Name and Defame: Lived Experiences of Students with Uncommon Names in School Environment

Norven Dulaugon

Holy Cross of Davao College, Philippines

Corresponding Author’s Email: norvendulaugon2411@gmail.com

How to cite:

Dulaugon, N. (2025). Name and defame: Lived experiences of students with uncommon names in school environmentInternational Journal of Interdisciplinary Viewpoints, 1(2), 85–120. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15818063

 ABSTRACT

Students with uncommon names often become targets of bullying. This reality motivated me to examine the lived experiences of individuals who have faced such mistreatment due to their names. Employing a phenomenological research design, I collected qualitative data through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with ten purposively selected high school students. Using thematic analysis, I identified several key themes: name-based bullying leads to emotional distress, diminished self-esteem, and tendencies toward social withdrawal. Participants also reported feelings of shame within their families, perceived a lack of institutional support, and expressed a strong need for empathy and understanding from others. Based on these findings, I recommend conducting a follow-up quantitative study to examine the relationships among these emergent themes, treating them as measurable variables. Additionally, I propose the application of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to aid in the development of a standardized questionnaire focused on bullying experiences.

Keywords: Social identities, social perceptions, name-based bullying

Received: 8 May 2025 Revised: 1 Jun 2025 Accepted: 15 Jun 2025 Available: 30 Jun 2025 © 2025 The Author

REFERENCES

Anti-Bullying Alliance. (2015). Islamophobia and bullying in schools. [Online Resource]

Arnab, R. (2017). Survey sampling theory and applications. Elsevier Science & Technology. 

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.

Barba, D. (2020). Addressing the impacts of bullying in Philippine schools: A review of interventions. Journal of Philippine Education Studies, 5(2), 45–60. 

Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the sociology of deviance. Free Press.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Brown, J., & White, K. (2020). The internal struggle: Name-based stigma and academic engagement. Journal of Social Psychology, 56(4), 215–229.

Carter, S., & Wilson, L. (2020). Embracing identity: The power of cultural and familial narratives. Journal of Cultural Psychology, 35(4), 245–259.

Chen, L., & Roberts, J. (2019). Name discrimination and academic ambition: A qualitative study. Journal of Identity and Education, 14(2), 78–92.

Chen, S., & Brooks, C. (2020). The role of name-based stigma in social withdrawal and disengagement. Journal of Social Psychology and Education, 42(3), 178–190.

Chesnay, M. (2014). Nursing Research Using Data Analysis: Qualitative Designs and Methods in Nursing. 

Davis, K., & Lee, M. (2020). The importance of institutional accountability in addressing name discrimination. Journal of Education Policy and Practice, 15(2), 134–148.

Department of Education. (2019). Anti-Bullying Act of 2013: A five-year review. DepEd. 

Dizon, N. (2010). Indigenous students face discrimination in Philippine schools. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Dollard, J., Doob, L. W., Miller, N. E., Mowrer, O. H., & Sears, R. R. (1939). Frustration and aggression. Yale University Press.

Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.

Gatson, D., & Enslin, C. (2021). Resiliency and goals: A phenomenological exploration of African American male attrition in high school-related stigma contributes to social exclusion, noting that individuals with distinctive names often face difficulties in social integration. Journal of Social Issues in Education, 18(3), 102–120.

Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Prentice-Hall.

Harris, P., & Jackson, T. (2019). The emotional impact of unique names: Identity confusion and self-esteem. Journal of Educational Psychology, 37(1), 89–103.

Hernández, M., et al. (2013). Frameworks and ethics for research with immigrants: New directions for child and adolescent development. 

Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94(3), 319–340.

Homans, G. C. (1958). Social behavior as exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 63(6), 597–606.Jerjes, W., et al. (2018). The power of research: Best practices and principles in research integrity and publication ethics. 

Jackson, T., & Miller, S. (2020). Identity suppression and validation seeking: The psychological effects of name-based stigma. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(2), 129–142.

Jackson, T., & Patel, R. (2021). Emotional scars: The psychological effects of name-based discrimination. Journal of Educational Psychology and Identity, 23(2), 150–167.

Johnson, L., & King, S. (2020). The impact of name-based stigma on self-esteem and engagement. Journal of Social Psychology and Identity, 58(1), 45–60.

Johnson, R., & Patel, S. (2020). Empathy and inclusion: Reducing stigma through understanding. Journal of Social Psychology and Diversity, 48(3), 216–230.

