Even if you don't have children, there will be those of us who have compiled a list of potential baby names to use if and when we do start a family. And although you don't own the baby names you pick and other parents are free to use them too, it can feel awful when someone close to you pinches one of the names you were desperate to use for your own kids.
That's exactly what happened to one woman who had set aside an "uncommon" name for her baby that holds a special meaning for her as it originates from her home country. She told her best friend about the name some time ago, and when that friend gave birth recently, she was "shocked" to discover she'd stolen the name for the new arrival.
In a post on Reddit, the woman claimed: "My close friends took our baby name. When I heard the name I was shocked. I know nobody owns a name, but this was an uncommon, country-specific name. We told them that this is our name! They have no ties to this country.
"During their pregnancy, we would ask them what names are they thinking about and they always said, 'oh we don't know'."
To make matters worse for the woman, no one seems to understand how hurt she feels about the ordeal, and even her husband "thinks it's funny" that she's upset.
In fact, she claimed her husband has also told her they will need to choose a new name for their future child now, as it would be "weird" for them to use the same name as their friends.
She added: "My husband says we can't use the name anymore because we are close friends and it would be weird, [and would seem] like we took their name. He also thinks it's funny that I'm upset.
"Has anyone ever experienced this? Why am I feeling so sad? Would it be weird if I still use the name?"
Commenters on the post urged the woman to still use the name for her own baby, as well as encouraging her to drop her friends after their actions - as although she doesn't own the name, it's still rude to pinch it when her friends knew she wanted to use it.
One person said: "If it's the name of your dreams then I say use it anyway. Yes, it will be awkward. In fact, I'd probably give them a heads-up to say 'as you know that was our number one pick too so we're still going to be using it'. Basically, if you think you'll regret not using it then I say use it."
While another added: "I'd be p***ed as hell and use it anyway. Those aren’t your friends. My brother’s ex-wife took the name we didn’t use for our second and I’d use it anyway. First and middle, she took both.
And a third wrote: "Just use the name you love. These people won’t be in your life forever."
The woman later added in the comments that her husband is determined to "protect the friendship" he has with the other couple, so isn't willing to risk it by using the name they had previously agreed on.
She said: "I was upset, but they were initially friends of my husband. He made it clear that he would rather protect the friendship. I just have a bad taste in my mouth for them now."
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