Will an unusual name cause problems?

[Winter5]

I really want to call our little girl Ophelia! I realise it isn’t the most out - there name but I have never come across any myself.

I have since read all sorts online mocking the name etc and it has put me off slightly even though I appreciate everyone has different tastes.

I wondered if any parents who have named their children something a little different could offer their opinion!

My main concern is bullying in future...will my child resent me for making them possibly stand out (?!).. thinking back I can’t remember any kids being picked on purely based on their name.. though maybe I was just lucky I didn’t experience it myself ( ?!)

Opinions welcome :-)

Nice name and perfectly normal and reasonable, acceptable name. Go for it.

I know an Ophelia a d I’ve always loved the name.

DH wanted to call our DD an unusual long Welsh Christian name. Neither of us are Welsh and have any times to Wales and we already have a long surname so I refused (as I knew someone I worked with when younger whose child hated his Christian as other kids took the Mickey out of him). Anyway eventually we settled on a shorter length traditional classic name which I had always liked. Fast forward 16 years and DD told me she hates her name it shows no originality or imagination.

It's not that unusual tbh.

Depends where you live.

In some places it will fit in & be fine.

In other areas it will been seen as different/push/tease worthy & Nick names will be rife

Oh-feel-ya
Oaf
Etc.

I've been a teacher for 15 years and I've never known a child be picked on, teased or bullied for their name.

Children think the names their friends and classmates have are normal names. Because to them, they are normal.

Names are not the only reason that kids get bullied. A bully will pick on anything and being called Olivia wouldn't stop that.

I don't think that Ophelia is particularly out there and even if she ended up studying Hamlet later i don't think it's a problem that Ophelia is a tragic character. Any teasing will be because it sounds like feel-ya at the end or the Oaf sound.

@fitzbilly

I've been a teacher for 15 years and I've never known a child be picked on, teased or bullied for their name.

Children think the names their friends and classmates have are normal names. Because to them, they are normal.

I was picked on, teased and bullied at school because of my name.

That said, there is nothing wrong with Ophelia (unless your surname is Balls etc...)

I have an unusual name and it’s been a pain in the backside at times but generally my life has not been affected at all and especially not at school.

I don’t think Ophelia is that unusual though.

My children have unusual names, and like them, and say they would rather have the unusual name than a more commonly used one. The only child I know who was teased about their name was called Alice, and that was only for around an hour one afternoon in primary school.

It's not potential bullying with an unusual name (rarity or spelling). It's the life long fielding of questions, comments and correcting of spellings that is very wearing.

I have a very simple 4 letter surname, a word in everyday use and it is still spelt incorrectly which is very annoying

The most annoying thing about having an 'unusual' name growing up was never being able to get any novelty gifts with my name on.

Thanks a lot for the opinions :)

That’s true, I guess kids can be picked on for anything!

My eldest has a “top 10” name so it is not that I want to pick something purely because it’s not as popular, I just happened to like the name.

The negative associations/ name calling “I feel ya”‘etc didn’t even occur to me until I started reading various threads! - this is what got me thinking, do kids necessarily think like this or is it just the adults!

Perhaps adding a more popular middle name would give them more options in future..

I know a little Ophelia. Nice name.

That said, there is nothing wrong with Ophelia (unless your surname is Balls etc...)

Another who doesn't think children get bullied for their names.
I would advise against all sorts of names because the person will spend 80+ years of their life having to explain it or answer questions about it or just put up with comments about it, but bullying doesn't come about from having unusual names, except maybe where your name is also a noun / adjective that makes people giggle.

I mean, I'm not that keen myself, but that is personal taste, but there is nothing wrong with Ophelia. Perfectly acceptable name.

I'm a teacher and I've also never heard of a pupil bullied for their name. The last time I heard a pupil being tormented with their name was a kid called Sam and they were chanting "Stupid Sam". Definitely wasn't because of his name, given how popular Sam is! I've taught kids called Torsten, Xanthe, Ariadne and Caius (all comprehensive schools by the way), as well as others I've probably forgotten, and not heard a single negative comment.

I think its a lovely name. I have an unusual name and it’s just a bit of a challenge at times, but I’d keep it above having an ordinary, more well known one. It can add a bit to the character building side of growing up, but really it’s not standing out to me as a reason for bullying a child.

It’s daft that you have to consider if your child will get bullied for its name, unless you choose something particularly strange or misspelt then name your daughter what you like.

There are many interesting names and some ones that I find particularly grating (sorry but it’s true) Neveah, for example, supposedly meaning ‘heaven spelt backwards’ ... but has this come from Niamh and people don’t even know it?
I’ll stop there before I get myself into any more trouble

Ophelia is a fine name.
Just make sure she knows you don’t have to take on your partners name should you marry !

Thank you for all your great points. It’s nice to hear opinions of those that teach as well. Maybe I am overthinking it! Maybe it’s just this particular name that I seem to have read lots of negative comments about rather than having an “unusual” name itself. I guess compared to a lot of options it isn’t that strange. For any that know of an “Ophelia” - could I ask what they use as a nick name if anything? My OH is keen on the name “Ella” & I am trying to convince him that this could be her nickname so we both sort of get the name we want !

I have a very unusual Shakespearean name. I got gently teased at school, but nothing that ever bothered me, and the number of compliments I get outweigh the negatives. I've always enjoyed having a name which no one else I've met has.

Ophelia is very pretty. I've always been put off by the 'I'll feel yer...' thing, but it's not a huge thing. I like Effie as a nn.

Ophelia is lovely and used more than it used to be.

For nn There’s an el in there so it could be Ella, Effie is the standard one and I have also known a Fi

I think it's nice, just be careful your surname doesn't make 'I feel ya' funny.
Children tend to take names at face value. I like the NN Effie for Fi, Ella doesn't sound very natural as a nickname for it.

My kids have unusual ish names (I'd say on or with Ophelia) my two of my 3dcs names are hated on here. Never e periwmced this is real life and their peers think they have cool names

I would also consider whether the name is easy to spell - it can be annoying for ever having to spell a name for the rest of your life!