Jones, A., & Williams, D. (2021). The role of schools in supporting cultural diversity and inclusion. Educational Review, 33(1), 45–59.

Kohli, R., & Solórzano, D. G. (2012). Teachers, please learn our names!: Racial microaggressions and the K-12 classroom. Race Ethnicity and Education, 15(4), 441–462.Kvale, S. (2007). Doing interviews. SAGE Publications.

Leavy, P. (2014). The Oxford handbook of qualitative research. Retrieved on April 30, 2022, from ProQuest Ebook Central.

Lee, H., & Sanchez, M. (2019). Anger as a coping mechanism: The emotional consequences of name-based stigma. Journal of Social and Emotional Development, 22(3), 147–160.

Lewis, M., & Walker, D. (2021). Family dynamics and the emotional consequences of name-based stigma. Journal of Family Psychology, 39(4), 345–359.        

Martin, J., & Liu, Y. (2020). What’s in a name? Emotional resilience and identity formation among adolescents with distinctive names. Youth and Society, 52(4), 621–639.

Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development. Guilford Press.

Miller, T., & Thompson, R. (2021). Emotional coping strategies in the face of name-based discrimination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(1), 59–72.

Merriam, S & Tisdell, E. (2015). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. 

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological Research Methods. Sage Publications.

Myers, J.L., Well, A.D., & Lorch Jr, R.F. (2010). Research Design and Statistical Analysis: Third Edition (3rd ed.). Routledge. 

Nambissan, G. B. (2010). Exclusion and discrimination in schools: Experiences of Dalit children. Indian Institute of Dalit 

Studies.Nguyen, T., & Miller, R. (2019). Name-based stigma and its impact on social integration. Social Psychology of Education, 34(2), 105–120.

Paluck, E. L., & Shepherd, H. (2012). The salience of social referents: A field experiment on collective norms and harassment behavior in a school social network. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(6), 899–915. 

Patel, R., & Greene, S. (2021). Stereotypes in names: The hidden curriculum in educational settings. Educational Equity Review, 9(1), 45–61.

Phinney, J. S. (1990). Ethnic identity and the acquisition of culture: A comparison of American and Indian adolescents. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(1), 208–221.

Pickard, A. (2017). Research Methods in Information.

Pratihari, S. & Uzma, K. (2019). Social Responsibility Journal

Reynolds, S., & Miller, P. (2018). Institutional failure and academic disengagement: The role of support systems in name-based discrimination. Journal of Social Education, 12(3), 211–225.

Robinson, P., & Davis, K. (2019). Reframing name-based stigma: The role of resilience in overcoming discrimination. Journal of Social Psychology and Identity, 49(2), 88–102.

Simmons, K., & Lee, M. (2018). The power of empathy in overcoming name-based stigma. Journal of Identity and Social Psychology, 25(2), 105–119.

Smith, A., & Brown, L. (2019). Name-related stigma and mental well-being. Journal of Educational Psychology, 34(2), 118–134.*

Sok, B., & Bonnett, T. (2022). Enduring Effects: Name Mispronunciation and/or Change in Early School Experiences. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 16(3), 4–20.Stake, R. E. (2010). Qualitative research. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Swann, W. B. (1983). Self-verification: Experimental and naturalistic evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 17–29.

Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Brooks/Cole.

Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 7–24). Nelson-Hall.

Thompson, S., & Reyes, L. (2019). The hidden burden: Name-based microaggressions and psychological distress in school settings. Journal of Adolescent Research, 34(3), 265–284.

Tolley, E. E., Ulin, P. R., Mack, N., Robinson, E. T., & Succop, S. M. (2016). Qualitative Methods in Public Health: A Field Guide for Applied Research (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Torres, M., & Harris, L. (2018). Name-based stigma and its effects on self-esteem in students. Educational Psychology Review, 30(2), 112–125.

Turner, R., & Green, H. (2019). The impact of family expectations on the emotional lives of students with unique names. Journal of Social and Educational Psychology, 27(2), 172–189.

Williams, C., & Cheng, Y. (2020). Name-based discrimination and familial reactions: The emotional toll on students. Sociology of Education, 93(2), 134–148.

Williams, T., & Ortega, M. (2020). Naming and bias: The impact of distinctive names in school contexts. Journal of Social Issues in Education, 18(3), 102–120.

Yanto, E. S. (2023). The what and how of essential thematic analysis. The Qualitative Report, 28(11), 3120–3131.