Monday morning MN Jury: Are embarressing initials really that bad?

[NatalieJane]

After having been stuck a boys name for over half of this pregnancy, DS came up with a lovely idea that has changed my mind and I am now head of heels in love with the new idea, problem is, it starts with a 'B', and our surname starts with an 'O'...

Is it really the worst thing imaginable to have funny initials? Would we be setting the baby up for a life time of "hell", or is it a case of if the only thing he get's taken the piss out of is for his initials, isn't he doing well??? Couldn't we teach him from an early age not to ever write BO as his initials and use his middle initial as well (which would be BGO)??

What do you think?

I didn't use my initials much as school or as a child, but I have to use my initials for my job at present, and throughout the last few years - and only two ever used. I have to sign these, and they are used on all my documentation. It is something definitely to think about.

But is an adult going to be bothered by having BO as his initials?

My sister's initials are TB, which she has never exactly been proud of, so when she has to initial something she uses her middle initial, so it becomes TMB, and no one has ever really picked up on it.

Am I just trying to make excuses so I can use my favourite name?!!!

I wouldn't. Kids do notice.

I know someone with the initials GIT who has never quite forgiven his parents...

Think with as a grown up is that it cand epend on their job. I worked as a secondary school teacher and now in a a prison, so anything the learners can use to "have a dig" at their teachers will be picked up on.

A friend's daughter has the initials EZ and her life as a teenager was not very pleasant as a result... Not too sure that BO can compare though.

I think there is not much worse you can do to your son than give him the initials BJ (ie Jade Goody and her poor little boy Bobby Jack)

I knew a guy when I was a teenager whose initials were JAP and he was very self-conscious about it - and that's far more innocuous IMO!

My initials are TB too, it's never been a problem people generally don't seem to pick up on it.

So it seems embarressing initials are that bad then?

Now I am going to have to start the whole 'search for aname thing again'! The original, as lovely as it is, just doesn't seem nice enough now! LOL

Thanks to all - any more opinions welcome

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I have a daughter whose initials are PMS....I decided before she was born that I'd just teach her to punch teasers in the nose! She doesn't care so far (but she's only 4). When the time comes, we'll teach her how to deal with it. Plus, we'll have her use just the first and last initial mostly, and PS isn't bad

I really wanted to call DS1 Toby William Andrew but then realised with a surname of Thorne, I was just lining him up for a lifetime of pain....
In the industry I worked in before mummydom, there were a lot of lists of names and initials and those with unfortunate ones still had the rip taken out of them.

Just wondering? How many times really do you actually have to write your initials. I think I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've been requested to put my Initials. OK family and close friends will know it but they are not likely to be the ones that will cause any trouble. The only other place I can think that initials are requested is on the corners of official documents. The people don't know you then so it doesn't really matter.

Personally I don't think adults are going to laugh at BO written as an initial, and I'm just not sure you use initials enough in the eary:teen years for it to be a problem.

If you Love the name, go for it.

I know of someone who was a PMT before she got married, but used to say it was the best excuse ever for being grouchy.......My brother has the initials MDF - and although he was created before the DIY material, he had a dreadful time through teenage years with it when it first became popular. I'd say initials are very important, kids can be really vile to each other sometimes, and you'll be kicking yourself to find out that they were getting teased for something you bestowed on them. You've also got to watch the spoonerisms - same brother was teased about that for even longer than the initials!

My ds is FARM - not too bad but some obnoxious little brat somewhere is bound to pick up on it someday at school!!

My DD was going to be either CAC or even worse COC until we had a complete rethink on the middle name. Don't think it really matters for most of you life except teenage years which are bad enough without having COC as your initials.

I agree -- if you love the name, go with it.

please dont do it.i had the initials bo until i married and i suffered from the day i arrived at secondary school,it was horrible,makes me shudder just thinking about it,glad i,m now bs

I was vej, and am now veg, and I hated it growing up, even though it's very innocuous.

If I had ever married my ex I would have been HGV - which is actually now very appropriate!!

Sorry have only just seen all of these replies.

Well it looks like most of you will be pleased to know we decided not to do it! Though I must say it wasn't really intials that decided it for us but when I told my sister the 'new' name, she kindly reminded me of a little bugger at school with the same name and it put me right off!! LOL

So we are back to George, and back to hunting for a nice middle name!!

The deputy head at the last school I worked at had the initials RCE ... and that is how she signed everything ... from messages in the staffroom to letters to parents. She was known as "ARSEY" ... which was quite apt TBH

I would think carefully about initials ...

Natalie, there is nothing to stop you doing GBO, using george as the first name, but always referring to him by his middle name. I've got a couple of friends who do that, and it would solve teh problem and still let you use the name you love.