Mum Fears Daughter Will Be Bullied Over Meaning Of Her Name
A mum has taken to the internet to ask for advice after revealing her plans to change her 18-month-old daughter's name.
Explaining on Reddit that she and her husband love the 'sound and meaning' of their little girl's name, the mum revealed that the majority of people mispronounce it.
Concerned about bullying in the future, she asked other parents for their advice, admitting she was 'lost' over what to do.
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Explaining the name has sentimental meaning, the mum wrote on Reddit: "We named her after my husband's mother, he and his whole family are from West Africa, but we live in a Spanish-speaking country.
"I love the sound and meaning of the name, and I find it beautiful that she shares the name with her grandma, who I admire greatly."
The mum later revealed that her daughter's name is Awa, which many have mispronounced for 'agua', meaning water in Spanish.
Despite loving the name themselves, the mum explained that since her daughter was born, '90 per cent of people mispronounce her name'.
"Since her birth, I am facing two problems: first, 90% of the people mispronounce her name and say the equivalent to 'water' in Spanish," she continued.
"Second, I fear that her being de facto called 'water' will be the subject of years of bullying. So many jokes at hand."
Explaining the family are moving to a small town, the mum revealed she is considering changing her name for a 'fresh start'.
"I haven't talked to my husband about this so it's not yet a real possibility, but my fear grows as she starts to actually interact with other kids who are rather confused/amused that she is called 'water'," she wrote.
"I certainly don't want to cause her any trauma, or even give the example that you should bend over backwards to try to fit in. So really, I am lost. What would you do?"
Reddit was pretty divided over the post, with some claiming 18 months is 'too late' to change the child's name, while others saw no problem.
One person wrote: "I think past a year old is very late in the game to change a child's name and might inadvertently be traumatic in its own right. She's old enough to recognise when she is being called by name."
However, another said: "I wouldn't stress about it. My friend had her name changed by her mother and stepfather when she was 4 because the name her father picked for her when she was born was really bad. She has no trauma from being renamed."
Others, however, suggested the mum try to celebrate her daughter's name, reminding her that a number of other monikers mean 'water' in certain languages.
Some also suggested giving the little one a nickname to use if she prefers.
What would you do?
Lucy Devine