Name stealing?

[Crownjewels]

my brother's best friend has just named his newborn the same name as my brother's son- who is four years old. Now I know that it is a compliment, but it's the way in which he conducted himself. He didn't consult with my brother, didn't even tell him his baby had been born a week ago. My brother heard from a friend. When he rang to congratulate him, and asked the baby's name, he commented it was nice that he had named him after his son: but his best friend had the audacity to say he didn't like the name at all, it was his girlfriend's choice, also he wasn't aware that my brother's son had that name, although he had an inkling! He said they consulted baby name books, etc. My brother is understandably upset and feels betrayed. We, as a family, feel my brother's pain. But are we being terribly unreasonable, or are we justified in our emotions?

[BimboNo5]

Why does he need to 'consult' with your brother what he chooses to call his child? It happens to be the same name, he may like it or have personal reasons for calling his child that. Either way its up to him, nobody 'owns' a name fgs

[catgirl1976]

YABU. You don't own the name. You also say he wasn't aware that my brother's son had that name - but they are best friends? That's just odd in itself.

He feels betrayed - you all feel his pain? It's only a name.

[BimboNo5]

You also being TOTALLY OTT. You as a family feel his pain? WTAF????

[bagelmonkey]

I'd be hurt that my best friend didn't know my sons name.
Other than that, YABU

[Sirzy]

What they call the son is up to them!

However, I struggle to see how someone can be described as a best friend if they don't know what your child is called and it takes a week to find out they have had a baby. To me that's more of an acquaintance than a best friend!

[Tchootnika]

YANBU - but surely it's not such a big deal, really?

Unless it's a name that DB & SIL actually invented, it's just a name, surely?

[greengirl87]

i dont really understand how his best friend wouldnt know his childs name?!

[bigbadtiger]

It doesnt sound like he can really be your brothers best friend if he didnt tell him when the baby was born, and didnt know what his son was called.

I think it is a bit off to think that the baby was named 'after' his son, that seems like quite an egotistical statement, and may have put the friends back up.

I think that talk of betrayel, pain etc is an over reaction.

[worraliberty]

I think your Brother's got some front to assume the child was named after his. I'm glad he was put in his place!

The child has 2 parents. There are 1000s of names in the world and the most common/popular names are bound to be the same/similar to other people.

No-one owns a name

[freybean]

ha ha 'the family feels his pain'???

YABU

[reelingintheyears]

I didn't call DD a name i really liked because a friend already had a Chloe.

I would be pissed off if my best friend had called her DD my DDs name but i would have sucked it up and got over it.

[thefirstmrsrochester]

It's a name. Nobody has monopoly on it.
Shocking overreaction on your families part.

[ZillionChocolate]

Unless your brother invented the name and copyrighted it somehow, he doesn't have exclusive use of it. (Even if that had happened, I'd bet it was a crap name). Your brother is being unreasonable and you are being even more unreasonable.

[Journey]

Agree with BimboNo5. Get over it.

[TandB]

Two children are born four years apart to parents who aren't close enough to know each others children's names or that they have been born. And it causes 'pain' and 'betrayal' for the whole family that they have the same name?

Honestly?

[KAZAMM]

They don't sound very close do they for being best friends. Also you said that it was the girlfriends choice so since this friend barely knows what your brothers DS is called then I take it she doesn't either. YABU and OTT.

[pippilongsmurfing]

FFS, "you feel his pain"??

Unless your brother has a copywrite on his son's name then YABU.

They can't be that good friends if he didn't know the name of your brother's DS and didn't even tell him the child had been born.

[AmyStake]

Why is it causing your family great pain, because it sounds like your brother and his "best friend" aren't close at all? BF didn't even know your nephew's name and your nephew is 4.

You are all being unreasonable. It's a name. Unless your brother trademarked it there's not a lot you can do about it.

[Clara35]

I can sympathise with your brother. A friend in work called her dd same name as my dd & there is only 3 mths between them. I was miffed at the time. We discussed baby names when both pregnant & she never said she liked same name as i picked. Now it doesn't matter at all & I was being unreasonable as you shouldn't have to pick a name you like less because someone else already has the name you like. It would have been nice for your brothers friend to have got in touch after the birth. Maybe that is what is annoying your brother more.

[Collision]

How odd of your family to be so OTT about this.

YAallBVVVVVU

[KurriKurri]

I think your family have confused two children four years apart in age, having the same name, with an international disaster causing death and destruction.

Off to the grip shop with you!

[Cereal]

[LRDTheFeministDragon]

[SquongebobSparepants]

Get a grip, you and your brother. It's only a name.

When I was small I had a cousin with the same name as me, he was 6 months younger.

yes, it was a he. I am NOT a he. Who gives a fuck.

[catgirl1976]

This thread is nearly as funny as the "willy, willy, willy" one a while ago.

Nearly.