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Everyone laughs at my babies name......thinking of changing it????

486 replies

KidderminsterKate · 04/03/2012 12:48

Well, title says it all really. DS is 10 weeks old and is a handsome smilng chap already so gets alot of attention. My parents hate his name but are sort of used to it...my other DC's love the name but its HVs and shop keepers and friends and friends of friends that usually just eh and then oh.

I wasnt bothered at first but now its starting to get to me. I do love the name but am a bit embarrassed now.

Would these sort of things make you change the name??? I'm thinking of changing it to Edward (Ted).

OP posts:
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JasperJohns · 04/03/2012 18:41

I'm sorry that people are laughing but I am not in the slightest bit surprised.

I think you have burdened the poor child somewhat.

pictish · 04/03/2012 18:42

I am quite taken aback at how rude people are being about this.
If she'd called him Cocknose then yeah, I could understand it.

worzelswife · 04/03/2012 18:45

I love the name Bear. When your son is 20 he will be considered very, very cool. He will go backpacking and surfing and all the women will love him. However, just in case he happens to turn out to be a dull grown up I would say have his offical name be Edward, so he can fall back on that.

But yes, FABULOUS name!

NarkedPuffin · 04/03/2012 18:46

I think people are just reacting with surprise and shock that she called her child after an animal!

ChippingInNeedsCoffee · 04/03/2012 18:46

I'm not sure if you are winding us all up or not - but in case you aren't...

Yes - now would be a good time to change it. Bear is a fine nickname - it's really going to be a difficult name to go through life with.

4madboys · 04/03/2012 18:47

its unusual but its not horrid or as bad as been made out on here!

you say it suits him and you obviously like it hence thats why you chose it, stick with it i think its fine :)

he can always change it when he is older if he wants to and that would be his choice, but if you love it and his siblings love it then the chances are he will do as well :)

insanityscratching · 04/03/2012 18:47

I would change it if adults are laughing it will be nothing compared to what his peers will do once he's in school.

midoriway · 04/03/2012 18:56

If you don't have the confidence to keep the name, how is he going to have the confidence to grow into it?

My daughter has a slightly oddball name, that raised a few eyebrows when it was announced. Now it is a very hip name, and quickly going up in peoples estimation. Now I get a giggle when I see people mentioning it on baby name threads, and go "OMG, OMG, I suddenly love that name".

Maybe you are just ahead of the curve, hip before your time. Bear is a great name. Someone else above mentioned that Bjorn means Bear, as of course does Arthur.

WordsAreNoUseAtAll · 04/03/2012 18:57

Have you read Freakanomics?

Anyway, our two DDs have relatively unusual names (traditional ones, but neither are ever on the lists of possible names for anything) and we chose them by imagining seeing them written down.

Empty out all your openmindedness, and imagine you are a snotty university admissions person, or a job interviewer, or even an agent for artists.

Does the name make you think "self conciously eccentric, probably hippy, parents - will likely be a pain in the arse"? Or does it make you think "unusual name, but will stick in my mind, I wonder what they are like?"

Nicknames are fine - use whichever nicknames you like, the child can use it all their life - I know people who use relatively conventional names that have no relevance to their real name at all. But they need a formal name that doesn't speak too much for them.

It is also why names like Jayden, Kaycee, and so on are not a good idea. When people see the name on a form they form opinions about the person. Like it or not, that is what happens.

Jayden will be expected to be a bit rough, Bear to be a hippy, but (say) Edward will be expected to be...maybe slightly posh? Nothing drastic. Plus he will have loads of options nickanme wise. TBH he will probably get Bear/Teddy as a nickname anyway.

Imagine if "Bear" ends up overweight, or hairy. Or skinny and bald. Or a bit fighty. Or a wimp. Or big and gay. Or none of the above.

It suits him because he is a baby. Babies are cuddly and a bit grumpy. He won't always be a baby.

I can see what you were thinking, it is a very sweet name, but it needs to be a nickname and he needs a formal name that won't predjudice people against him.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/03/2012 19:04

Bear grhylls name is actually Edward :o

hubbahubster · 04/03/2012 19:19

FFS, before she revealed the name most people were all for going with the name she loved, now she should change it immediately?

