Photo: Getty Images
When it comes to picking a name for their child, most parents select one that won't cause any issues for their newborn. However, there are plenty of new moms and dads out there who wind up choosing something that rocks the boat a bit. One name was considered so bad a nurse called child services, another was an actual crime, one mom's name choice got her ghosted, another didn't realize the gross meaning of the name she chose, and one name was so unusual people thought it was a joke. Well now there is a story of a mom who gave her child a perfectly normal-seeming name, Kevin, yet she has been shamed for her decision. That's because it is her daughter whom she named Kevin.
With Kevin now 12 years old, the mom anonymously wrote on Quora about her issue, explaining, "My 12-year-old daughter named Kevin says that people bully her for her name. It's a very nice and common name, so why do people bully her?"
For the people who believe someone would actually name their little girl Kevin and wasn't just trolling the internet, they commented things like, "If this is a real question, you are the person who shackled your child with this name and you need to own up to your part in her being bullied. I suggest you figure out ways to help her learn to deal with the teasing and reactions she is going to get for the rest of her life, thanks to you," and, "You know exactly why your daughter is being 'bullied' for her name. You absolutely know that 'Kevin' is not a 'nice, common name' for girls," and, "Kevin is a predominantly male name. You should have known that when you named her. This one is on you. People bully her because while Kevin is a common name, it is not at all common for a girl to have that name and some kids are mean."
One commenter had an interesting idea, writing, "You might start pronouncing it like KEY-vin, or keh-VEEN, something that makes it sound like you’re a new age hippie parent and did not name your precious daughter after the accountant in The Office who dumps a 15 gallon pot of chili all over the carpet."
While it does seem strange, the situation could actually be legit. In fact, Johnny Cash's hit song "A Boy Named Sue" describes very similar circumstances. Nonetheless, many people used the opportunity to shame the mom, with some calling her "cruel" for the name and others applauding her for breaking gender stereotypes but suggesting that there were better options. One person wrote, "You gave your daughter a name that most people use for males. Instead, you could use a name that goes both ways like Avery, Max or Taylor."
You can read more of the comments on Quora.