A Japanese man named “Happy” has been struggling with his unusual name for as long as he can remember, claiming that it had attracted bullying as a kid and ridicule as an adult.

When Terauchi Happy’s mother chose his unconventional name, she had no idea the kind of problems it would pose for him throughout his life. The 27-year-old man insists that he bears no grudge towards his mother, as she only named him “Happy” to express the overwhelming joy she felt when he was born. In fact, that is the only reason why he never went through with legally changing his name, despite the misery it caused him. When he was a small boy, the other kids teased and even bullied him because of his name, and unfortunately, things didn’t improve with age. Companies always thought he was joking when he sent in his resume for employment, and the unusual name even ruined his romantic relationship.

Photo: ABEMA Prime

Growing up, Terauchi hated celebrations like birthdays or holidays with greetings that included the word ‘happy’, like “happy birthday,” because they would always lead to teasing by the other kids. When he was bullied, kids would say things like “You’re Happy, but you don’t look happy,” or “Even if you’re getting bullied, you’re still happy, right?”

Even during his junior college entrance ceremony, when his name was called, everyone turned their attention to him, and he felt despair and resignation,n convinced that his childhood nightmare was starting again. At one point, he was determined to legally change his name, but he thought of his mother’s reason for naming him and ultimately decided against it.

Photo: ABEMA Prime

When he started looking for a job and sending resumes, companies often ignored him because they thought he was pranking them, and even when he was called in for interviews, people thought he was joking until he showed them his ID. The only time his name served him well was when he applied for a sales job, and one company considered his name a good omen.

During an appearance on the ABEMA Prime TV show, Terauchi Happy claimed that his name prevented him from getting married. When the time came to meet his girlfriend’s family, he could see her parents grimace at the sound of his name, and the relationship ultimately fell apart. He added that older people generally frown at the sound of his name because they aren’t used to such unconventional names.

Earlier this month, Happy’s story went viral on Japanese social media, with many expressing their support and encouragement.