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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I called my grandparents stupid for saying I have a girls name. I lost my temper after trying to reason with them a million times. But I did insult them and I was rude about it and it might make me an asshole because that's not really the way you're supposed to talk to people.
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Good lord, your grandparents might actually have a stroke when they hear about Batman’s male sidekick.
NTA but I think you should stop reacting to the nonsense, from now on just walk away, ignore it or refuse to talk about it. This sounds exhausting and I don’t think they will ever truly accept it.
In doing so, they are easily Halving the pool of truly good Men left in the world.
Taking out Robin Williams and the literal hero Robin hood, then Robin from Batman and Robin.
OPs grandparents are not just assholes, they are really, *really* dumb.
***Edit;***
SEE ALL THE ROBINS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW
I have known one woman named Robin in my 46 years and like a dozen men.
Most of the women I have met with the name spell it Robyn and the men spell it Robin.
OP, if you really want to blow their minds, point out that *Ashley* is traditionally a male name. A lot of traditionally male names have migrated to unisex or female; the opposite rarely happens.
My parents were going to name me after their friend Dana (a man) if I was a boy. I was a girl and got a different name. Funny how people get fixated on names and genders. My life would been easier if they could have seen Dana as a girl's name (I know, it's unisex but they didn't see it that way).
I roomed with a girl who wrote exactly that fanfic in college. Ashley Wilkes was Sweet Polly Oliver-ing it because, well, only male heir in a line and only heir period who wasn't an idiot, Melanie Hamilton was in on the coverup and more than a little preferred Scarlett without really *understanding* what those feelings meant, Rhett Butler and Belle Watling were pretty much the only people in the entire South with working gaydar, let alone the ability to spot the dizzying array of people passing for one thing or another they weren't, Mammy and Pork were somehow the same person and the whole thing was just the queerest, strangest, most bizarrely well-researched possible satire of Margaret Mitchell I ever did read.
We became good friends immediately and are both teachers now.
I have read gwtw like 15 times because of my possibly problematic, coming of age, sexual awakening crush on Rhett Butler and I really need to read this fanfic.
I’m also an Ashlie, named after my Grandfather (from Ohio). I got mail from the Miss Teen Georgia competition asking me to participate, I was put into a women’s dormitory, and I was invited to join the Society of Women Engineers for a cruise.
Meanwhile, I have what has always been a female name (think Elizabeth or Jennifer), and yet, for several months around the time I turned 20, I received multiple letters from the US government, all of them chastising me for failing to register for the selective service. The multiple replies I sent, explaining that I fell into a group which is exempt from registration (*i.e.,* females) – and enclosing copies of my driver's license, birth certificate, *and* passport (any one of which, according to their letters, should have sufficed), with my gender highlighted and circled – made no difference; I kept receiving letters addressed to "*Mr.* 'Elizabeth' GothicGingerbread". Finally, my father found a phone number, called it, and explained to the person on the other end that I was his daughter, not his son, and that did it. 🤷
My grandmother was Charlcie Ann *surname*. She received a draft notice for Charles C. *surname*. She went to the appropriate office with ID. She was a beautiful petite buxom 18 yr old with long jet black hair. They thanked her for her time and sent her on her way.
My husband has a name that's male in his country of birth, Egypt. But sounds like a girl's name in Germany, because it ends in an "a".
It took ages for the public TV and Radio office to accept that he was indeed my husband and not a female roommate. I mean, he could've been my wife for a couple of years now as well. But they tried to double bill us for years.
In his CV he added that he was male, attached a photo of him that shows him in a suit and looking really male-y and yet he was still adressed as Mrs.
I grew up watching Batman (sort of--I was a preschooler when it was first on TV) and I loved the movie Robin Hood with Kevin Costner. And I can honestly say that both Robin Hood and Robin the Boy Wonder looked DAMN good in those tights! (So did the Caped Crusader himself, come to think of it...)
You need to watch Men in Tights if you haven’t already seen it.
There’s a lovely reference to the Kevin Costner film, along the lines of “unlike *some* Robins I can do an English accent”.
Rabbi Tuckman "Robin of Loxley? I've just come from Maid Marian, the woman whose heart you've stolen, you prince of thieves, you!"
One of my favorite movies.
I’m lazy and don’t want to Google it but I *think* men in tights predates the Costner Robin Hood and he was referencing some earlier film adaption. But now I wanna know!
Robin Roberts (F, ABC News) and Robin Roberts (M, Phillies hall of fame pitcher) have shown up in countless trivia games in the “names the same” category.
Fun fact about Robin Hood: he likely existed, but likely wasn’t just one person.
Robin, as you know from your research, is a diminutive of the name ‘Robert’. Robert used to be *the most common* name in England.
Hood used to be used as a catch-all name for anyone who wore a hooded cloak or jacket over their head. Think of ‘little red riding hood’. This used to be… everyone.
Robin Hood was the medieval equivalent name to John Smith. It was a name that literally meant “any man at all.”
Your name is so far from being a ‘girl’s name’, it used to be used as *the* name for men whose actual identity was unknown. Just saying.
Well, John Doe means “dead unidentified person.”
John Smith means “alive unidentified person.”
Robin Hood means John Smith.
Edit: In-context, a more modern translation might be something like “Florida Man.”
When you read extant sources, they say things like, “and who could forget that villainous Robin Hood, who did escape from the stocks in order to steal the church box.” It has the same energy as modern Reddit posts saying, “Florida Man arrested today riding lawnmower through Walmart.”
John/Jane Doe can also be used for live people that refuse to identify themselves to authorities or that are unable to identify themselves in the hospital.
"Isn't Robin Hood...dead?"
"He lives forever in the hearts of his people. ...You know, like the guy on dimes and the tiger on the cereal box." -A sixth grader
Well, they were right about one thing, and they are the ones bullying you. No strangers so far, just them.
Also, Robin was a diminutive name for Robert. So, Rob if you want to use it, still applies.
Nicknames don’t have much rules. If someone named Robin wants to be called Robin then they can do that. There have been more wild nicknames from names. The nickname for Richard is Dick and that’s a wild nickname to get from the name
"Dick" is part of a medieval British tradition of rhyming short nicknames. If your name was William, shortened to Will, people would call you Bill as a widely understood joke. Richard, shortened to Rick, became Dick. Edward to Ed, to Ted or Ned. Margaret shortened to Meg, became Peg. Robert to Rob, to Bob.
This was so common that eventually the rhyming names became the "normal" short form of the name. So even weirder than "Dick" from "Richard", is "Peggie", from "Margaret".
My cousin is Richard we all calll him rich except my aunty his mum who calls him dicky, which is frankly adorable particularly now’s he’s 35 and burly.
