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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Would you let a 6 year old change their name?

44 replies

Bricks4 · 27/10/2016 19:28

My son is called Matthew. I liked the name, thought that it was 'normal' and wouldn't cause any problems... no...

For some bizarre reason, his teacher called him 'Maths' once... As it's Math-hugh (I suppose) we call him Matt at times and his friends used to call him that. Ever since this Maths thing, people take the piss and call him English, Science, PE, etc.

It's really getting to him and I know that it's the teasing that should stop, but DS has just become to hate his name...

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PoldarksBreeches · 27/10/2016 19:30

No. it will blow over.

ineedamoreadultieradult · 27/10/2016 19:32

Who takes the piss? I can't believe a class of 6 year olds actually even heard 'Maths' being said let alone made the link to naming him after other subjects?

LucyFuckingPevensie · 27/10/2016 19:32

Nope, I wouldn't either. How bad is the teasing ? Is it done in a nasty way ?

Original poster

Bricks4 · 27/10/2016 19:33

ineed, how many 6-7 year olds are you around? Some can be seriously nasty.

Lucy, yes, it's said in a nasty way, his teacher was the one who told me.

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 27/10/2016 19:35

People? Kids at school? It's bullying. Get that to stop. Don't change his name. Let him decide if he wants to be Matt or Matthew or whatever.

CrazyCatLaydee123 · 27/10/2016 19:35

Even if he changed his name, they'd still do it.

hippydippybaloney · 27/10/2016 19:36

No of course not. I can't see myself shouting 'spongebob! Across the playground'

HappyHeart87 · 27/10/2016 19:37

I'd say really no don't change his name. Without even going into why that's a really awful idea (imo), it obviously wouldn't stop bullying if the name calling has already morphed into words that have no relation to 'Matthew'.

ineedamoreadultieradult · 27/10/2016 19:37

I have a 6 year old and they would not be paying attention to what a teacher was saying to another kid and to hear the distinction between 'Maths' and 'Matts' in a busy classroom they would have to be listening very carefully. I am sorry they are being nasty but why hasn't the teacher stamped down on it already?

princesshaley · 27/10/2016 19:37

has the teasing been reported to the school? if the teacher is made aware of the situation, they might be able to put a stop to it, as the children are still quite young.

definitely don't change his name over it though - being called Maths isn't a serious problem that he'll likely run into later in life.

Wolfiefan · 27/10/2016 19:38

Hippy! Mine would probably be Princess Sparkly Kitty Kitten Unicorn. Bit of a mouthful!

Believeitornot · 27/10/2016 19:40

My 7 year old wouldn't call names like that. And anyway you can't change his name every time he gets teased!

I got teased because of my name. But name changing didn't occur to me. That would imply that my name was the problem.

Pancakeflipper · 27/10/2016 19:40

Changing his name will not stop it. And any name you pick has some opportunity to take to piss out of it.

Get the teachers to keep an eye on this.

And encourage your son to laugh about it back - then the power of the nasty is defused and it's boring teasing someone who ain't arsed.

TwentyCups · 27/10/2016 19:41

I think I would let a 6 year old change their name (maybe not legally but let them choose what to be known as) but I'm not sure I would for this reason. As Crazy Cat said, they would continue with this name calling regardless IMO - the name is not the problem - the bullying is and this is what needs to be dealt with.

PlumsGalore · 27/10/2016 19:51

Seriously? This is normal childish behaviour typical of that age group. DS friendship group started calling each other the female version of their names at this age, so think Jackie for Jack, Chrissy for Christopher . DS's female name stuck for ten years!!! He still gets called it occasionally by one of his friend's mums!

zen1 · 27/10/2016 19:55

My DC at primary school wouldn't have heard the terms 'maths', 'English' etc. It's all numeracy, literacy these days.

Purplebluebird · 27/10/2016 19:57

No way! Stop the bullying instead. There is no way I'd let my child change his name at 6 years old.

Original poster

Bricks4 · 27/10/2016 20:04

Zen, so you think I'm talking about 20 years ago? The these days it was just silly, it's obvious that it depends on school as at DC's school, they interchange

OP posts:

BikeRunSki · 27/10/2016 20:08

Even if he changed his name the "Maths" incident will still have happened and the nicknames will still be there. Bizarre abbreviation of Matthew though. The school needs to address the bullying.

Matthew is a dab name by the way..

BikeRunSki · 27/10/2016 20:08

Fab! Not dab!

anotherdayanothersquabble · 27/10/2016 20:09

Oh gosh. Your poor son.

Way to much of my story but.... My daughter had a similar thing where people got her name wrong, a teacher was involved and her class mates picked up on it. It was a horrible and odd time where she became this person who was pushed past and laughed at if she fell over. The name thing was just one in a long list. I took her out of school part time for a term and she went back a different person after some sessions with a child psychologist and finding her own routes to self belief. After going back, the same teacher got her name wrong and the whole class corrected the teacher and she told them off. This time my daughter came out well out of it. The whole thing baffled me. How she went from being fine at school to being this invisible child and then but of jokes to comfortable in her own skin and back to being an equal in the class. I would never had believed such a thing could happen and her class mates parents were surprised and none of the individual events were significant but when added together it made my daughter miserable.

I wouldn't change his name but I would get involved. Allow him to find things that make him feel better about himself. I had a few direct words with some of the children but I think actually the shock of her leaving school and me telling the other parents why made the children realise that there harmless mucking around wasn't harmless.

Overshared but I hope something in our story help you.

Pluto30 · 27/10/2016 20:16

Matthew's a lovely name.

I'd address the issue. It's bullying, and the fact that it came from the teacher initially is even worse.

FinallyHere · 27/10/2016 20:18

Not sure why its up to you.

My first day of school, teacher called me by a nickname. I didn't like it but was was not in a strong position, not knowing how to spell any other name. That night, I remember asking my mother how to spell my middle name and used that at school from then on. Simples.

Original poster

Bricks4 · 27/10/2016 20:19

Thanks everyone.

He wants to be known by Hugh... but obviously I shouldn't let him.

OP posts:

DoYouRememberJustinBobby · 27/10/2016 20:28

No way.
And even if he did, I don't think 7 year olds have much regard for Government paperwork and would perhaps disregard the change.

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