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Original poster

Mums offended by my dog?

230 replies

SpareChangeDownTheSofa · 16/06/2017 12:10

I have a friendly, cuddly dog, he's a cross breed but one that most kids want to happily stroke (most adults too). Since he is a rescue he is always on a leash to prevent running off when not in a dog park area (so people approach him to meet him).

He has quite a common name that is being used for boys these days but is also a very common 'dog' name. Alfie.

The other day I was walking him and a mum and son came over, all ''aww he's so cute! can I stroke him?'' It was all good, then the kid asked me his name and I said ''Alfie'' and the mum got this sour look on her face and huffed, ''That's my son's name'' and ushered her son away in a mood.

Now its happened before that kids have had the same name as him and the parents laugh or the kids are quite happy but I was so Confused at this woman's reaction. Would you be annoyed if someone had a pet with the same name as your kid??

OP posts:
Summerisdone · 17/06/2017 07:13

The silly fool shouldn't have named her child after a very popular dog name then.

My DS has a name that's very popular for dogs but it's never bothered me, and DSis also has a name popular for dogs.

On the other hand I gave my dog a very human name, and people always find it hilarious when they find out his name Grin

peaceloveandbiscuits · 17/06/2017 07:25

DS2 has a doggy name. It makes us laugh to say, "who's a good boy, DS2?" as though we're talking to a dog. Poor second child GrinGrin

JuicyStrawberry · 17/06/2017 07:28

I am a very anti-dog person but even that has made me go wtf. It's just a name.

pigeondujour · 17/06/2017 07:42

My name is popular for dogs (usually if someone suggests it on here people say it's one of those names that wouldn't work for an adult in the workplace). We used to have neighbours with a dog with my name - it drove me round the twist when they were calling her outside 24/7. It wasn't even a cute dog, it looked like a washing up scrubber thing.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 17/06/2017 07:58

I howled once in leisure centre when a man was calling his daughters... The same names as my two cats 😂 Millie and Fifi. Definitely animal names.

hotwater · 17/06/2017 08:00

Insane.
A girl I know mentioned in passing having once owned a horse with the same name as me. I was thrilled and very interested in the life and fate of said horse. Wish I could have met her.

A former colleague of mine gave her family dog her favourite boy's name - ten years later she also gave it to her son and for a few years the family had Angus the dog and Angus the baby Smile

Lots of kids I teach have the same name as my cat. I tend to learn their names right away, it is very helpful.

FuckingHateRats · 17/06/2017 08:08

What an odd reaction.

We have a guinea pig called Steve Rodgers. I hope Captain America isn't offended.

ememem84 · 17/06/2017 08:11

I love animals with people names.

A horse I sometimes ride at the stables is called simon.

RockyBird · 17/06/2017 08:11

My old neighbour let her small kids choose the names of her lab puppies. They chose my kids names. They'd just moved and her kids missed mine Grin

They are human names but suit the dogs too.

thegreylady · 17/06/2017 08:14

I have Trevor, Colin and Mavis cats
Oscar and Maisie dogs

Leeannb · 17/06/2017 08:15

My 3.5 year old is called Alfie, which is never heard on humans or dogs before I had him! Now it's everywhere. My 5 week old daughter is called Layla-Rose, and as my sister pointed out AFTER I had registered her (no one knew her name until she was 5 days old and was registered), my cousin has a dog called Layla. I'm all fairness, my cousin is under the impression that her dog is named after the princess in Star Wars! Trying to explain to her that the princess is called Leia, not Layla is like trying to get blood out a stone!
My dad kept suggesting the name Ben for both kid. My reply every time was 'I'm not naming my child after your dog'. Their other dog is called Zeus so that name was a no go too haha

Gottleogear · 17/06/2017 08:18

A colleague of mine took ages to name his new born child and when he finally did, it was my dogs name. We had a laugh about it, he said if it's good enough for your dog it's good enough for my baby Grin

ItsNachoCheese · 17/06/2017 08:19

Im yet to meet a child called nacho... 😂😂

LilyMcClellan · 17/06/2017 08:19

Any child's name that is even slightly cute is at risk of being used as a pet name. Call your child Charles, not Charlie, or Alfred, not Alford, if you don't want to run into someone with a dog (or hamster) of the same name.

Having said that, I have always wanted to call a dog Simon or Matthew, just because they seem like such un-dog-like names.

justwhiisitwhosvotingtory · 17/06/2017 08:20

superbeagle my DS has a name on your list too. He has one shortened form of it and SILs dog has the other! Think Alfie and Freddie... MIL wasn't impressed, but it was both my and DHs grandfathers name so we went with it anyway. Dog was here first if that's important!

LilyMcClellan · 17/06/2017 08:21

*Alfie, not Alford. Though Alford is kind of a great name too.

ElephantsYeah · 17/06/2017 08:21

Lol, when I was a teenager I took my lovely puppy, Freddie to dog training classes. There was a lovely couple there with two boxers and the woman was pregnant. Fast forward a few months and I met them after baby had been born, and they'd named their beautiful new son Freddie - after my puppy!

robinia · 17/06/2017 08:27

I have a strict rule that all pets are to be afforded the dignity of a proper name. None of this silly Fluffy or Spot stuff Wink The dc named the last two and both are names that some of their friends have. And no, they're not names I would have given to dc.

Imamouseduh · 17/06/2017 08:27

well if you are going to give your child a dogs' name that's the price you pay isn't it? Silly woman.

BestIsWest · 17/06/2017 08:43

DS has the same name as the dog I had as a child.

It' s a nice name.

CraftyMummyof3Tiddlers · 17/06/2017 08:54

Got a dog from a shelter. ..His name (given at the shelter) was the same as my then bf 's nephew (in another country at the time) ...I liked the name but bf didn't because he thought his sister would take offense..(I'm sorry but that was the name his was given..I thought..too bad..it's our dog)... name was changed to a name no one would use for a child :( he does suit the name we gave him though

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 17/06/2017 08:57

Stupid woman. My pets have always had "human" names.

DavidByrnesBigSuit · 17/06/2017 09:02

My friend's cat is called Big Fluffy (a Maine Coon, so justified), so has yet to meet anyone with the same name.

I laughed far too hard at "Ross from Friends" earlier in the thread Grin

MrsJayy · 17/06/2017 09:05

Mum was just being ridiculous I love dogs with people names. We had a dog called poppit NN poppy Grin well a girl in Dds nursery went to stroke her and like you told the name the girl was squealing aww thats my name all excited mum had face of doom and ushered her Poppy away was very funny.

MrsJayy · 17/06/2017 09:09

I met a huge fluffy dog last week came over for a pat and i almost eeked when the owner said his name was Elvis made my day.