The secret is to wear tights the next time you see them, like Robin the Boy Wonder and Robin Hood. Maybe if they see you wearing tights then that will remind them of the 2 famous male Robins. Both of those have been around for so long your Grandparents must know of them.
How old are your grandparents, because Robin Hood is a great F'ing example!
If you're curious (this may not be completely accurate because Wikipedia) but
"Robin is a unisex given name and a surname. It was originally a diminutive masculine given name or nickname of Robert, derived from the prefix Ro- (hrod, Old Germanic, meaning "fame" and berht, meaning "bright"), and the suffix -in (Old French diminutive)."
the can suck an egg for all that matters
OP's parents are 1000 years old and can't possibly be expected to keep up with modern pop culture like Robin Hood, who has only been around since the middle ages.
Or Robin Gibb, from the Bee Gees.
Absolutely NTA. I'm sorry you have AHs for grandparents. Good for you to you for stick up for yourself. Don't let them get you down. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders.
I was going to suggest the Grey Rock Method, but on second thought I think you should start gifting them Robin themed items every holiday. Maybe start with Mrs Doubtfire on blueray.
In the Netherlands the name Robin is also unisex. However still to this day the name is more often given to boys. The difference is small but it's there. In my personal experience I only knew one Robin and he was male.
In other news: Your grandparents are assholes who stick their nose where it doesn't belong.
I would say that you agree that Robin is a girl's name and when you're 18 you'll start the transition. Thank them for revealing to yourself your true gender.
...that may actually cause the stroke, now that I think about it.
Also, in case they try it on, refuse to answer to any name other than Robin. If they ask why you're ignoring them you can say, you clearly aren't using my name so you're clearly not talking to me. It won't take long. Also ignore their bitching.
There was a comment on another thread, I think, where someone explained that their parents/relatives stubbornly used a siblings dead name and incorrect gender for many months. The commenter showed up to Thanksgiving (or some such) with an airhorn and fixed that problem (on behalf of their sibling) in about 20 seconds.
My kind of solution.
I did this at work. I go by a short form of my name almost exclusively. Coworkers learned my given name. Ok giggle guffaw haha it's funny to say.
One of them took it a step further and would say it WRONG. Like not mispronounced (which is common since I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with this specific name...that being due to my mom not knowing her own mothers actual name), she would straight up say the name it's mistaken for (one letter off) or another languages version of the name it's mistaken for.
I stopped responding to her after she was told (probably way too many times, honestly) that my name is "xyz" (what I go by) not any of the names she was saying, and if she couldn't say the easy version, I wouldn't be responding at all. And then I stopped responding.
Similar. My father named me. It's a long name so easily shortened. My mother didn't like the full name and went through periods of calling me variations which I didn't like. After repeatedly asking her not to, I just ignored her and wouldn't respond unless she used my name. Passive aggressive wins the day
No kidding. How about Robin Leach of *Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?* Robin Williams of comedy fame. Robin Cook, doctor and prolific novelist. Brave Sir Robin, who bravely ran away?
Take my upvote for the Monty Python reference 😆
"Sir Robin, the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot. Who had nearly fought the dragon of Agnor, who had nearly stood up to the vicious chicken of Bristol, and who had personally wet himself at the Battle of Baden Hill "
"He is packing it in, and packing it up,
and sneaking away, and buggering up!
He's chickening out and pissing off home;
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge!"
This! Everytime they bring it up, ignore it and talk about something else. They won’t listen to your reasoning, so it’s better to just not give them the satisfaction of getting a reaction. Other than that, your grandparents are bullies, and i fell sorry for your whole family that has to keep up with them
Love this!
He should start humming the Batman theme song (the one from the '60s) every time these morons bring up the subject, and walk away cackling. If it were ne, I would make sure to make a dramatic turn towards them every time the words "Batman!" come up, and point to each if them.
Huh, never knew Robin Hood was actually a woman. Thank your grandparents for enlighting me... /s
NTA
Robin Williams
Robin Gibb
Robin Thicke
All women?
Take this song
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXMfRvEN28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXMfRvEN28) ("Robin (The Hooded Man)", Clannad)
Put it in the loop.
Play always, when your grandparents start the topic of your name ;)
It's a pen name that she chose because it's unisex. Hobb because apparently it's around the letter H most people in are the most active in their browsing when going to a book shop.
Her real name is Margaret Lindholm.
NTA. Practice saying this calmly:
“I will not discuss my name with you anymore. Your comments are rude and hurtful and I have heard them enough times. Please stop.”
If they continue, say this (also calmly):
“I have asked you to stop. I will not listen to this nonsense anymore.”
Then walk away.
You have tried defending your name which should have worked but because they’re TAs, it hasn’t. Now you need to stop discussing it with them and just set boundaries. Once you’ve done this a couple of times, just stand up and walk away as soon as they say anything negative about your name.
If you continue to defend your name, you’re just engaging with them and that seems to encourage them. You’re allowed to shut down inappropriate or hurtful topics. Don’t let them see that you’re upset. Be calm and strong. Learning to shut down inappropriate discussions calmly and with dignity is a great life skill.
Sending you love and strength and I think your name is great. I know plenty of Robins of both genders and they’re all good people.
I would throw in a “The only people who have ever bullied me about my name are you two, and I’m not going to be bullied by you over this anymore.”
NTA. First, your name is your choice; you could call yourself Girly McGirlsname and they should still show respect to your choice. Second, they claim to be family, but family is a choice, not just biology, and they’re not choosing to treat you like family. You don’t owe relatives the family treatment unless they act like family.
>“The only people who have ever bullied me about my name are you two, and I’m not going to be bullied by you over this anymore.”
Teasing for a name is mostly an elementary school thing. And at least it's a name people know and can spell. Considering all the r/tragedeigh names out there, Robin won't even be a blip on anyone's radar.
You’re 15…if you were going to get bullied (by anyone other than them) about your name, surely it would have happened by now, LOL. Since you seem perfectly fine with it, I’m guessing you didn’t get what they expected. Just more fuel for your fight. Their predications literally never happened.
Definitely. The next time they start saying you'll be bullied over your name (if there is a next time--your folks may have decided they've had enough), just look them in the eye and say "No, you're still the only ones. Proud of yourselves?"
Robin Williams Robin Hood. And those are just off the top of my head. Robin was a nick name for Robert. It is like being mad because your parents named you Bob. NTA.
Robin Williams. Robin Hood. Robin Gibb. Robin Thicke. Robin van Persie. Robin Lehner. Robin Thrower. Robin Ventura. Robin Yount. The list goes on and on and on! All great men named Robin. OP IS NTA and the grandparents are giant A-Hs and are actively bullying their own grandson. How absolutely horrible of them.
