg Wolfie was mentioned on a thread today I think. I remember a Spike when my kids were little. Pity he had curly hailr not Spikey!

My teen had more of an unusual
name than that and could sound posh….. no one’s ever said anything about it.
its a school issue not a name issue.

One of mine has the same name! Never been an issue or had any comments about it! Not really common
but not that unusual either.
Keep reporting to the school & hopefully they will get it stopped asap. Your poor DS! My other DS is extremely intelligent & was really popular in class till P6/7. He was bullied for being ‘swotty’ ‘teachers pet’ because he was always top of the class. It was heartbreaking esp as some of his closest friends got involved. Thankfully it didn’t carry on into high school & he made new friends who he is still friends with 10 yrs on.

Good luck with the school.

Completely normal, lovely name.

I have a Euan. He was one of two in his primary class. It's a very normal name.

Perfectly normal name. If your child is getting bullied complain to their school.

Haven't those brats at school heard of the very famous actor Ewan Mcgregor? Definitely the school needs to know what's going on. If they were paying attention they would have seen how Ewan was bring bullied. Hope everything gets better for your son. I'm a retired teacher and it makes me so sad to see any child mistreated.

I was bullied at various schools for having an unusual name (genuinely isn't one most people have heard of) and both me and my younger sister told my parents we wished we had more normal names (Rosie and Sarah for some reason being our primary school aged preferences!) Agree with PP though that they'd have found something other than the name to pick on regardless. As an adult I really love my name and am grateful for it - is nice to be a bit unusual!

Ewan's a gorgeous name and one that will be lovely for him as an adult too. So sorry reading those details of his past bullying, hope the current idiots can be sorted out quickly.

OP sorry not RTFT but I would flag to the school.

FWIW Ewan is a lovely name and not at all unusual – I mean I don’t know dozens but have certainly come across several over the years.

I wonder if the bullying is as much bc your DS is socially less aware and possibly ND? I am not saying he deserves to be bullied AT ALL but the name thing is bizarre really and makes no sense as a bullying reason. Not that any reason for bullying is OK obvs.

Just for context, I taught a student called <not this but kind of> Canyon Park and a brother and sister called <again not exactly but same idea> Chicago and Ohio, and I never heard anyone say a word, these were just accepted as their names.

So I cannot accept that there is any issue with the name Ewan; your poor DS. Please contact the school and get this sorted asap.

ETA: Meant to say please pursue a dx for his possible neurodivergence. It can make such a positive difference even just to know why (for you and for him)

Depends on the ethos of the school imo

Ewan is a lovely name.

please get him interested in learning a martial art/self defence such as Judo to give him confidence and the ability to not let anyone manhandle him or rough him up.

Take and home educate your child ...no one needs bullying

I just looked it up on 'baby names UK 2025'. Last year, Ewan was 395th most frequent name out of 4789, with 109 recorded births. So neither very common nor very rare.

This is exactly what I wanted to say.

I’m so sorry OP, this sound really rough.

If people are bullying him, it's because they're bullies, not because of his name. Bullies will always find an excuse for bullying. Please let the school know about it.

Also all of this.

Kids won’t bat an eye at a name if the kid otherwise gives “fitting in” vibes. Especially if they have that curious “leader of children” energy that is impossible to define.