[name_m]Hi[/name_m] Berries,
Basically what the title says. I have fallen head over heels for [name_m]Obi[/name_m] the last few weeks: the friendly sound, the lovely meaning (heart), the fact it would honour an ancestral [name_u]Toby[/name_u], the list goes on and on. I don’t have a problem with the [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars connotation (I love [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars, and [name_m]Obi[/name_m] Wan Kenobi was a great character), but do you think an [name_m]Obi[/name_m] would be teased?
I would hesitate, but not necessarily avoid, using the name [name_m]Obi[/name_m].
The name sounds Japanese to me, and in my experience, kids are usually pretty tolerant of others’ names if they believe they are cultural/ethnic names. Usually. Could [name_m]Obi[/name_m] be made fun of for his name? Sure, but so could a kid with almost any other name.
If you love the name, don’t eliminate it yet.
@toirtap201 Thank you- [name_m]Obi[/name_m] has African origin with the meaning of ‘heart’, but it is also a word in Japanese for the sash on kimonos. I have primarily Japanese-Filipino-Spanish heritage, so I like how it honours that side of my heritage, even if it is essentially the word for a fancy belt :). Thank you for the reminder that a child’s name can be made fun of no matter what. I know mine was ([name_f]Sophie[/name_f]), even though I don’t go by my birth name of [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]. Thanks again!
@nooshi - I didn’t know you were a [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] too? You got teased for it? I’m surprised, because I never was, not for my first name anyway (my last name is another story!). As for the OP, I think [name_m]Obi[/name_m] is cute. Obviously, people are going to mention the [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars thing; but I don’t think it would be a big deal - the kid would probably like being compared to a [name_m]Jedi[/name_m], lol! x
@psg007, yes I was, even though I haven’t gone by [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] since I was about 2 weeks old. I’ve always gone by Nooshi- long story. I had very severe OCD in late primary school, and through middle school and high school. Someone realised that [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] sounds an awful lot like Soapy, so that stuck. It wasn’t really gentle teasing either- from some it was which was okay, as it was kind of funny at first, but I got mud / chewed up lunch / bird poo / etc. thrown at me, followed by ‘Hey, Soapy, why don’t you clean / soap this up?’, that sort of thing, which was the least of it- just to get a funny reaction. Sigh. Kids can be cruel.
As to the [name_m]Jedi[/name_m] thing (I guess I could have named the post better)- I like it, I love [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars, and it would be cool- I think most little boys / men would love it, but I don’t want them to go through the sort of thing I did, even though [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is a pretty normal name. I do think most boys would appreciate the [name_m]Jedi[/name_m] connection- I just wouldn’t want it to be difficult for them, but I think kid’s are more accepting these days.
I know an [name_m]Obi[/name_m]. His is a nickname for O’[name_m]Brien[/name_m].
I’m so sorry to hear that you had such a tough time, nooshi; I too was bullied in school, I know how horrible it can be.
I agree that we never want to set our kids up to be teased, but whatever name we have, kids will find a way to tease you for it, as your story demonstrates. I don’t have much experience with kids, but I think that with all the unusual names around, kids are more accepting.
I was thinking - if you’re really worried about teasing, what about using it as a nickname for something? That way the kid can go by their formal name if they want/need to.
Names that I can think of that could be shortened to [name_m]Obi[/name_m] are [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] or [name_m]Obadiah[/name_m], but they are probably just as bad, lol. Oh well, it’s an idea.
I grew up on an Island that only had an elementary school that averaged about 50 kids a year. Once you got older you had to take the boat in the morning and take a bus from the boat terminal to school. So due to having such a small community, everyone knew everyone, and there was only one African American family on the Island. They had two sons named [name_m]Obi[/name_m] and…well I don’t know how to spell the others sons name but it was pronounced like E-[name_u]Bay[/name_u]. The second child was made fun of sometimes just because his name sounds like that website where you sell and bid on items. [name_m]Obi[/name_m] was never made fun of for his name, honestly I never even realized the [name_m]Obi[/name_m] Wan Kenobi connection until you just mentioned it.
I know a guy named [name_m]Obie[/name_m]. He does get the occasional “oh, like [name_m]Obi[/name_m]-Wan?” but it’s hardly the basis for any ruthless teasing. I think it’s fine.
I think [name_m]Obi[/name_m] is very cool especially because it means so much to you on so many levels. And I don’t really know much about [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars so I can’t really speak to that. I would think, if anything, a kid would wear that as a badge of honor. It’s very cool to share a name with a [name_m]Jedi[/name_m]!
Also, I knew a [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] with a similar history as you (nickname and all). I’m really sorry that children were so mean to you when you were struggling. Perhaps if little [name_m]Obi[/name_m] does get teased you could share your experience with him so that he would know that a lot of names get mocked.
I hope you use [name_m]Obi[/name_m]! I would love to meet him!
Short answer: yes. But I do like the name.
I don’t think an [name_m]Obi[/name_m] would be teased much, because people [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars (yes, even little boys of this generation!) and would think it was a really cool name. I’m sure people would say, “Like [name_m]Obi[/name_m] Wan Kenobi?” but people always ask me, “Like [name_f]Sabrina[/name_f] the Teenage Witch?” It’s annoying, but I don’t consider it teasing and it never really bothered me. I love [name_m]Obi[/name_m] (for me, I like it as a nickname for [name_u]Oberon[/name_u]). 
Thank you so much everyone- I will definitely keep [name_m]Obi[/name_m] on my list.
I had a good friend named [name_m]Obie[/name_m], but I’m not really a fan. [name_u]Toby[/name_u], [name_m]Obie[/name_m], Dobie all sound a bit intellectually deficient to me, and [name_u]Toby[/name_u] makes me think of foot fungus…ick.