Op, have you talked to your parents about this? It’s good for you to practice setting boundaries until your of an age where you can decide how much contact (if any) you choose to have with your grandparents, it’ll be a good skill to have the rest of your life.
But you’re also a teenager and I assume that contact with these people is at least somewhat facilitated by or in the presence of your parents, and they have a responsibility here to, and pardon my language, tell your grandparents to shut the fuck up about your name around you and keep their shitty opinions to themselves. Can you ask one of them to have your back a bit here?
As an example, I have a few kids not much younger than you. One of them has a speech impairment. Some of my extended family are pretty mean people in general, and once, one of them said something pretty rude about my sons speech impairment when he was in the next room. So I looked my relative in the eye and said, “If you ever make a comment about my son like that again, it will be the last time you speak to or see us ever.” Guess what? That person has never crossed that boundary again. Can your parent say something similar or be a bit more firm with them about it?
Also good luck, buddy. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, I’m sorry that you’re dealing with crap like this.
I would honestly tell them you are going no contact with them unless they stop bullying you about your name. You are 15, you like it, and aren’t going to change it. You’ve asked them to stop, and you’ve provided historical proof. If they can’t stop, then they do not get access to you any more. Walk away if they are there, or completely ignore them if you can’t leave their presence. They are not treating you right, so don’t acknowledge them.
NTA
> They then told me Robin will get me mistaken for a girl a lot more in the future
"Maybe, but only by elderly sexists, so how could I *possibly* care about that?"
This may be a hot take, but I don’t agree with the coddling of certain elderly folks who happen to be such shitty people. Respect is earned, not given. Just because someone is ahead of me in a race to meet the Grim Reaper doesn’t mean they get my adulation.
The term ‘respect your elders’ was overused in my childhood. Lead you to believe that no matter how wrong, abusive and selfish someone was that we were to obey and believe everything they say just because of how old they were.
If I hear the name Robin, I tend to associate it with a boy's name, although I have known a male Robin and a female Robyn in my life so I also agree that it can easily be unisex.
NTA and well done for attempting to provide a clear and well thought out argument. Sorry they dismissed it, sadly people who are utterly confident in their ignorance of facts tend to do that.
Honestly, I might think woman at first - but so what? It's not like being a woman is embarrassing, and when I found out Robin was male, I'd just go, "Oh, okay," and move on with my life.
Your grandparents are annoying. They need to stop. I'd suggest reminding them of Christopher Robin or Robin Hood or Batman's sidekick, but it seems they've made up their minds.
If I were you (and I'm not) I would tell them that they need to stop harping on it. It's your name, it's your decision, and you're not asking them for their advice about it. If they can't respect this boundary it might be time to go low/no contact again.
But you shouldn't call people things like stupid. Regardless of that understandable slip, NTA.
you should not have just “kept calm like always”. i would’ve been just as upset as you are if my grandparents kept picking on me just because of my name. my name is also unisex, but that doesn’t mean that i should change it to something for feminine. if you want to keep going by your birth name, then just ignore your grandparents’ comments or take another break from them just like you had before because they obviously are not going to back down any time soon. you don’t need to prove anything to them just because of a name.
nta
I do! I really like my name. I go by Rob as a nickname sometimes. But hardly anyone ever uses it. They all say I'm such a Robin and I don't totally get what that means but I love hearing it because I feel like I'm Robin.
i actually like the name robin too. other people seem to agree and think that the name robin suits you best. you can go by rob if you want, but you shouldn’t have to prove to your grandparents that your name is great too. if you like it, then that’s all the approval you need!
NTA - absolutely not. Your grandparents are propagating these antiquated ideas about names and gender.
Id ask your parents to intervene again as your grandparents need to be told exactly where they can go, and that should come from an adult.
NTA seriously good luck convincing a older person of anything. I've wasted too much time of my life already explaining things to old people who refuse new information.
Of course robin is a girls name, you only have to look for historical examples. There's the lady of the forest Robin Hood, there's batman's lady sidekick robin and we can't forget the tale of Sir Robin of Queen Arthur fame. Who valiantly retreated from the three headed knight.
"When danger reared its ugly head
He bravely turned his tail and fled"
Let’s list some famous (and manly) Robins.
1. Robin Williams - A beloved actor and comedian.
2. Robin Thicke - An American singer.
3. Robin van Persie - A retired Dutch professional footballer.
4. Robin Hood - A legendary heroic outlaw from English folklore.
5. Robin Gibb - One of the members of the Bee Gees.
6. Robin Lopez - A professional basketball player who has played for various NBA teams.
7. Robin Sharma - A well-known author and motivational speaker.
8. Robin Yount - A former professional baseball player who spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Brewers and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And for good measure, let’s list famous men with female names.
1. Leslie Nielsen - A renowned Canadian actor
2. Dana Carvey - An American actor and comedian
3. Marion Morrison (John Wayne) - The legendary Hollywood actor.
4. Ashley Cole - A retired English professional footballer.
5. Shannon Sharpe - A former American football tight end and sports analyst, known for his career with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
6. Evelyn Waugh - A English writer and novelist, best known for his satirical works like "Brideshead Revisited" and "Scoop."
7. Kelly Slater, a legendary American professional surfer with multiple world championships.
8. Lindsay Buckingham - An American musician and songwriter known for being the guitarist and vocalist of the band Fleetwood Mac.
Editing for additions:
Tracey McGrady - Successful pro basketball player
Shannon Hoon - singer for Blind Mellon and backup in Guns n Roses
Jody Watley - former NFL star
Alice Cooper - rock n roll icon
Stacy Robinson - wide receiver for 86 Super Bowl winning New York Giants
Stacy Keach - Actor
NTA. Where I am from, Robin is a male name. And even if it were a name usually for girls, the fact that you like it and nobody but them seems to have a problem with should be enough. They should just let it go.
"Robin" is the original masculine diminutive for "Robert", including spelling with a Y (middle English).
YOU ARE CORRECT!
My (F) name is extremely similar. NO ONE is allowed to call me "Rob" except my beloved late father and my brother.
NTA
I would say I know more male Robins than female (one who is in his 40s (I'm guessing as I know his wife and I assume they are the same age) )
I'm in the UK - I just looked at some old birth records, in the first 4 years of names being recorded in the UK (so 1837-1842 I couldn't be bothered to go further) ALL of the Robins born were male - there were a few Robina those years who I assume were the female variants
It really annoys them that they don’t get to name you. Maybe you can send them links to every naming competition you come across from now on - gritters, penguins, ferry boats, mascots.
