It is said that pregnancy is supposed be a wonderful time in a woman’s life. Moms are excited to meet their babies for the first time, nesting, glowing, shopping for cute baby clothes and, of course, picking out adorable baby names. Our protagonist, let’s call her Jenny, found herself right in the middle of a family argument over nothing other than a baby name.
As a respectable mom-to-be, Jenny was very excited to meet her baby daughter, but her joy was quickly overshadowed by her family’s unreasonable demands -they were insisting on dictating Jenny’s choice of baby name. Get ready, because this drama is about to unfold faster than a diaper at nap time.
More info: Reddit
Family expects mom-to-be to name her baby after her late aunt, but she refuses as she already has another name in mind
Image credits: Larisa Kruchina (not the actual photo)
“They told me it was an unkind thing to do and that my daughter would have been blessed to be named after her special great-aunt”
Image credits: EmergencyShip4791
The new mom’s family is outraged when they find out she didn’t name her daughter after late aunt with Down syndrome
Image credits: Catalina Carvajal Herrera (not the actual photo)
Image credits: EmergencyShip4791
Later, the new mom tells her family to stop contacting her unless they can accept her daughter’s name
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Image credits: EmergencyShip4791
Our leading lady’s story began when her aunt, Elizabeth, passed away, just 2 weeks before Jenny became pregnant. Aunt Elizabeth was a cherished family member with Down syndrome who brought a lot of love and joy into everyone’s lives. So, naturally, when Jenny announced her bun in the oven, everyone in the family assumed the little one, if a girl, would be named Elizabeth, in honor of the late aunt.
The mom-to-be, however, had her own plans. Despite her love for her late aunt, Jenny and her husband had their hearts set on a different name. During her pregnancy, Jenny had made it crystal clear: if it was a girl, she was not going to be named Elizabeth. But as we know, families sometimes just have selective hearing.
Fast forward to when the baby girl was born. Surprise! She wasn’t named Elizabeth, and predictably, the family was furious. They had convinced themselves that the parents would come around to their way of thinking by the time the baby arrived. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.
The family approached the new parents, armed with a full load of guilt and emotional manipulation. “How would Elizabeth feel if she knew?” they asked. “Your daughter would be blessed to be named after her special great-aunt.” Jenny explained that her daughter deserved to have her own identity and a chance at creating her own future. The new mom didn’t want her daughter to carry the burden of being constantly reminded to feel blessed or grateful for her name. This, as you might guess, did not go over well with the rest of the family.
As tensions escalated, some pretty harsh words were exchanged. The new mom told her family to leave and not to contact her unless they could accept her daughter’s name. The ever-dramatic family accused her of being rude and argued that she should have just let them win this one. Which brings us to the million-dollar question: should we allow our families to influence us when we are making personal decisions such as naming a baby?
Image credits: J carter (not the actual photo)
Naming a child is a deeply personal choice. Experts agree that while honoring loved ones can be meaningful, it’s ultimately up to the parents to decide what’s best for their child. Research published in the CUNY Academic Works Journal explains that “children’s names serve as indicators of parental values. By naming their kids, parents express their own value commitments. These commitments may be to the culture they belong to, but they may also be more specific, in terms of expressing their respect for particular values of modes of behavior, exemplified by certain members of their group, or particular aesthetic standards.”
It’s completely normal for family members to have disagreements now and then. After all, conflict is a natural part of any family and it often arises when the members of that family have different opinions or beliefs. Misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions can also spark conflicts. However, if these issues aren’t resolved calmly, they can lead to arguments and resentment.
According to an article on how to deal with conflict and difficult family members, “while you want to be respectful and attentive to others as much as you can, you don’t want to bend over backwards or twist yourself into a knot just to make someone else happy or satisfied, or to keep the peace. Never allow any personal interaction or relationship to infringe upon or challenge your own well-being.” So, if your family tries to sway your baby name choice, just tell Aunty Milly she can name her next cat after Grandma.
While honoring loved ones is sweet, forcing a name on a newborn is like swaddling them in potential resentment. Imagine growing up in the shadow of a person you never met – talk about pressure. Plus, there’s magic in uniqueness. New names mean new beginnings, a chance for individuality to shine.
What’s your take on Jenny’s story? Should the new mom have caved to keep the family peace, or was she right to stick to her baby name? Share your thoughts in the comments section?
The netizen gallery has voted saying the OP is not the jerk for not allowing her family to influence her baby name decision
