The 19-year-old girl who now goes by the name Jasmine, says she was forced to change her name from Ikea after being nicknamed 'flat pack' in primary school.
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Years of bullying because of her name
The bullying started from a very young age and even lasted throughout her time in secondary school. She explains that:
The bullying really shocked me because young children don't know about Ikea. I legally changed my name when I was in secondary school. It's only legally that I get called Jasmine. My family still call me Ikea, or 'Kea' for short.
When asked why she chose the name Jasmine, she says that it is actually the middle name her dad chose for her at birth. Her legal name is now Jasmine Ikea Dagless.
Jasmine also revealed that she has only ever been to the Swedish home-wear store once in her entire life. The NHS admin assistant explained that there were, however, a few perks to sharing the name with the Nordic furniture retail company. When she was young, Ikea actually sent her and her family some free stuff. She shared:
When I was younger my mum got a letter from Ikea that basically said we could get furniture and toys free of charge. I got a few toys and my mum got a sofa.
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Can't deny the good deals
Jasmine, from Norwich, legally changed her name in 2014 but has decided to give Ikea another shot, despite the years of agony. She is looking to make a trip down to equip her flat with some of its furniture, because—after all—the company is known for its very affordable prices.