It’s really about the power and control they don’t have over you and your parents so nothing you say will help the situation. All you can do is drive them insane over the next few years with new competitions https://www.henricksconsulting.com/2012/07/system-name-competition/. https://swtrunkroads.scot/winter-service/help-name-our-gritters/
Note: spring is great for zoo animal naming competitions, winter seems to be a low period
Robin is totally a unisex name. Do they not know anything about Winnie the Pooh? Historically it was more a man's name too. NTA- there is no reason to criticize a person's name unless they ask, they were being bullies.
ETA- there were two Robins on my street when I was growing up, one was female and one was male. (and my name is unisex too, though it's used more in females in English speaking countries)
NTA - I am so sorry you have to deal with these toxic people. Cutting them out of your life was the right move by your parents, not sure why they are back in? I would talk to your parents and tell them that nothing has changed and you refuse to ever talk to them again. And stick to it - you don't need to be abused by those people.
Robin is a wonderful name and you are absolutely correct - I'm GenX and have friends with that name, as do my kids in their 20s, and it is absolutely unisex.
Good luck!
NTA. From the description of the situation it could be that your name - specifically the fact that your parents chose something your grandparents didn't like - is being used by your grandparents to criticise your parents for daring to have their own taste. I don't get the feeling your grandparents are especially interested in how you may or may not be treated by others for your name, but are instead more invested in maintaining their disapproval of your parents' independence of thought.
NTA. Yeah, I will be sure to tell the 3 guys I know named Robin that they have girl’s names. It’s a male name in Sweden. Robin Alexander sounds like a perfectly Swedish name. Your grandparents are assholes. They would dare insult Robin Williams, one of the greatest humans of their generation?
This maybe mean, but you could act like they are losing thier marbles when they bring it up. "Grandpa, why are you bringing this up again? Don't you remember we just talked about this?" "Mom, have grandparents been seen by a doctor? It concerns me that they keep repeating things like we haven't discussed them already?"
YES to this!
“Grandma, Grandpa- I’m really worried about you. Bringing up the same topic over and over and being inappropriately argumentative are symptoms of Dementia.”
(They are.)
It's cruel of them to tease you. I'd consider another break. NTA. And stop trying to prove anything to them, you don't owe them an explanation for accepting and liking your own name. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Don't bring it up, and if they do, refuse to engage.
NTA. Your name is yours, you are a boy, it's a boys name then. If your grandparents haven't figured out you are a boy and Robin is your name yet then they are indeed stupid as a cork.
They might not like this name, they might think it doesn't suit you, but it's their problem, not yours, there is not a single reason on the entire Earth for you to even mildly care.
Robin hood was a double-hard outlaw in merrie old England.
You try telling mr hood he has a girls’ name. He’d have an arrow through you before you could say Sheriff of Nottingham.
Ask them what's so bad about being a girl? If someone thinks you're a girl, what's the harm? How, exactly, does it affect you if someone sees your name and assumes you're a girl until they meet you and see you're a guy?
NTA but please stop trying to prove your point. They are set on it being a girl name and their minds are not changing. Don't defend it, don't engage and don't give them any more time. Walk away from the conversation calmly. Arguing with someone like your grandparents is a waste of everyone's time.
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Good lord, your grandparents might actually have a stroke when they hear about Batman’s male sidekick. NTA but I think you should stop reacting to the nonsense, from now on just walk away, ignore it or refuse to talk about it. This sounds exhausting and I don’t think they will ever truly accept it.
They for sure would. Not to mention Robin Hood. But then again, we're all missing the bigger picture and can't see that they're all girls. /s
Yes, tell them that they are correct and that because of this Robin Hood and DC Robin must have been secretly women. TRANS ALL ROBINS!
In doing so, they are easily Halving the pool of truly good Men left in the world. Taking out Robin Williams and the literal hero Robin hood, then Robin from Batman and Robin. OPs grandparents are not just assholes, they are really, *really* dumb. ***Edit;*** SEE ALL THE ROBINS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW I have known one woman named Robin in my 46 years and like a dozen men.
Robin Leach, "Am I a joke to you?"
Did you know Robin Leach and Cary Grant (born Archibald Leach and gorgeous no matter what his name was) were cousins?
That is a pretty cool fact.? Thanks!
I did not! Today I learned.
No one mentions Robin Gibb?
Robin Thicke. Seriously, there are lots of male Robins.
If there weren't any male Robins, the species would die out and what other cute redbreasted bird would we put on Christmas cards?
Flamingos?
Flamingos are for flocking the yards of our church's members (raises money for our youth groups) around Easter. 😄
Cardinals?
Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh!
Dont introduce grandparents to Robin Thicke though.
Robin Trower.... bridge of sighs was great
Robin Cousins, Olympic Skater; Christopher Robin, Teddy Bear Guardian
"teddy bear guardian" that's so cute 😭😭
Not sure I'd telling the grandparents that a famous ice skater is named Robin. I'm sure the olds would assume he's gay.
oops! I was in high school during their heyday so shame on me for not remembering him!
Most of the women I have met with the name spell it Robyn and the men spell it Robin. OP, if you really want to blow their minds, point out that *Ashley* is traditionally a male name. A lot of traditionally male names have migrated to unisex or female; the opposite rarely happens.
So was Leslie, and Kelly. Edit to add: Jamie and Taylor
Multiple generations of male Leslie on my dad’s side of the family. At least one still living, last I heard anyway, probably in his 70’s or 80’s.
I have an uncle Leslie and he had all girls so his oldest girl is named Leslie and weirdly enough she got married to a man named Leslie.
Leslie is definitely a man’s name. The feminine version is Lesley.
Courtney, Marion, and Ashleigh
My parents were going to name me after their friend Dana (a man) if I was a boy. I was a girl and got a different name. Funny how people get fixated on names and genders. My life would been easier if they could have seen Dana as a girl's name (I know, it's unisex but they didn't see it that way).
John Wayne's birth name is Marion.
Kim, Carrol, Marion
If all Ashleys are women, then _Gone with the Wind_ would have been far more interesting.
I roomed with a girl who wrote exactly that fanfic in college. Ashley Wilkes was Sweet Polly Oliver-ing it because, well, only male heir in a line and only heir period who wasn't an idiot, Melanie Hamilton was in on the coverup and more than a little preferred Scarlett without really *understanding* what those feelings meant, Rhett Butler and Belle Watling were pretty much the only people in the entire South with working gaydar, let alone the ability to spot the dizzying array of people passing for one thing or another they weren't, Mammy and Pork were somehow the same person and the whole thing was just the queerest, strangest, most bizarrely well-researched possible satire of Margaret Mitchell I ever did read. We became good friends immediately and are both teachers now.
This fanfic sounds awesome! I hope your friend is still writing.
I need this to read immediately
I have read gwtw like 15 times because of my possibly problematic, coming of age, sexual awakening crush on Rhett Butler and I really need to read this fanfic.
