#Woman bullied for name ‘Ikea’ had it legally changed at 12

Ikea is one of the most recognizable names in furniture. In teenage girls, not so much.

Jasmine Dagless, 19, was originally named after the cult favorite Swedish minimalist brand by her parents, who simply saw an IKEA commercial on television and grew fond of the name.

But Dagless, from Norwich near England’s East Coast, said she endured bullying for years in school because of her unusual name — ultimately leading her to having her name changed legally to Jasmine in 2014 at just 12 years old.

“I used to get called flat pack quite a lot at primary school,” she told South West News Service. “The bullying really shocked me because young children don’t know about Ikea.”

“It’s only legally that I get called Jasmine. My family still call me Ikea, or ‘Kea’ for short,” she added.

The decision to change her name became a family matter as they had enjoyed promotional perks from the company, as a thanks for naming their daughter Ikea.

“When I was younger my mum got a letter from IKEA that basically said we could get furniture and toys free of charge,” the administrative health-care worker said. “I got a few toys and my mum got a sofa.”

The change was less than radical as Dagless opted to reverse her given middle name with her first, from Ikea Jasmine to Jasmine Ikea.

And there are no hard feelings between her and the brand. In fact, she reportedly boasts an IKEA dresser of her own, and is currently eyeing their built-in closet system.

She’s also planning a trip back to the department store — for old time’s sake. “I went to IKEA when I was 1 or 2 but as an adult I’ve never been — I really want to go,” she said.