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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Zahna Eklund

'I'm giving my daughter a sentimental name - but my friend sees it as a personal attack'

Everyone has different opinions when it comes to baby names, and while you might think some names are so classic that they're universally loved, it only takes one bad experience for someone to hate the moniker forever.

And one mum-to-be has found out the hard way that some people can really take baby names to heart, after she told her best friend the name she is planning on giving her daughter - and left her mate livid.

The woman explained she wants to give her daughter a name that comes from a book that her grandma used to read to her when she was a child, as it has huge sentimental value to her.

However, it also happens to be the name of her friend's school bully. And even though the woman is not naming her daughter after the bully, her friend has still seen it as a personal attack against her, and is furious.

In a post on Reddit, the expectant mum said: "I am currently pregnant with my first child, a girl. I've had a name in mind for if I ever had a daughter since I was a teenager, for the sake of this post let's say it's Lily. It's a name that means a lot to me because it belonged to my favourite character in a childhood book that my grandma would read to me.

"A friend of mine 'Sarah' had a bully at school who was called Lily. I've known this for a while because during a casual discussion about baby names five or six years ago, I mentioned that I loved the name Lily and she said she didn't like it because someone at school with that name had picked on her.

"A few days ago we went out for brunch and I told her the name we were planning on giving our daughter and she got extremely quiet, essentially finished the meal in silence and left the restaurant. At the time I didn't understand what was wrong until she messaged me later asking why I would name my child after one of her bullies.

"Now I'm wondering if I'm in the wrong for doing this. It's a name I've always loved and it obviously has nothing to do with her bully."

Commenters on the post were firmly on the mum-to-be's side though, as many of them said that her baby has nothing to do with her friend, so it isn't any of her business what name she chooses to give the tot.

One person said: "Your daughter, your pregnancy, your life. Your friend can have new memories with the name as it will be your daughter's name instead of always thinking of a long-ago bully."

While another added: "Sarah is entitled to her opinion but you don't have to bend over backwards to placate her. If she is still hung up over this bully from well over a decade ago then maybe she needs some counselling."

And a third posted: "You give your child whatever name you want. If it's the hill Sarah chooses to die on then she will have to lose you as a friend. One might hope, as time goes on that she will realise how ridiculous this notion is."

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