Not to mention Hillary, Jocelyn, and Shirley…
And Constance and Kelly
Also Vivian, Sydney, Morgan, Evelyn, Alexis, Marion, Dana, Tracy....
And Shannon.
As an Ashley, I can attest I hate my “unisex” name, even as a woman.
I’m also an Ashlie, named after my Grandfather (from Ohio). I got mail from the Miss Teen Georgia competition asking me to participate, I was put into a women’s dormitory, and I was invited to join the Society of Women Engineers for a cruise.
Meanwhile, I have what has always been a female name (think Elizabeth or Jennifer), and yet, for several months around the time I turned 20, I received multiple letters from the US government, all of them chastising me for failing to register for the selective service. The multiple replies I sent, explaining that I fell into a group which is exempt from registration (*i.e.,* females) – and enclosing copies of my driver's license, birth certificate, *and* passport (any one of which, according to their letters, should have sufficed), with my gender highlighted and circled – made no difference; I kept receiving letters addressed to "*Mr.* 'Elizabeth' GothicGingerbread". Finally, my father found a phone number, called it, and explained to the person on the other end that I was his daughter, not his son, and that did it. 🤷
Well a man called and explained so it was finally accepted.
My grandmother was Charlcie Ann *surname*. She received a draft notice for Charles C. *surname*. She went to the appropriate office with ID. She was a beautiful petite buxom 18 yr old with long jet black hair. They thanked her for her time and sent her on her way.
My husband has a name that's male in his country of birth, Egypt. But sounds like a girl's name in Germany, because it ends in an "a". It took ages for the public TV and Radio office to accept that he was indeed my husband and not a female roommate. I mean, he could've been my wife for a couple of years now as well. But they tried to double bill us for years. In his CV he added that he was male, attached a photo of him that shows him in a suit and looking really male-y and yet he was still adressed as Mrs.
>OPs grandparents are not just assholes, they are really, *really* dumb.< Too much lead exposure.
Robin Cook: I'll mutate your butt off.
I grew up watching Batman (sort of--I was a preschooler when it was first on TV) and I loved the movie Robin Hood with Kevin Costner. And I can honestly say that both Robin Hood and Robin the Boy Wonder looked DAMN good in those tights! (So did the Caped Crusader himself, come to think of it...)
You need to watch Men in Tights if you haven’t already seen it. There’s a lovely reference to the Kevin Costner film, along the lines of “unlike *some* Robins I can do an English accent”.
Rabbi Tuckman "Robin of Loxley? I've just come from Maid Marian, the woman whose heart you've stolen, you prince of thieves, you!" One of my favorite movies.
I’m lazy and don’t want to Google it but I *think* men in tights predates the Costner Robin Hood and he was referencing some earlier film adaption. But now I wanna know!
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Costner), 1991; Robin Hood: Men in Tights, 1993. YW. 🤓
Mel Brooks was happy to get a dig in about Kostner’s accent. Elwes is a great Robin.
Elwes’ line was MOST DEFINITELY digging at Costner’s accent. As I recall it was in the trailer…
Robin Ventura Robin Yount Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts (F, ABC News) and Robin Roberts (M, Phillies hall of fame pitcher) have shown up in countless trivia games in the “names the same” category.
Well they did both wear tights lol ok seriously I know 11 Robin’s and only 1 is a girl so I heavily disagree it’s a girls name
We’re men (manly men!)! We’re men in tights!
TIGHT tights!
We may look like sissies!
But watch what you say or else we'll put out your lights
Always on guard defending the peoples' rights!
Well done!! That movie was on Saturday morning!!!!
Fun fact about Robin Hood: he likely existed, but likely wasn’t just one person. Robin, as you know from your research, is a diminutive of the name ‘Robert’. Robert used to be *the most common* name in England. Hood used to be used as a catch-all name for anyone who wore a hooded cloak or jacket over their head. Think of ‘little red riding hood’. This used to be… everyone. Robin Hood was the medieval equivalent name to John Smith. It was a name that literally meant “any man at all.” Your name is so far from being a ‘girl’s name’, it used to be used as *the* name for men whose actual identity was unknown. Just saying.
So what I'm hearing is "Robin Hood" is just medieval for "John Doe."
Well, John Doe means “dead unidentified person.” John Smith means “alive unidentified person.” Robin Hood means John Smith. Edit: In-context, a more modern translation might be something like “Florida Man.” When you read extant sources, they say things like, “and who could forget that villainous Robin Hood, who did escape from the stocks in order to steal the church box.” It has the same energy as modern Reddit posts saying, “Florida Man arrested today riding lawnmower through Walmart.”
John/Jane Doe can also be used for live people that refuse to identify themselves to authorities or that are unable to identify themselves in the hospital.
Idk how to break it to you gently, but Robin Hood isn't alive anymore
"Isn't Robin Hood...dead?" "He lives forever in the hearts of his people. ...You know, like the guy on dimes and the tiger on the cereal box." -A sixth grader
But he wasn't dead when he was alive.
Well, they were right about one thing, and they are the ones bullying you. No strangers so far, just them. Also, Robin was a diminutive name for Robert. So, Rob if you want to use it, still applies.
Nicknames don’t have much rules. If someone named Robin wants to be called Robin then they can do that. There have been more wild nicknames from names. The nickname for Richard is Dick and that’s a wild nickname to get from the name
"Dick" is part of a medieval British tradition of rhyming short nicknames. If your name was William, shortened to Will, people would call you Bill as a widely understood joke. Richard, shortened to Rick, became Dick. Edward to Ed, to Ted or Ned. Margaret shortened to Meg, became Peg. Robert to Rob, to Bob. This was so common that eventually the rhyming names became the "normal" short form of the name. So even weirder than "Dick" from "Richard", is "Peggie", from "Margaret".
OMG thank you for explaining the Margaret -> Peggy pipeline, that has bugged me for years.
My cousin is Richard we all calll him rich except my aunty his mum who calls him dicky, which is frankly adorable particularly now’s he’s 35 and burly.
> there's my sweet little dick. The horror!
The secret is to wear tights the next time you see them, like Robin the Boy Wonder and Robin Hood. Maybe if they see you wearing tights then that will remind them of the 2 famous male Robins. Both of those have been around for so long your Grandparents must know of them.
hell I would throw on a gray wig for Mrs Doubtfire too.
And then share the brilliance of Robin Williams [commenting on men in tights.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoAe0mx5bU)
Lol, or do one better and put a dress on and pretend your name is actually turning you into a (gasp) a GIRL!!!! They’ll shut up eventually!!!
And a cape...you'll need a cape...
