Deciding what to name your child is always going to be difficult, but it can feel impossible when everyone feels the need to throw their unwanted opinions in the mix. Sadly, one woman is all too familiar with this, after making the mistake of telling her older sister what she plans to name her baby.
The 24-year-old, who is expecting a baby girl, recently revealed the name to her sister, who also happens to be pregnant and has already announced the name of her baby boy. “I didn't announce our daughter's name officially yet. Some people know just because I was close enough to them and we were talking names,” the mum-to-be wrote on Reddit’s AITA forum.
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“My sister asked me outright, so I told her it's Oceana, And she was not impressed at all.”
Instead of accepting the name they had chosen, her sister went on to question why she hadn’t chosen a name like Elizabeth, Beatrice or Margaret, to which the woman said there’s nothing wrong with those names, but they’re not right for her family.
“She then suggested Emily, Haley, Anna, Marie, and I told her to stop. We knew our girl's name before we even knew she was a girl and it wasn't going to change for her,” the woman continued, but it didn’t end there.
Her sister then turned to a mummy Facebook group and shared a post revealing the name and asking others how she can help change her mind.
“She went on a long a** rant about how my taste in names is terrible and how she's shocked I would like a name like this. She said I am ruining my child's life and am rejecting all the beautiful, lovely names of the last several years,” she wrote.
The woman’s sister even wrote that her own children will be envied and end up being hated by their cousin because of their "gorgeous names".
Luckily, someone the mum-to-be knew in the group saw the post and shared screenshots so she could see all the nasty things her sister - and other members of the group - were saying about her name choice.
“The last time I saw my sister was three weeks ago and she was giving me more names to consider. I rolled my eyes and told her to focus on her own kids' names instead of mine, and that she needs to get over it and stop ranting to the world,” she continued.
“She told me not to be so dismissive of her and that I insulted her kids names, which I did not, I just told her to focus on them. She told me I should not want to name my child something her family will hate. She told me I was rude to her and she had genuine concerns.”
The mum-to-be then turned to Reddit to question whether she had overstepped the mark in telling her sister to back off and focus on her own kids’ names, or whether she was justified in speaking up.
“Oceana is unusual but not awful or offensive, and if she doesn't like it then your daughter could choose to go by Ana which isn't short for anything so no one will think to ask,” one Reddit user suggested. “Your sister needs to butt out.”
“While I’m not a fan of Oceana, I find it better than your sister’s choices. Everyone has different naming styles. She shouldn’t have gone on the group and shamed you knowing it would get back to you, and then accuse you of insulting her,” another agreed.
“I am not sure if this is how your sister normally behaves, or maybe she really was just trying to help, but I think she overstepped. She had her own chance to name her daughter, and now it’s yours.”
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