All parents get caned for decisions they make. I think most people will think Bear Grylls and imagine your DS as a strapping, adventurous type. I love it FWIW.

StateofConfusion · 04/03/2012 19:21

I actually like it!

And a big fuck off to whoever slated Jack as a name. Names don't make a child fall into the background dull personalities do.

quickhide · 04/03/2012 19:24

Aha Wheresmycaffeine, but hasn't he changed his name by deedpoll to Bear now? At least that's what I read on Wikipedia so it must be true

Another vote for changing it to Edward on the bc though. My brother has a v unusual name - the name of a famous barbarian played by Arnold Schwarzaneger, and he was the least barbarian like kid you could meet! Kids at school were not slow to point out the irony...

Dollydowser · 04/03/2012 19:36

I love it, and thought about it for a middle name for my DS. But as his name is Teddy, my DH said No.

Keep it definitely, who cares what anyone else thinks. So much nicer to have a name that no one else has. I bet no one laughs at Bear Gryles (yes I know his name is Edward but bet you most don't).

PercyFilth · 04/03/2012 19:46

I'm surprised no one has suggested Winnie. Or Pooh.

Seriously, I do not think Bear is a good idea as a first name. Other people have made the points very well, so I won't go over the same ground.

Re Bjorn meaning bear. Fair do's, but is Bjorn a homophone for a word meaning naked? I'm guessing not.

Bluestocking · 04/03/2012 19:48

Fine as a nickname, but better to have Edward on his birth certificate. I have to confess that I would probably have a bit of a giggle about meeting a child called Bear, but only because it would make me think that the parents were great admirers of Bear Grylls, who is a knob of epic proportions.

Showmethemhappyfeet · 04/03/2012 19:54

Bear is his real full name? Sorry but you should change it. Imagine a lanky 15 year old 'hi I'm Bear'... It's just not fair. The fact that you want to change it to Ted makes me giggle... Do you have a stuffed toy obsession?

NoHunIntended · 04/03/2012 19:54

Another YES vote here, it is fabulous. You can't please all of the people all of the time, and nor should you aim to. Go with what you like, if he doesn't like it when he is older, he can change it.

piratecat · 04/03/2012 19:59

i don't like it. when he's a pre teen/teen he will get ribbed Bear/Bare.

4madboys · 04/03/2012 20:03

quickhide i am guessing your brother was Conan! i had that on my names list for ds4, but dp wasnt so keen, because of the films but i had never seen them so it didnt have that link for me, i still like the name!

i think Bear is fine and the child can change it themselves if they want to later, does he have a middle name op?

breatheslowly · 04/03/2012 20:04

If you don't change it then he will when he grows up. And I don't think he will thank you for having it as a name in the mean time or having the faff of changing.

By all means keep it as a nickname, but do give him a proper name he can use on job applications and the like.

While your other DC like the name, they are children and won't have given any thought about the consequences of giving a baby such an unusual name.

swingingcat · 04/03/2012 20:07

I know a Bear, he's a very dashing young Captain in the British Army!

always thought it was his nickname until I saw his ID card.

Matryoschka · 04/03/2012 20:14

I can't see what's so wrong with Bear - after all there are (a few) kids called Tiger or Wolf, not to mention all the other animal-related names - Robin, Cat, Bea, Jay, Jenny, Jack etc.. that are just commonplace.
If you love it, stick with it. After the initial surprise, it stops being an issue and it becomes accepted. Sod what other people think.
I don't buy the what about when he's an adult argument either, if he turns out to be a doctor/lawyer whatever he will be Dr X or Mr X not Dr Bear!

HSMM · 04/03/2012 20:15

We had someone at Primary school with an unusual first name and he just used his middle name. The teacher announced his full name and then told us to use his middle name, so it was no secret and we all thought it was fab that he was able to use his other name :)

I love Bear. I was pushed into giving DD my favourite name as her middle name, because everyone said she would be teased.

OrenIshi · 04/03/2012 20:21

Really can't understand anyone calling a child BEAR.

Do him a favour and change it to John.