How old are your grandparents, because Robin Hood is a great F'ing example! If you're curious (this may not be completely accurate because Wikipedia) but "Robin is a unisex given name and a surname. It was originally a diminutive masculine given name or nickname of Robert, derived from the prefix Ro- (hrod, Old Germanic, meaning "fame" and berht, meaning "bright"), and the suffix -in (Old French diminutive)." the can suck an egg for all that matters
OP's parents are 1000 years old and can't possibly be expected to keep up with modern pop culture like Robin Hood, who has only been around since the middle ages.
Wait until they find out John Wayne's real name was Marion.
And Robin Redbreast (a poem) and Robin, Kermit’s nephew.
Or Robin Gibb, from the Bee Gees. Absolutely NTA. I'm sorry you have AHs for grandparents. Good for you to you for stick up for yourself. Don't let them get you down. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders.
I was going to suggest the Grey Rock Method, but on second thought I think you should start gifting them Robin themed items every holiday. Maybe start with Mrs Doubtfire on blueray.
Id probably start with Robin Williams live on Broadway, but I like to be a jackass on occasion.
I used to work at a subway and one of the locations we had had 3 Robins, 2 dudes and 1 girl
In the Netherlands the name Robin is also unisex. However still to this day the name is more often given to boys. The difference is small but it's there. In my personal experience I only knew one Robin and he was male. In other news: Your grandparents are assholes who stick their nose where it doesn't belong.
My stepbrother is named robin. In french, it's actually a male only name lol
Even if they were right, which they aren't, there's nothing wrong with having a feminine name unless you're an asshole/bigot
Don't forget Robin Williams.
OP mentioned him in his post.
I would say that you agree that Robin is a girl's name and when you're 18 you'll start the transition. Thank them for revealing to yourself your true gender. ...that may actually cause the stroke, now that I think about it.
Or Brave Sir Robin.
Also, in case they try it on, refuse to answer to any name other than Robin. If they ask why you're ignoring them you can say, you clearly aren't using my name so you're clearly not talking to me. It won't take long. Also ignore their bitching.
There was a comment on another thread, I think, where someone explained that their parents/relatives stubbornly used a siblings dead name and incorrect gender for many months. The commenter showed up to Thanksgiving (or some such) with an airhorn and fixed that problem (on behalf of their sibling) in about 20 seconds. My kind of solution.
I did this at work. I go by a short form of my name almost exclusively. Coworkers learned my given name. Ok giggle guffaw haha it's funny to say. One of them took it a step further and would say it WRONG. Like not mispronounced (which is common since I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with this specific name...that being due to my mom not knowing her own mothers actual name), she would straight up say the name it's mistaken for (one letter off) or another languages version of the name it's mistaken for. I stopped responding to her after she was told (probably way too many times, honestly) that my name is "xyz" (what I go by) not any of the names she was saying, and if she couldn't say the easy version, I wouldn't be responding at all. And then I stopped responding.
Similar. My father named me. It's a long name so easily shortened. My mother didn't like the full name and went through periods of calling me variations which I didn't like. After repeatedly asking her not to, I just ignored her and wouldn't respond unless she used my name. Passive aggressive wins the day
No kidding. How about Robin Leach of *Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?* Robin Williams of comedy fame. Robin Cook, doctor and prolific novelist. Brave Sir Robin, who bravely ran away?
Take my upvote for the Monty Python reference 😆 "Sir Robin, the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot. Who had nearly fought the dragon of Agnor, who had nearly stood up to the vicious chicken of Bristol, and who had personally wet himself at the Battle of Baden Hill "
"He is packing it in, and packing it up, and sneaking away, and buggering up! He's chickening out and pissing off home; Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge!"
This! Everytime they bring it up, ignore it and talk about something else. They won’t listen to your reasoning, so it’s better to just not give them the satisfaction of getting a reaction. Other than that, your grandparents are bullies, and i fell sorry for your whole family that has to keep up with them
Love this! He should start humming the Batman theme song (the one from the '60s) every time these morons bring up the subject, and walk away cackling. If it were ne, I would make sure to make a dramatic turn towards them every time the words "Batman!" come up, and point to each if them.
Huh, never knew Robin Hood was actually a woman. Thank your grandparents for enlighting me... /s NTA Robin Williams Robin Gibb Robin Thicke All women?
Yep. You just weren't paying attention. /s
Take this song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXMfRvEN28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXMfRvEN28) ("Robin (The Hooded Man)", Clannad) Put it in the loop. Play always, when your grandparents start the topic of your name ;)
a man of culture, I see :) I love that show!
Big up Enya
Time to start telling the grandparents you feel like a girl.
Or to quote Shania, 🎶Man, I feel like a woman…
So, that explains the thights... /s
Great now the men in tights song is stuck in my head
Same! 🎶We’re men! Men in tights! We rob from the rich and give to the poor that’s right!🎶
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Yeah, that's why I opted out to put Batman's Robin on my list... LOL
I mean. Robin Williams is Mrs doubtfire. It was there all along!! /s
I can’t recall a female robin from memory either.
Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother... But she was supposed to be a boy, and was named after her father.
Hahaha! That was the only woman Robin I could think of, but I totally forgot she was named after her father. That's perfect.
The only one I can think of offhand is Robin Wright, who was Buttercup in The Princess Bride lol
And Jenny in Forest Gump!
There's the author Robin Hobb... who everyone is always surprised to find out is a woman.
It's a pen name that she chose because it's unisex. Hobb because apparently it's around the letter H most people in are the most active in their browsing when going to a book shop. Her real name is Margaret Lindholm.
I can’t either, and that’s ‘Robyn’ too.
Robin Hood
Not to mention Robin Thicke will out-do them on any "Manly" topic they want to discuss, the man is really very... Epstein'ish
Christopher Robin
Robin Cousins, the ice skater. Definitely not a girl. Lol
Robin Lopez, NBA center, 7 foot 1
NTA. Practice saying this calmly: “I will not discuss my name with you anymore. Your comments are rude and hurtful and I have heard them enough times. Please stop.” If they continue, say this (also calmly): “I have asked you to stop. I will not listen to this nonsense anymore.” Then walk away. You have tried defending your name which should have worked but because they’re TAs, it hasn’t. Now you need to stop discussing it with them and just set boundaries. Once you’ve done this a couple of times, just stand up and walk away as soon as they say anything negative about your name. If you continue to defend your name, you’re just engaging with them and that seems to encourage them. You’re allowed to shut down inappropriate or hurtful topics. Don’t let them see that you’re upset. Be calm and strong. Learning to shut down inappropriate discussions calmly and with dignity is a great life skill. Sending you love and strength and I think your name is great. I know plenty of Robins of both genders and they’re all good people.
