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Original poster

Would a William be in danger of teasing?

33 replies

Jane101 · 24/06/2004 20:56

I think William's a really good name, and dh seems to like it too - so it's definitely on our shortlist for baby names. However I am slightly concerned - this is really stupid, and I'm very, very sorry if I offend anyone - but does the fact it could be shortened to "Willy" mean there's any danger of the dreaded playground teasing? Do any teachers, or parents of Williams have any experience of this? Or is it the case that there's no way we can protect our children from every potential source of teasing, and as it's a great name I just shouldn't be so oversensitive?

OP posts:
Hulababy · 24/06/2004 20:59

As a secondary school teacher and a teacher of several Williams over the past 8 years I haven't known of any of my pupils be teased or be called Willy. Most of the Williams I know have it shortened to Will.

Wonder if this may be more applicable to primary age children?

musica · 24/06/2004 21:00

I think William is a great name. Any name can be made into something to be ridiculed. Tbh, I think every child is going to be teased about something.

hmb · 24/06/2004 21:02

Ds best friend is a William. I think that it is a great name. No-one calls him Willy, Wills sometimes

Crystaltips · 24/06/2004 21:06

Go For it - it's a wonderful name ... couldn't call DS William because it's my brother's name....
Love it to bits

iota · 24/06/2004 21:12

According to this site www.babycentre.co.uk/refcap/557221.html

it's the 9th most popular baby name in 2003, in England and Wales, so a lot of people aren't worried about teasing

Lisa78 · 24/06/2004 21:13

its good enuf for Prince William!! I think its a fab name

Janh · 24/06/2004 21:14

We know some Wills and some Bills and have never heard any of them getting Willy. It is a lovely name. (DH is Bill and his dad was Bill so calling one of ours William too would just have been silly!) (Could have been Bill III I spose.)

cazzybabs · 24/06/2004 21:14

As a primary school teacher - we have no Willys and no jokes about it. I love it too and its on my list - infact it is about the only name me and dp like but there are lots of them in my family already.

cuppy · 24/06/2004 21:16

Lovely name - really lovely

xoz · 24/06/2004 21:25

my dh is a william, but is called Bill. He did get the Willy thing a bit I think ( i have certainly herd it from friends as a bit of a joke) but it doesn't seem to worry him. If kids want to tease they'll find a way with any name. When I was teaching primary I don't remember particular probs with this. It's a great name so go with it if you want to!

marialuisa · 24/06/2004 21:34

My baby bro's called William (I named him!) it's great, he's never been called Willy always Will. He does have other "family" nicknames we threaten to use in front of his friends.

Surprised it ranks so highly in the poularity charts as he's never had another william in his class.

littlemissbossy · 24/06/2004 21:38

We also liked William when I was pregnant with ds but a friend used it just before us!! don't worry about being bullied, the more modern abbreviation of William is now Will and, as xoz has already said, kids can tease whatever the name

fisil · 24/06/2004 21:48

I teach a William known as Billy, and no one would ever dare tease him!

QueenB · 24/06/2004 21:59

Know 3 William's that have been born recently. Looks like it's back in fashion. You have to go with what's right for you. Will is a cool name.

hmb · 24/06/2004 22:01

Thinking about it I teach a Billy and a William, both in the same class. Nice kids. And nasty kids can put you off a name so fast!

mummytojames · 24/06/2004 22:13

william will more than likely be shortened to will bill billy or i have even heared kids call william liam we went through the same problem with james because i was dreding people saying it was posh or something nasty i think if kids are going to be nasty the name dont make a difference

suedonim · 25/06/2004 00:02

Ds2 has William as a second name and we ocasionally called him Bill. My dad was William, usually Bill, sometimes William and also Willy as an affection term. It never had rude connotations for us.

suedonim · 25/06/2004 00:03

Affectionate term!

BadHair · 25/06/2004 00:10

Ds2 is William, shortened only to Bill. I never even thought about anyone calling him Willy. I guess kids can find something tease-worthy in almost any name if they really want to.
But a good choice of name if I might say so myself!

bloss · 25/06/2004 01:34

Message withdrawn

Ghosty · 25/06/2004 02:26

William is my very favourite boy's name ...
My brother is William, and within the family we always called him Willie ... just a really affectionate shortening of his name. We now call him Will most of the time but his wife still calls him Willie...
His friends have always called him Will and one friend of his calls him Bill.
He was never bullied at school on account of his name as far as I know.
I could never call a son of mine William though because of my surname now ... ... never mind ...
Great name, go for it!!!!

CountessDracula · 25/06/2004 10:13

I think unless you have a relevant surname (eg Large, Little, Balls (I knew someone with that surname don't laugh!!) etc) it won't be a problem.

My dh is called Will, I think it's a lovely name.

oxocube · 25/06/2004 11:39

Ds 1 is William, often called Will or Wills - never had any teasing

Fio2 · 25/06/2004 11:41

my BIL is a william. We used to all call him Bill but he thinks he has gone a bit more upmarket now and insists on being called Will. really is there difference?!

I dont think he will get teased its a lovely name

Philly · 25/06/2004 11:42

Ds2 is William or sometimes Wills or Will or "at home" Wuzzle!Not had any problems with teasing and also Ds1's friend is alos a William no problems that I know of