Man Questions If He's Wrong For His Response To Sister’s 'Completely Unacceptable' Baby Name
He tried to talk his sister out of potentially giving her daughter a terrible name, despite her insistence on wanting to use it.
bbernard | Shutterstock A man turned to Reddit for advice after he criticized his sister's completely unacceptable baby name. Apparently, he jokingly suggested a name that referenced a fungal infection, and she actually chose it.
The 20-year-old man explained that his older sister, who happens to be a nurse, was well aware that she was planning to give her daughter the same name as a medical condition that both she and her brother were predisposed to, but she "just really liked the way it sounded." He told her it was silly, and something she would undoubtedly regret, and now she's mad.
A man questioned if he was wrong for his response to his sister's 'completely unacceptable' baby name.
"I knew she was struggling, so in addition to the $900 wooden crib on her list that I got for her, I gave her a list of (obviously) joke baby names. We have a really close relationship, and it was in line with both our senses of humor," he began in his Reddit post.
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He explained that his sister had been determined to find the right name, but even just five weeks before her due date, she didn't seem to have any ideas. With a job as a nurse, and him being a biology student, the list of joke names he'd given her included different medications, infections, and even unpleasant animals.
They all sort of sounded like nice baby girl names out of context, especially if you like unconventional names, but for the most part, he didn't think she was going to use any of them. "Two weeks later, she told me she and her husband had finally settled on a name," he continued. "Malassezia. The baby's name is Malassezia. One of the names on my joke list. Outside of the immediate issues, it's also the name of a very common fungal infection."
It also happens to be a condition that they are "both genetically predisposed to." He wrote that it's "One that we've both had multiple times throughout our lives. Her daughter will almost certainly catch it at some time!"
His sister admitted that she liked the sound of the name.
She told her brother that while she knew his list was meant to just be a joke, she defended her decision. She pointed out that the name was so obscure that no one would think twice about it.
However, he argued that the name was "completely unacceptable" and that he was shocked she even chose it in the first place. What happens if she does eventually develop the condition and realizes that she's named after a fungal infection? Now, that would be uncomfortable.
He even tried to suggest similar names, like Mallory, Azalea, and even Anastasia, that would be more acceptable and a lot easier to pronounce. But his sister refused. She went so far as to tell him he had no right to tell her what she could and could not name her daughter. While that's undoubtedly true, sometimes you need the harsh truth that only a sibling can give you.
Baby name regret is a lot more common than most people realize.
Choosing a baby name isn't an easy decision, and with unconventional names becoming more popular in recent years, the quest for something unique is making the process even more difficult. But sometimes, trying too hard can backfire.
According to a BabyCenter survey of more than 450 parents, nearly 1 in 10 moms wish they had chosen a different name for their child. Roughly 9% of moms said they have experienced "name regret." Similarly, a large share of moms (20%) said they've grown to prefer their child's nickname, whether it's a shorter version of their legal name or a different name altogether.
While his sister has every right to choose the name that she wants for her daughter, it is still a name that she'll have for the rest of her life. From his perspective, he wasn't trying to control his sister's decision, but rather help her realize that it might be a bit awkward when her daughter grows up and understands the meaning of her name.
But of course, naming a baby is one of those things that's just deeply personal, and no matter how hard you try, there will still be people who will have something to say about it. This brother is clearly trying to stop a trainwreck before it happens but sometimes you have to just keep quiet even when the truth seems obvious.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