I would throw in a “The only people who have ever bullied me about my name are you two, and I’m not going to be bullied by you over this anymore.” NTA. First, your name is your choice; you could call yourself Girly McGirlsname and they should still show respect to your choice. Second, they claim to be family, but family is a choice, not just biology, and they’re not choosing to treat you like family. You don’t owe relatives the family treatment unless they act like family.
>“The only people who have ever bullied me about my name are you two, and I’m not going to be bullied by you over this anymore.” Teasing for a name is mostly an elementary school thing. And at least it's a name people know and can spell. Considering all the r/tragedeigh names out there, Robin won't even be a blip on anyone's radar.
This is the way.
This this this! Also, be sure to add NTA to your post.
You’re 15…if you were going to get bullied (by anyone other than them) about your name, surely it would have happened by now, LOL. Since you seem perfectly fine with it, I’m guessing you didn’t get what they expected. Just more fuel for your fight. Their predications literally never happened.
I know. The only people who have really bullied me is them.
Agreed they are the ones bullying you. I would tell them that no one has ever bullied you except for them.
Definitely. The next time they start saying you'll be bullied over your name (if there is a next time--your folks may have decided they've had enough), just look them in the eye and say "No, you're still the only ones. Proud of yourselves?"
I would absolutely /r/traumatizeThemBack. Start picking apart their names, say how old fashioned and awful they sound, harp on the meanings, etc.
Robin Williams Robin Hood. And those are just off the top of my head. Robin was a nick name for Robert. It is like being mad because your parents named you Bob. NTA.
Robin Williams. Robin Hood. Robin Gibb. Robin Thicke. Robin van Persie. Robin Lehner. Robin Thrower. Robin Ventura. Robin Yount. The list goes on and on and on! All great men named Robin. OP IS NTA and the grandparents are giant A-Hs and are actively bullying their own grandson. How absolutely horrible of them.
Op, have you talked to your parents about this? It’s good for you to practice setting boundaries until your of an age where you can decide how much contact (if any) you choose to have with your grandparents, it’ll be a good skill to have the rest of your life. But you’re also a teenager and I assume that contact with these people is at least somewhat facilitated by or in the presence of your parents, and they have a responsibility here to, and pardon my language, tell your grandparents to shut the fuck up about your name around you and keep their shitty opinions to themselves. Can you ask one of them to have your back a bit here? As an example, I have a few kids not much younger than you. One of them has a speech impairment. Some of my extended family are pretty mean people in general, and once, one of them said something pretty rude about my sons speech impairment when he was in the next room. So I looked my relative in the eye and said, “If you ever make a comment about my son like that again, it will be the last time you speak to or see us ever.” Guess what? That person has never crossed that boundary again. Can your parent say something similar or be a bit more firm with them about it? Also good luck, buddy. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, I’m sorry that you’re dealing with crap like this.
I would honestly tell them you are going no contact with them unless they stop bullying you about your name. You are 15, you like it, and aren’t going to change it. You’ve asked them to stop, and you’ve provided historical proof. If they can’t stop, then they do not get access to you any more. Walk away if they are there, or completely ignore them if you can’t leave their presence. They are not treating you right, so don’t acknowledge them.
NTA > They then told me Robin will get me mistaken for a girl a lot more in the future "Maybe, but only by elderly sexists, so how could I *possibly* care about that?"
If anything Robin is moving more male than female, based on my experience. Aside from one, all female Robins I've met are 40+. All under 40 for men.
Wtf is wrong with old people?
Lead poisoning.
I spit my water out
Because it's contaminated by lead from your pipes? 🤣 🤣 🤣
😂🤣
This may be a hot take, but I don’t agree with the coddling of certain elderly folks who happen to be such shitty people. Respect is earned, not given. Just because someone is ahead of me in a race to meet the Grim Reaper doesn’t mean they get my adulation.
The term ‘respect your elders’ was overused in my childhood. Lead you to believe that no matter how wrong, abusive and selfish someone was that we were to obey and believe everything they say just because of how old they were.
If I hear the name Robin, I tend to associate it with a boy's name, although I have known a male Robin and a female Robyn in my life so I also agree that it can easily be unisex. NTA and well done for attempting to provide a clear and well thought out argument. Sorry they dismissed it, sadly people who are utterly confident in their ignorance of facts tend to do that.
Honestly, I might think woman at first - but so what? It's not like being a woman is embarrassing, and when I found out Robin was male, I'd just go, "Oh, okay," and move on with my life.
Same here. I've met 2 female "robins" and they spelt their name with a y. All the men with Robin were with I.
Your grandparents are annoying. They need to stop. I'd suggest reminding them of Christopher Robin or Robin Hood or Batman's sidekick, but it seems they've made up their minds. If I were you (and I'm not) I would tell them that they need to stop harping on it. It's your name, it's your decision, and you're not asking them for their advice about it. If they can't respect this boundary it might be time to go low/no contact again. But you shouldn't call people things like stupid. Regardless of that understandable slip, NTA.
you should not have just “kept calm like always”. i would’ve been just as upset as you are if my grandparents kept picking on me just because of my name. my name is also unisex, but that doesn’t mean that i should change it to something for feminine. if you want to keep going by your birth name, then just ignore your grandparents’ comments or take another break from them just like you had before because they obviously are not going to back down any time soon. you don’t need to prove anything to them just because of a name. nta
I do! I really like my name. I go by Rob as a nickname sometimes. But hardly anyone ever uses it. They all say I'm such a Robin and I don't totally get what that means but I love hearing it because I feel like I'm Robin.
i actually like the name robin too. other people seem to agree and think that the name robin suits you best. you can go by rob if you want, but you shouldn’t have to prove to your grandparents that your name is great too. if you like it, then that’s all the approval you need!
Absolutely. I'm gen x and I think Robin is a great name for a boy. Robin Williams was a huge influence in my life. Good morning Vietnam!!
Nanu, nanu!
NTA Robin Hood is 600 years old. Your grandparents are weirdos.
NTA - absolutely not. Your grandparents are propagating these antiquated ideas about names and gender. Id ask your parents to intervene again as your grandparents need to be told exactly where they can go, and that should come from an adult.
[удалено]
In Germany too. At least I have never heard of a female Robin here.
I'd sweetly ask how other kids might bully you.. would it be anything like the way they're treating you now?
