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Original poster

Were you teased because of your name?

164 replies

oysterpots · 22/07/2009 15:47

If so, was it because your name is unusual? Would you choose a different name if you could? Do you know anyone who wasn't teased about their name?

Seems like some people are pretty scared to pick anything out of the ordinary in case their DC might be teased - I always thought people found something to tease you about, if not your first name then your surname, or the way you look, or what your family's like.

Am I wrong? Genuine questions.

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artifarti · 22/07/2009 19:51

"Plain Jane Super-Brain" for feckin years. Bloody Neighbours.

And to add insult to injury I also have a ludicrous surname...

mummag · 22/07/2009 19:52

how bizarre my name is Gwen too!!!! I wasnt teased for thegwen part it was the gwendoline bit. Also i have a surname that also starts with a G, nice, kids (and grown ups) love that!!!!

FAQtothefuture · 22/07/2009 19:53

I don't think it was so much my name, it was just another way to bully me by making fun of my name.

janeite · 22/07/2009 19:56

I got teased for my surname, rather than first name - and for being skinny. I guess there will always be something they find to focus on, if so determined.

MaybeAfterBreakfast · 22/07/2009 19:56

No, because I have a very 'normal' name (was teased/bullied for lots of other reasons though).

By brother was bullied mercilessly because of his (Jeremy). Was a very rough area of Manchester where Jeremys were rather thin on the ground. Seem to remember every 2nd boy was called Gary or Darren (Gaz or Daz in practice).

AmazingBouncingFerret · 22/07/2009 19:57

Not so much, someone tried out Jack the lad but soon stopped when they realised it didnt bother me and nobody else was calling it me!

MaybeAfterBreakfast · 22/07/2009 19:58

My not by, obviously.

RealityIsGettingMarried · 22/07/2009 19:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mummiesnet · 22/07/2009 19:58

Yes.

Surname.

Roper.

Groper.

Not bullied though, people attempted to tease, and I gave them this face

mummiesnet · 22/07/2009 19:59
Hmm
MrsEricBana · 22/07/2009 20:10

Teased here too - first name and surname for different reasons - surname had links to a nursery rhyme so no end of mileage there and first name is Gail so was constantly getting windy, hurricane, force 9 etc - oh yes, very funny. Even teased because the school bully was an unfortunate looking lad called "X Gale" - "Ooh, are you his sister?" etc. Do think kids will always find a reason to tease if they want to though.

notsoteenagemum · 22/07/2009 20:19

I hated my surname because no-one could spell it even though it was two commonly used words put together and then to make matters worse my history teacher said it was what people used to call the toilet so I got called Crapper or Shitter.

That was the least of my worries though I got both arms broken for 'walking like a slag.'

gero · 22/07/2009 20:27

3of Alexander is a *fantastic and wonderful name, and you are sooooo lucky to have it.

gero · 22/07/2009 20:31

Alexandra

MaryHuff · 22/07/2009 20:42

Reality - my friend's mum is called Mavis Davis

Scorpette · 22/07/2009 22:51

My name is Esther - was born in 1972. In 1973, 'That's Life' started and became one of the UK's most popular shows for years. I heard a joke about Esther Rantzen every single fucking day*. Also jokes about Estee Lauder, which I thought was stretching it. And of course, I got jester, molester, comes from Chester/Leicester, etc. - DP's mum does this and thinks it's hilarious. It is not.

Still think Esther is the most beautiful name ever, so I get the last laugh

Would much rather have a name that no-one else has than something I share with loads of other people.

*Think I've said this before on a post about the name 'Esther'.

filchthemildmanneredjanitor · 22/07/2009 22:58

yes i was teased about my name as a child but more significantly it has been commented on many many times as an adult and quite frankly it's been a bit of a burden really.

i do wonder what life would have been like if i'd had a more 'common' name and hadn't stuck out quite so much.

i made a deliberate decision that my children were going to have names that other children have and show their uniqueness through their personalities.

i also find that people who give their children very unusual names tend to have quite plain/common names themselves and so have no or little idea of how muchof a pain in the arse it is to have to walk into a room and introduce yourself as..said unusual name.

edam · 22/07/2009 23:04

yes, although not badly - just fairly good-natured teasing. My surname provided three or four opportunities for nicknames based on different products or brands and then in my final years at primary school a new character appeared in a long-running kids TV serial and suddenly my first name was in play, too.

Ds has my surname but fortunately most of the things people used against me are now much less common. There is one new brand/product but it's fairly cool so I hope it'll be OK...

TrinityRhinoHasASillyStepson · 22/07/2009 23:08

yes I was because my name is very unusual(only seen it once on a baby name thread and it wadn't liked lol)

but I am known by a shortened version which in itself is an even weirder name (but it is a name on its own)

I wouldn't change it, I like it and I like not being the same as everyone else

but it isn't stupid like brooklyn,toilet, summer, diamond...
it isn't chavvy

its a old, well documented name from a certain county

[trying to remain anonymous )

TrinityRhinoHasASillyStepson · 22/07/2009 23:09

oh and noone could spell it ever

TAFKAtheUrbanDryad · 22/07/2009 23:15

Reality - was she born in 1982, by any chance?

I was.

The same year "ET" came out.

I am so glad that my initials are different now, if one more person had said, "Phone home," I would not have been responsible for my actions.

We were sooooo careful with our dc's names, we have a double barrelled surname (not my choice - thanks dh ) and are going to enrol the dc's in school with only one of the names, to minimise the risk of teasing.

We even changed ds' middle name from "Arthur" to "Oliver" so that his initials, backwards, would not spell "Spaz". There is absolutely no way you can make anything from my kids' initials.

I figure, though, if they're gonna get picked on, it'll happen whatever. I just hope that they have the inner confidence to get through it, in a way that I never did. Or, failing that, dh agrees to home education.

RedOnHerHead · 22/07/2009 23:17

I have an ordinary name (which I love) But I was teased because of it - Hannah Banana, Hannah Spanner, But more often than not I was plain old "ginger pubes" I've no idea why though......

RedOnHerHead · 22/07/2009 23:21

Oh and Annie Oakley for some bizzare reason....

In any case, DS2 has an unusual name that I havent heard anywhere else.... Breyen. Everyone loves it, but nobody can say it, let alone spell it!

RedOnHerHead · 22/07/2009 23:25

Oh I forgot.... Hannie Fannie too

ButterflEi · 22/07/2009 23:35

yep...i had no chance!!

my first name has a rather famous song that pretty much EVERYONE sings to me, i get this at least once a day!!
my middle name is my worst nightmare name!!
i absolutely HATE my name but it is a very sentimental name for my family so i wouldnt hurt my mum by changing it...i was teased very badly as a child as both of my names are very old lady names....

oh ok il tell you lot...

my name is eileen dolores!!! you can see my point then...

xx ei xx