Expecting Mom Receives Backlash For Expressing Intent On Naming Her Son Like Her Dog

Mar 20, 2023

Becoming a parent is extremely exciting. Whether you have children through biological means or you choose to adopt, one of the most thrilling and meaningful moments of having a baby is getting to choose his or her name. It could be something unique, something that has been passed down for generations in your family, or just something that you really like.

Some parents even take so much time in choosing the name of their children. To the point that as soon as the mother confirms their pregnancy, they immediately rack their brains out, thinking of a good name for it. 

An expecting mother took to the Name Nerds thread on Reddit on December 2022 to ask for suggestions on naming her upcoming child. 

“Names like Angus? Is it really that wrong to give the same name to a dog, and then a kid?” the mother wrote. “My husband and I have a dog, named Angus. We love the name so much. So many nicknames (Gus, Angy etc).” 

According to Reddit user katwatermans, the original poster (OP), he got used to the name in their lives, and they would love it for their son. She even asked the thread for other names similar to Angus or Fergus. 

“Would it really be so terrible if we had a kid and a dog named the same? Our dog is the love of our life and it would almost be an honour name.” she further explained. 

While naming one’s child is at the sole discretion of the parents, many, if not all, consider one’s name as part of one’s personality and identity in the long run. 

Choosing the right name for your children before they are born is perhaps one of the most important decisions a parent could make. This is to avoid having second thoughts or doubts in the future. According to a study made by Mums Net, as quoted by BBC, nearly one-fifth of parents in the United Kingdom would rather choose a different name for their kids should they be given an opportunity to. Parents interviewed for the study, composed of 25% of the actual respondents, admitted to regretting their child’s name because it was “commonly used,” and 21% revealed that it “just didn’t feel right.”

Some parents even confess to wanting to change their children’s names for reasons that they did not anticipate along the road, like having a bad nickname or their child having difficulty writing for their long name in formal settings. 

The Tot listed a few tips for expecting parents to consider when choosing the right name for their own child. 

Avoiding passing trends. Make sure to use names that would stand the test of time. Check whether the moniker or the name would sound ridiculous after ten years. Try to stray away from misspelled names, random punctuations, even pop-culture references, and also strange spellings. 

Try also checking back on one’s family tree, and check whether your grandparents' names could also be passed down from one generation to the next. Researching the meanings of one’s name is also crucial, as contemplating the nicknames is. 

After refining your list of possible names, make sure also not to stress yourself, as this process should bring joy to the family. 

On the Reddit thread, many users have commented on possible suggestions instead of using OP’s dog’s name. However, a few users have also shamed OP for even thinking of naming her son after the name of their dog. 

"Yes, OP. It would be really terrible. I hate to break it to you, but it is not nice to name your child after your dog. FFS,” a user commented.

“Please don’t do this. My mom admitted to me a few years ago that she had a hamster as a kid named Mindy. That’s my name. I haven’t forgiven her,” another revealed.

“Yeah no don’t do this. Your dog is not your baby. Your poor child will suffer and grow up hating his name. Pick something else and stop trying to make an homage to a fucking animal Jesus Christ,” someone hastily suggested.

However, not all comments on the thread spoke negatively of the mother. Some even concurred with her on naming the child the way she wanted to. 

“I'd say yes. In the same house and alive at the same time, you should not give the kid the same name as the dog,” a user said. “Another option could be to rename the dog to a sound alike and name the kid Angus. I have friends who had a cat called Holly, and now they have a kid called Holly and a cat called Pudding.”

“After owning a dog for 7 years, I met a man with the same name. A few years after that, we got married so now my dog and husband have the same name. It’s a funny thing and doesn’t impact either one of their quality of life. If it feels right, I don’t think it’s weird at all,” another user shared. 

Would you name your kid the same name as your pet dog? What can you say about the OP’s dilemma? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, or people who you think have something to suggest for OP!