An easy target for bullying?

[Oodlesofdoodlescockapoodles]

Hi all,

Expecting DS2 and struggling to agree on a name. Middle name will be Jack after FIL, we've already told him this so can't change our minds now!

The only names we so far agree on are

1. Benjamin (my favourite)
2. Reuben

Benjamin Jack would give the initials bj (bjr) and this worries me in case I'm setting him up for bullying, especially in secondary school.

Reuben, our surname starts with R so a bit of a mouthful!

Any thoughts? :)

It could go either way really. I'm inclined to say he should be okay as I'm assuming you'll only call him Benjamin rather than Benjamin Jack and I doubt teenage boys would give enough of a shit to ask their peers what middle names are. You could maybe put a name in between Benjamin and Jack

You could maybe put a name in between Benjamin and Jack
Benjamin Reuben Jack R…

Why not Benjamin Reuben Jack Surname?

I'm tempted to point out that a bj can also be a bit of a mouthful.

Seriously though, they're lovely names.

I don't think I would automatically think of anything untoward.

Op can hardly have Benjamin Reuben as they can both shorten to Ben so Ben Ben
It'd be like having a girl and calling her Bethany Elizabeth (Beth Beth)

Honestly I don't think people use initials that much and he would be known as Benjamin J (surname) and like PP said most kids don't ask what middle names are etc.

Benjamin Jack sounds lovely.

Other names you may like if need other suggestions..

Samuel Jack
Sebastian Jack
Thomas Jack
William Jack
Xander Jack

A bit of a mouthful 😂😂😂

I have a Benjamin Jack 😂😂😂😂 and I went through exactly the same debate with my husband before baby arrived. He's known as Ben, very much suits his name and I honestly don't think anyone cares about his middle name. It's a lovely name, go for it

@morriseysgladioli 🤣

Yes we'd only ever call him Benjamin or some variation of that so unlikely to ever really come up I suppose, just thought it might be the perfect ammunition and worried people would be raising eyebrows! But really his initials would be BR, i never give my middle initial 🤔

Ooh @enidcat5 you have great taste

Haha hadn't thought of reuben and Benjamin both being Ben 😂 duh!

Love Samuel and Sebastian too, will suggest to dh :)

How would Benjamin Reuben become Ben Ben? It’s very unlikely anyone would refer to his middle name and it’s more likely to to be Reu/Roo if anything.

Reuben is much nicer than Benjamin - Benjamin to me is a bit tepid. And I think alliteration names sound great!

I honestly wouldn’t worry too much if people are going to tease him for having BJ as initials they are still likely to do it from BenJamin.

Ben / Benjamin is a great name!

The B and J from the name Benjamin aren't initials! Only the B is an initial! Literally nobody would say 'haha, Benjamin - BJ!'

Also, why would the middle name Reuben be shortened to Ben? Nobody shortens middle names, and in the unlikely event that they do, the name is more likely to be shortened to Roo.

I think Benjamin Reuben Jack is fine and solves your problems.

I don't know any Reuben's who go by Ben, they all go by Roo or Reuben.

I would just add another short middle name which doesn't begin with J e.g. Benjamin David Jack, Benjamin Asa Jack, Benjamin Amos Jack, Benjamin Luke Jack, Benjamin Paul Jack, Benjamin Henry Jack.

My initials growing up were BJR and it was never a problem. I dont think at school anybody knows each other middle names unless they make a point to broadcast it (which I obviously never did!).

My 2 eldest boys are in years 8 and 10 at secondary school and I don't think they've ever used or mentioned to their friends what their middle names are throught their whole school life!

If your child is going to be bullied it will be based on their personality and the personalities of the children they go to school with. A cool, confident child with a bonkers name will enjoy the extra attention. A shy, awkward child will find an amusing initial or unusual name a burden. There's really very little way to predict whether your child will be teased over something. I know a BJ who is a girl (very attractive, very charming) and it's occasionally been a joke, but never given her any issue.

Eben Jack?