Woman Refuses To Force Son To Rename His Pet All Because Her SIL Chose The Same Name For Her Baby

"It wasn’t a name she should use for her daughter"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• March 17, 2024

Certain names are reserved for pets, while others tend to be more "human" in nature. Although dog names that sound like they belong in a baby name book are becoming more common, pets are still more likely to go by certain nicknames.

According to stereotypes, only people are given "human" names but these names are becoming more and more common for pets, which may be a reflection of the way that their parents embrace their pets as true members of the family.

Some of the most popular baby names are also popular pet names, so the preschool and pet daycare waiting lists in your area could seem a lot alike. Pet names can have a serious meaning for pet parents, or they can be silly and enjoyable.

Furthermore, changing societal values can also be reflected in the popularity of particular name types. Some pets get human names as a result of being named after a particular person, such as a favorite pop culture star, celebrity, or member of the family. 

OP's son already had a male name prepared for his pet, but the hamster available was a female. He quickly chose the name Amy, but later on, the OP found out that her sister-in-law had that same name as part of her unborn baby's name.

She wanted the OP to make her son change the hamster's name, but he didn't really want to. Read the full story below to find out what happens next.

The OP writes

OP's SIL is having a girl

The OP is called selfish

The comments roll in...

The hamster lifespan

The hamster was there first

An insane request

The OP left this update in the comments

I wasn’t trying to emotionally manipulate him, I figured he was going to hear about it eventually and it would be best to calmly hear it from me than from her, only I think I may have confused him when trying to explain that she was overreacting. I think he took it as “even if it doesn’t make sense and you didn’t do anything, you upset her” rather than “she’s upset about something, but it’s unreasonable and you have no fault in this”.

I gave other options but I made it very clear to him that not changing the name was still an option, and I wanted him to know I would stand by his decision if he chose not to. He now understands that he didn’t do anything wrong and that this isn’t even his problem to deal with, it’s hers.

It is childish

Changing the hamster's name

The little hamster

Sharing a name

It's not a child's role

Many Redditors found it funny that even after associating the name Amy with hamsters, OP's sister-in-law still wants to give her child that name. If she goes with that name, it will be ingrained in her memory forever, so it's her choice.

In a few decades, when SIL mentions her child, her mind will instantly conjure up an image of a hamster, and she doesn't want that. The OP was declared, not the AH, and that's a wrap.

Maryjane