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

[KidderminsterKate]

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).

I like Chicken's idea -- put Edward on the BC and call him Bear, but only until he's about 7.

Someone upthread wasn't sure if the term means stocky, rather hairy, often leather clad, bikerish member of the gay community and the answer is yup.

I'm afraid if I heard Bear, I'd think Bare. That's the way my mind works.

Op you need to change the birth certificate ASAP
but call your baby whatever you like as a nickname.

"People laughing at you every time you first introduce yourself would get a little wearing after a decade or two...

Yes it does. Which is why I was happy to change my surname when I got married ad will not be changing it back. I joke about it with my mother occasionally but I don't think she actually realises what a profoundly negative affect her choice of name had on me.

Also, re the family nickname thing, it can be hard to shift it when older.
My friend called her baby what they called her while she was expecting,it's very distinctive so let's say they referred to her bump as Twinky and named her officially, let's say Rachel.
She's 15 now and is still called Twinky by everyone, it's a bit of a handle to carry around!

I called my son a very Old Testament name and found loads of people having quite a negative response saying "You're not Jewish!" and I found it upsetting as I love my ds's name.

So when I had dd I was super conservative and chose a classic English name and I'm so happy I did, I love it and she can have all the personality she wants without me laying my quirkiness on her.
(Still feeling sensitive about the people who were rude about ds's name......)

what is the name ?? How can we possibly comment !!!!!!

Sorry I didn't mean I was upset to be asked whether I was Jewish or not! I'm not Jewish but have no problems with being thought to be Jewish, it was the way people had a go at me about the name and were weird about it.

I guess I learned a name is a public thing, like marriage. Everyone gets angry about interference in their weddings but naming and weddings are somehow public acts, they're not private things we can control, we are sharing our child with the world via his/her name, so the world is, in those terms, free to comment. It's awful but somehow their names are public property to an extent.

Actually I love it but never be brave enough to use it myself.

Prefer it to Ted definitely.

imnotmymum keep up love, it's Bear.
Ridiculous IMO. Why not Hippo or Horse?

Bear ?? thanks ripishere I am a bit slow this morning got one eye on Jeremy Kyle... Bear?? why would you do that to your child and thinking of Ted is this a joke or have you got an obsession with bears !!

OP, just a little word of advice. If you didn't want to out yourself (at first) by telling us your ds's ridiculous name, change your mn, to something more anonymous!

I personally find Bear much cooler, more interesting and less widely used than Edward, which is quite dull and already widely used.

I know kids called Tiger (yes, not a nickname but registered first name) and Wolf and Bear has a similar feel.

Isn't the whole idea of 'naming' a person to 'identify' him/her. Well, a name like Edward will already be used by lots and lots of other little boys, whereas as a Bear his name will be much more unique (at the moment anyway, perhaps you are a trendsetter ).

I know far too many adult Steves, Andys and Mikes. Life would be more fun and interesting (and easier) if we didn't all use the same names!

Stick with Bear!

Except Edward gives him a choice. Go with his family nickname of Bear, his full name or choose Ted/Ed/Eddie - without having to faff about with Deed Poll.

Edward bear was Winnie the pooh's original name...

But Edward is soooo dull. I think Bear is cool. I have known people with odd names and maybe the first time you hear it, the reaction may be a bit 'what?' but then it just becomes them.

Whatever you do, don't go with Edward. How many Edwards do you know who remain Edward? They always try to change it to something else, Ed, Eddie, Ted, Ned, etc. This is because Edward is boring.

I've just skim read this thread so apologies if someone else has said this, but when I hear Bear I think of this. Maybe it's just me??

That aside though I do actually like it as a name and it's not as outlandish as I expected.

I love Bear! DS age 7 said the other day he wished he'd been called Bear as it so cool, obviously popularised by Mr Grylls. (I wanted to call DD Tiger, so I could have had a complete zoo!)

Stick with it and ignore the meanies who think its acceptable to laugh at anyone's name.

Will he like it? And will his future girlfriends like it? I hated my nameand cringed whenever my dm used it in public an; my adolescent school days were blighted because people teased me. I've finally got used to it but still don't like it. My dh also has an unusual name and I avoid saying it when talking to friends who don't know him. I know I'm being shallow but I wonder if Bear will experience the same reaction?

Why would you change a cool name like Bear to a dull, overused one like Edward? As others have said, any name 'becomes' the person they are and no one bats an eyelid. He'll be the coolest teenager with the name Bear. He'll also be much easier remembered than if was another Ed or Jack.

I have an Edward and I call him Edward Bear or Bear. I prefer having a proper name tbh.

(I am pg again and quite like Wolf for this one! the family have vetoed it).

I love unusual names but Bear is honestly awful, sorry to be blunt.
Edward is dull! Maybe you should find a middle ground?

I think it?s fine as a nickname but as an official name, I wouldn?t do it.

The thing about nicknames is that they evolve as people get to know someone?s personality and physical attributes. But just plonking Bear on someone from birth seems a bit hopeful that your son will grow up to be a rugged and intrepid explorer. He may be far from bear like.

There is a z list celeb who has called her child Striker. I would say you calling your son Bear puts you in the same category as this celeb. You have chosen the nickname belonging to a handsome, charming, posh, adventurer she has chosen a football kicking related name and would presumably love him to grow up to be a soccer ace. But they?re both silly.

"and as for piss taking at school, kids will always find something."

But why make it easy for them?

"and as for piss taking at school, kids will always find something."

"But why make it easy for them?"

A child will rarely be teased due to his/her name - kids are pretty accepting of different names. A child will be bullied if it allows itself to be bullied. And if it does, the bullies will find something!

hellokitty123 'A child will be bullied if it allows itself to be bullied'?

Really????? Hmmm, not sure that's how bullying works. Oh if only that child didn't allow themselves to have a physical impairment, crippling shyness, different coloured skin etc. etc.

hellokitty123 do your children go to school a child will be bullied if it allows it oh yes it is always the victims fault ...