Bear

[DoctorBambino]

Fully prepared for this one to get pulled apart. Me and DH love the name Bear but know it's a bit out there.

We really don't like names like Edward which Bear comes from, just Bear itself.

What do people think?

Today 10:12 Girlintheframe

My dog is called Bear grin
Not keen on it for a child though.”

Why? Just, why? He/she is a dog. They feel embarrassment. Just hope he/she isn’t a chihuahua 😁

I don't personally dislike the name Bear, but agree with many PP on the negatives.

If teenage Bear is scrawny or late developing it could be embarrassing for him. You're expecting a bit much (of him and you, I think) with this idea that you'll just teach him to cope with bullying and he will be better for it. You talk about Bear being a cool name for a teenager, but he might be a terribly, terribly uncool teenager.

Agree that Bear might suit a big/ stocky guy, but it is so evocative that it would seem incongruous on a slight man. All these dogs called Bear are probably not whippets.

Agree that more traditional names on BCs give choice and a bit of flexibility through different life stages. Having said that, also agree that it's a bit sad to avoid names you love in order to play it safe. I wrestled with that when naming mine and erred on the side of caution, which I have slightly mixed feelings about.

What if he ends up really tall / skinny / lanky

It’s awful!

If you must use it as a nickname then crack on but at least give the poor child a human name

It's funny that people are saying they don't like the name bc of what it means, as it's such a common name in so many languages. As well as the list I posted earlier, these are all said to mean "bear":

Orson
Bruin
Bruno
Lonso (Brazil so Portuguese?)
Misha (Polish)

This makes me think it's the sound of the current English word, and an aversion to using the everyday word as a name - many of these names that mean bear would be accepted although some like Bernard might be seen as "old man" names, because they were so popular in the recent past.

If you really want a 'bear' related name then Bruin could he an option. Although Seanchailleach seems to have just beaten me to the suggestion

Give him a real name and nickname him Bear if you like it. Then he can stick with it or not as he grows.

I suppose if the child is really hairy it might be OK. Or if they are rather grizzly.

Thanks all for your thoughts, it has been interesting to read the range of views. Particularly nice to hear from those who have or know children/adults called Bear.

I was expecting lots of people to not like the name but was suprised by the outright disgust and hatred from some.

If DH is anything to go by hairy and grizzly should be achievable 😉 but with so many people having such strongly negative opinions we will probably avoid it. As much as I think other children wouldn't consider bullying him for the name, if they have mum's at home with this attitude I can see how it might slip in.

Thanks to all those for suggestions of other Bear type names. For us, we just like the name Bear, it's not about the meaning. I'm honestly astounded that Barry, Bjorn or Beric would be preferable but each to their own I guess! I mean Barry!? Really??? 🤭

Thanks all for a very insightful post! 💛

I really don't like Bear but I wholeheartedly agree that Barry, Bjorn and Beric are at least AS bad

If your DH is hairy then a potentially shy, self conscious, hirsute teenager having the name Bear seems a bit cruel - and believe me, teens can be brutal all on their own with no help from mum at home.

As much as I think other children wouldn't consider bullying him for the name

Is this your first? You don’t seem to have a great understanding of kids.

Hahahaha @HoppingPavlova you have no idea how funny that is. But sure thing you do you boo. 😘

Imo it’s terrible, but if you love it you love it! And people who know him will get used to it and it will start to seem normal to them.

Have to say though, I do think Bear is preferable to Barry 🤣

Bear Grylls came along and celebs started using the name for their sons so it seems too of the moment/naff to me, but not as out there as you may have thought. I've googled and Cheryl Cole aside, it's also been used by Alicia Silverstone, Howard Donald and Kate Winslet.

www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2017/05/152548/celebrity-baby-boy-name-trend-bear

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4478408/Mothers-reveal-babies-called-Bear-like-Cheryl.html

I really like the name Bear

Fox and Wolf and River etc are also getting fairly mainstream.
I wouldn't bat an eyelid being introduced to a baby called Bear these days
I'd say Barry is a braver choice than Bear

@bloominglovelyorange

I really like the name Bear

Fox and Wolf and River etc are also getting fairly mainstream.
I wouldn't bat an eyelid being introduced to a baby called Bear these days
I'd say Barry is a braver choice than Bear

I agree. If you really want your child’s name to stand out from the crowd then be truly brave - Barry, Gary, Melvyn, Cyril, Nigel, Dennis…the list is endless.

You are joking I hope, this is insane, his life would be hell with that name.

@Holothane you talk like you're imagining no one would ever name a child Bear yet for the last few years over 100 boys a year are being given the name Bear on the birth certificate and given the huge upswing in numbers it'll likely enter the top 300 names soon.
I accept many don't like it but just wanted to point out that it is a name that is used fairly regularly these days

(Source : ONS official name data for England and Wales 2017/2018/2019)

[quote bloominglovelyorange]@Holothane you talk like you're imagining no one would ever name a child Bear yet for the last few years over 100 boys a year are being given the name Bear on the birth certificate and given the huge upswing in numbers it'll likely enter the top 300 names soon.
I accept many don't like it but just wanted to point out that it is a name that is used fairly regularly these days[/quote]
100 babies a year out of tens of thousands born is definitely not "used fairly regularly"

[quote bloominglovelyorange]@Holothane you talk like you're imagining no one would ever name a child Bear yet for the last few years over 100 boys a year are being given the name Bear on the birth certificate and given the huge upswing in numbers it'll likely enter the top 300 names soon.
I accept many don't like it but just wanted to point out that it is a name that is used fairly regularly these days[/quote]
Actually there were 700k births in the UK in 2019. So roughly 350k boys. And you think 100 Bears is a good sample size to illustrate the name's popularity?

@Bryonyshcmyony

Call him whatever you like shrug

Yeah, call him Shrug

It's really awful, OP.