Does my son have an awful name?

[tabithamay]

I’ve done a similar thread on Nameberry but wanted other people’s opinions. I have a 17-year-old DS who’s started his second year at college, and we chose Ernest Leopold as a first and middle, after my DH’s great-grandfather. Recently, he’s become very aware of it as people are telling him how ugly/old-fashioned/frumpy/strange it is. What do you think?

as for the ID badge ...I’m organising for it to be changed.

I mean this kindly. Why are you doing this? He's 17. Let him sort his own name badge.

lebkuckenlover my thoughts exactly!!

When we were all growing up did we ever take the piss out of someone just because of their name? Says a lot more about the person being the bully doesn't it.

It's just ahead of its time. It is currently in the top 300 names, within ten years it will be in the top 100. It's already jumped 880 places in the last 14 years!

I know three Ernests under the age of 6 - two are Ernies and one is a Nes.

Kids are cruel which sucks right now but by the time he is in his late twenties it will be a like being a 30 year old Alfie now - a bit out of place for his age but a really normal name in general. If he likes the name, regardless of what his college friends think, then he needs to brazen this out and own his name. If he hates it, again, regardless of what his classmates think, then he can start to think about what he wants to do next. He's 15 years ahead of the curve, that's all.

@moredoll I chose bad wording, apologies. He’s contacted administration to have it changed.

Then if he prefers Ernst shouldn't he have the name badge say that?

@moredoll I think it’s that Ernest is the name on the register, and the name on his admission papers, etc. Leopold can be removed, but since his name is Ernest, legally that’s what has to be on the ID badge.

But does he like his name?

Both my boys love their names especially ds1. I would be a bit gutted if they hated what we had chosen.

@Calzone he’s quite anxious and always has been, but he did like his name, it’s only recently he’s become so aware that he stands out. At primary school nobody ever batted an eyelid.

Che Guevara was an Ernesto, I think (sorry if someone has already pointed this out and I've missed it).

It is quite a name on young shoulders, but 'awful' is something else entirely. If he's not comfortable with it I'd encourage him to go by Leo.

I'm not sure about that "legally" part. Worth asking a bit more about it.

School registration here has asked for how the pupil is normally known / chooses to be known.

Not everyone goes by their birth certificate name.

I love your son's name. It's distinctive and elegant. Someone was considering Ernest on the baby forums the other day and I thought - that's such a cool name. It;s time it came back into fashion.

Tell him a certain type of person will find a way of making fun of others and putting them down to mask their own insecurities, and that it's part of his job of growing up and learning resilience to practise thinking: Saddo, your opinion of my name means nothing to me.

Ernie is a very cool name. Leo is a classic name, if he wants to go by something less stand-out.

Schools ask which name you want to go by.

My ds goes by a shortened version of his name day to day but for formal exams etc. goes by his full name.

If he wants Ernst. Ernie on his badge he should request that.

Trouble is all the people here saying how cool, distinctive, elegant the name is and how popular it's going to be in 10 years time aren't sensitive, self-conscious 17 yr old boys who have to live with it are they? No he shouldn't be bullied for it but it is a snapshot into what the babies of people in this forum might have to look forward to in 17 yrs time. It's said all the time on these threads, it's not about what we think is edgy, cool, different it's how it's going to look and feel to the grown up child. Put a little thought into it.

OP, ask your son what he wants to be known by, you don't have to change your name by deed poll to have what you want as your 'legal' name, your legal name is what you choose to be commonly known by. You simply tell the relevant authority, in this case the college or whatever, this is the name I wish to be known by and would like my ID badge to reflect that.

In honesty I love Leopold but agree Ernest is difficult for his age. It's old man-ish and he's a little older than the latest batch of 'old men name' young children. I don't like Ernie. But Ernest is not a bad name at all and I think he should own it! I absolutely loved a PP's suggestion of Nesto. It sounds really cool and not much of a stretch from Ernest.

Just skimmed more recent replies and agree Ernst is a good alternative too.

It's a bit late to worry about it now OP?

really don't like it sorry OP. Would never name a child that.

Ernest is a brilliant name.

I'm surprised how many people (adults) find a normal classic name like Ernest so awful,,?! Really?

It’s not a normal classic name. I’ve never met one in my life and I’ve taught thousands of children in secondary schools for thirty years. I think it’s even outdated in my parents’ generation (born in 1940s.)

Leopold is v cool, Ernest is quite old fashioned

When we were all growing up did we ever take the piss out of someone just because of their name?

It’s hardly a new phenomenon. My mum is in her 70s and got a lot of teasing for her (foreign) first name as a kid (my gran wasn’t from the UK it was a name from her country). I had the piss relentlessly taken out of me for my surname when I was at s school.

lebkuchenlover it might be normal (mind I've always found it bloody dull and old-mannish and not in cute way, a Coronation Street Ernie Bishop and Benny Hill way) and yeah it's probably 'happening' now so it won't be considered anything out of the ordinary to 17 year olds in 2035; 17 years ago though? I can't conceive of a baby name thread featuring it that would have gone in the OP's favour. It's one thing to be ahead of the curve but the parents don't have to live with the 'wanna be different' choices they make, their children do.

I can't remember an Ernie since Ernie Wise.its been a century since it was a normal name for a child. Not what I'd call a classic.

But it doesn't surprise me if it's coming back. I've met a young Reg and a Lenny recently.

Not sure if you intended your post to make it to the national press. If this really is your sons name, it might get a little worse for him 😥
https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/family/mum-slammed-giving-son-dreadful-13593422?utmsource=facebook.com&utmmmedium=social&utmcampaign=mirrorrmain