Mom lets teen daughter change her supposedly ‘racist’ name after she’s bullied at school
Danielle Remp, 35, said it was a no-brainer to allow her teenager to change her name. @barefooted_beauty89 / TikTok
A Tennessee mother agreed to let her teenage daughter change her birth name, Dixie, after the girl said she was repeatedly mocked at school and accused of supporting racist ideas tied to the Civil War–era South.
Danielle Remp, 35, explained on TikTok that her 16-year-old daughter had endured constant teasing over the name. “She gets made fun of for it,” Remp said, adding that she gave permission for the change immediately. The teen, who now goes by Skye, said the bullying had become a daily problem.
“They call me things like ‘Dixie Dust’ or ‘Dixie Normous,’” she told Today.com. “They twist it into crude jokes and shout it in the hallway.” She explained that her father chose the name Dixie when she was born in 2008, though her mother originally preferred the name Skye — which the teen now feels suits her better.
The term “Dixie” rose to prominence after the 19th-century song “Dixie’s Land” became closely linked with the Confederacy. In recent years, the word has drawn controversy because of its connection to the South’s pro-slavery past. In 2020, the musical group The Dixie Chicks changed their name to The Chicks amid similar concerns.
Remp, who works at Burger King, is saving about $200 to cover the legal costs of the name change. “She’s a good kid,” she said. “She works hard in school and doesn’t give me trouble. If changing her name helps her feel better about herself, why wouldn’t I let her?”
Her TikTok post drew hundreds of comments, with some criticizing the decision and urging her to teach her daughter resilience instead. Others welcomed the move, saying that everyone should be able to choose a name that feels right for them.
One commenter, who had changed their own name in adulthood, wrote: “As someone who was horrendously bullied for their birth name growing up, thank you.”
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