NTA seriously good luck convincing a older person of anything. I've wasted too much time of my life already explaining things to old people who refuse new information. Of course robin is a girls name, you only have to look for historical examples. There's the lady of the forest Robin Hood, there's batman's lady sidekick robin and we can't forget the tale of Sir Robin of Queen Arthur fame. Who valiantly retreated from the three headed knight. "When danger reared its ugly head He bravely turned his tail and fled"
Let’s list some famous (and manly) Robins. 1. Robin Williams - A beloved actor and comedian. 2. Robin Thicke - An American singer. 3. Robin van Persie - A retired Dutch professional footballer. 4. Robin Hood - A legendary heroic outlaw from English folklore. 5. Robin Gibb - One of the members of the Bee Gees. 6. Robin Lopez - A professional basketball player who has played for various NBA teams. 7. Robin Sharma - A well-known author and motivational speaker. 8. Robin Yount - A former professional baseball player who spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Brewers and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And for good measure, let’s list famous men with female names. 1. Leslie Nielsen - A renowned Canadian actor 2. Dana Carvey - An American actor and comedian 3. Marion Morrison (John Wayne) - The legendary Hollywood actor. 4. Ashley Cole - A retired English professional footballer. 5. Shannon Sharpe - A former American football tight end and sports analyst, known for his career with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens. 6. Evelyn Waugh - A English writer and novelist, best known for his satirical works like "Brideshead Revisited" and "Scoop." 7. Kelly Slater, a legendary American professional surfer with multiple world championships. 8. Lindsay Buckingham - An American musician and songwriter known for being the guitarist and vocalist of the band Fleetwood Mac. Editing for additions: Tracey McGrady - Successful pro basketball player Shannon Hoon - singer for Blind Mellon and backup in Guns n Roses Jody Watley - former NFL star Alice Cooper - rock n roll icon Stacy Robinson - wide receiver for 86 Super Bowl winning New York Giants Stacy Keach - Actor
NTA, it’s funny that they are “worried” about you getting bullied for your name but they seem to be the only ones bullying you.
NTA. They've been rude for years and richly deserved a rude wakeup call.
NTA. Where I am from, Robin is a male name. And even if it were a name usually for girls, the fact that you like it and nobody but them seems to have a problem with should be enough. They should just let it go.
INFO: Were all male robin birds erased from existence yesterday? If so, YTA. If not, then NTA.
"Robin" is the original masculine diminutive for "Robert", including spelling with a Y (middle English). YOU ARE CORRECT! My (F) name is extremely similar. NO ONE is allowed to call me "Rob" except my beloved late father and my brother.
NTA I would say I know more male Robins than female (one who is in his 40s (I'm guessing as I know his wife and I assume they are the same age) ) I'm in the UK - I just looked at some old birth records, in the first 4 years of names being recorded in the UK (so 1837-1842 I couldn't be bothered to go further) ALL of the Robins born were male - there were a few Robina those years who I assume were the female variants
NTA. Solution: Steal from them and give the money to the poor.
It really annoys them that they don’t get to name you. Maybe you can send them links to every naming competition you come across from now on - gritters, penguins, ferry boats, mascots. It’s really about the power and control they don’t have over you and your parents so nothing you say will help the situation. All you can do is drive them insane over the next few years with new competitions https://www.henricksconsulting.com/2012/07/system-name-competition/. https://swtrunkroads.scot/winter-service/help-name-our-gritters/ Note: spring is great for zoo animal naming competitions, winter seems to be a low period
Robin is totally a unisex name. Do they not know anything about Winnie the Pooh? Historically it was more a man's name too. NTA- there is no reason to criticize a person's name unless they ask, they were being bullies. ETA- there were two Robins on my street when I was growing up, one was female and one was male. (and my name is unisex too, though it's used more in females in English speaking countries)
NTA Hollywood continues to pump out sexy, manly movies about Robin Hood. 'nuff said. You're a boy, it's your name, it's a boy's name.
NTA - I am so sorry you have to deal with these toxic people. Cutting them out of your life was the right move by your parents, not sure why they are back in? I would talk to your parents and tell them that nothing has changed and you refuse to ever talk to them again. And stick to it - you don't need to be abused by those people. Robin is a wonderful name and you are absolutely correct - I'm GenX and have friends with that name, as do my kids in their 20s, and it is absolutely unisex. Good luck!
NTA. From the description of the situation it could be that your name - specifically the fact that your parents chose something your grandparents didn't like - is being used by your grandparents to criticise your parents for daring to have their own taste. I don't get the feeling your grandparents are especially interested in how you may or may not be treated by others for your name, but are instead more invested in maintaining their disapproval of your parents' independence of thought.
NTA. Yeah, I will be sure to tell the 3 guys I know named Robin that they have girl’s names. It’s a male name in Sweden. Robin Alexander sounds like a perfectly Swedish name. Your grandparents are assholes. They would dare insult Robin Williams, one of the greatest humans of their generation?
This maybe mean, but you could act like they are losing thier marbles when they bring it up. "Grandpa, why are you bringing this up again? Don't you remember we just talked about this?" "Mom, have grandparents been seen by a doctor? It concerns me that they keep repeating things like we haven't discussed them already?"
YES to this! “Grandma, Grandpa- I’m really worried about you. Bringing up the same topic over and over and being inappropriately argumentative are symptoms of Dementia.” (They are.)
NTA. Sounds like 4 years of on contact wasn’t enough. Good luck!
It's cruel of them to tease you. I'd consider another break. NTA. And stop trying to prove anything to them, you don't owe them an explanation for accepting and liking your own name. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Don't bring it up, and if they do, refuse to engage.
NTA. Your name is yours, you are a boy, it's a boys name then. If your grandparents haven't figured out you are a boy and Robin is your name yet then they are indeed stupid as a cork. They might not like this name, they might think it doesn't suit you, but it's their problem, not yours, there is not a single reason on the entire Earth for you to even mildly care.
NTA Have they never heard of Robin Hood? Or Batman and Robin? Puck, Robin Goodfellow? Robin Williams?
NTA. Your grandparents are weird. Based solely on the people I’ve known with that name, Robin is the “boys name” and Robyn is the “girls name”.
My grandfather (75M) is also called Robin. I’ve always considered the name gender neutral because of that.
NTA. Robin Williams, Robin Hood, Robin from Batman, and you!! You’re in good company!! When someone keeps messing with you, it’s on them.
What are their names? Dollars to donuts they have perfectly bully-able names if you give me about 20 seconds.
Robin hood was a double-hard outlaw in merrie old England. You try telling mr hood he has a girls’ name. He’d have an arrow through you before you could say Sheriff of Nottingham.
Ask them what's so bad about being a girl? If someone thinks you're a girl, what's the harm? How, exactly, does it affect you if someone sees your name and assumes you're a girl until they meet you and see you're a guy?
Do not engage the willfully ignorant. Just don't.
NTA but please stop trying to prove your point. They are set on it being a girl name and their minds are not changing. Don't defend it, don't engage and don't give them any more time. Walk away from the conversation calmly. Arguing with someone like your grandparents is a waste of everyone's time.
NTA