A couple has appealed to the internet to ask if they’re “crazy” to consider allowing their six-year-old son to legally change his name.
Reddit user namechangename explained that she and her husband adopted their son three years ago and he had a “rather unusual name”.
They decided to keep it because they felt it wouldn’t have been right to take it away from him. The mum didn’t share what the name was, but said it is also a piece of furniture.
His middle names were Michael Harrison and his surname was Smith-Jones.
“He started nursery last year and was getting made fun of for his name,” she explained. “I told him that he could use one of his middle names if he preferred that. He decided to use Harrison from that point forward.”
The mum explained he is now in school and everyone calls him Harrison.
“He gets upset any time he sees his actual first name written down on forms,” she wrote.
“He gets upset when he has a substitute and she calls him [by his first name]. He really doesn’t like his first name and he said it makes him think of bad things.
“His 7th birthday is coming up and he asked if we could change his name to Harrison for his birthday present.
“We told him that we would think about it. Of course, that won’t be his only present but it struck me as pretty serious that it was his birthday request.”
She said her son wants to get rid of his first name completely and be called Harrison Michael Smith-Jones.
“Would you let your kid do it?” she asked.
People commenting on the thread agreed that she should let her son change his name, with one person writing: “In the case where neither parent is attached to the name, the child hates it and it’s unusual enough to draw negative attention? Definitely.”
Another person wrote: “I agree. It sounds a great idea. Why would there be any reason not to do this? Especially since kinds tend to get more cruel the older they get.”
One person also wrote: “I’d say in 99% of situations the kid is too young to make this decision. I’d also say this is the 1%.”
The mother waded in on the conversation, adding that she is just worried he will resent her when he gets older.
“I just worry about him regretting it and resenting us for allowing him to do it,” she wrote. “Probably an irrational fear, but that’s why I’ve come to Reddit.”
Someone replied, writing: “I think it’s more likely that he resents you when he’s older for making him keep the name.
“As others have said, he can change it to whatever he wants when he’s older, but for now he has a very reasonable desire. I’d grant it. The name clearly is a source of nothing but distress.”
What do you think?
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