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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

is my sister being a nob?!😂

40 replies

Coldandcross · 04/01/2021 23:34

Lighthearted (mostly!).

My sister had a DS three weeks after I had my DS, and gave him a very similar name. For the purpose of this thread, think my son being called Roberto, shortened to Rob or Robbie. My sister's DS is called Ron (full name) but occasionally would get called Ronnie. So Rob and Ron (I know, my poor mother gets so confused!).

Kids are 2.5 years old. Anyway, my sister's DS has taken to referring to himself as Robbie (when he's called Ron, bless him. The thing that me and DH find hilarious is that my sister & fam now also refer to him as Robbie, because 'that's what he understands". It's not his name though?! My parents who look after him every week have started doing it too 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️.

AIBU to think my sister is being a nob for a. picking a name that was very similar to my son's name in the first place, and now b. calling her son by my son's name?!

I honestly mostly find it funny, but wonder when they will erm, call him by his actual name...at some point they will correct him...right??!

OP posts:
Notimeforaname · 04/01/2021 23:43

That's a bit weird yea. I can kind of see the funny side if it was a completely separate name..but even then,the child will think this is his name . Very strange

Original poster
Coldandcross · 04/01/2021 23:50

what's weird is that we live far away and they've only seen each other once in the last year, so I'm not sure how he's picked it up!

OP posts:
MustardMitt · 04/01/2021 23:59

Honestly, I think it’s fine. It won’t be forever, and while it’s daft it doesn’t really matter.

MajesticWhine · 05/01/2021 00:04

Is she annoying in other ways?

Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 00:06

@majesticwhine haha! No, she's generally fine and we get on well! It does slightly baffle me..

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MummBraTheEverLeaking · 05/01/2021 00:15

Sounds like perhaps they wanted Robbie, you got there first so they couldn't call him the exact same as that would be really weird; but a close enough name to end up calling him what they wanted as a nickname. As you live so far away you won't have many mutual friends, the boys won't be going to the same school etc. Confusing for your parents to do it too though!

SynchroSwimmer · 05/01/2021 00:19

Play along? - maybe let your son choose himself a new name for each week -starting with say Maximillian?

Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 00:21

@SynchroSwimmer love it! Maybe I’ll choose ones that are they same as her other two DC?!

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Robbybobtail · 05/01/2021 00:23

Did you steal her baby name and now she’s getting back at you?

It’s very strange I agree!

Notimeforaname · 05/01/2021 00:32

I’ll choose ones that are they same as her other two DC?!
Oh,do this please!Grin

BlueThistles · 05/01/2021 01:31

lord... I hear you OP.. we have about 8 John's in our family... everyone trying to carry on my Grandfathers name.... 3 actually have identical surname too.... soooooo frustrating 🙄

LoveMyKidsAndCats · 05/01/2021 02:39

That is weird. Mine demanded I called him ben10 and (fireman) Sam when he was little though. I did aswell lol he grew out of it. Maybe Robbie is in a show he watches

Funneth · 05/01/2021 03:08

@BlueThistles

lord... I hear you OP.. we have about 8 John's in our family... everyone trying to carry on my Grandfathers name.... 3 actually have identical surname too.... soooooo frustrating 🙄
Do you live in Cumbria by any chance? So many Johns in that county!
GeorgiaGirl52 · 05/01/2021 03:09

My uncle was named Frederick, shortened to Fred.
His younger brother had a slight speech problem, could not pronounce "Fred" and called him "Ted". As he grew up, everyone called him "Ted" up until he married and his wife changed it back to "Fred".

Sinful8 · 05/01/2021 03:13

@Coldandcross

what's weird is that we live far away and they've only seen each other once in the last year, so I'm not sure how he's picked it up!
Its probbaly entirely unrelated to your ds
XDownwiththissortofthingX · 05/01/2021 05:48

I know a couple of men who are commonly known by names that aren't their actual Christian names, simply because it was an affectionate family nickname that they grew up with, preferred to their real names, and decided to stick with throughout adulthood. I think my point is, what actual difference would it make to the world if both your boys grow up known as 'Robbie'?

Toilenstripes · 05/01/2021 05:53

I wonder if he’s taken to calling himself Robbie or if that’s what your sister calls him. It’s very weird and exactly the sort of thing my sister would do.

Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 08:33

I mean, there’s only 4 grandchildren in our whole family, so two of them having the same name is a bit annoying!

OP posts:
Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 08:34

@Toilenstripes I think it originated from the 10 yo niece initially reinforcing it, which was funny, but I just don’t understand why now parents and grandparents are doing it too!

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hannahbananananananana · 05/01/2021 08:42

When she announced her son's name did she already know you would be using Rob/Robbie rather than the full "Roberto"? As Ron and Roberto are fine together.

(Yes a bit weird that her and GPs keep using the wrong name as it just reinforces his mistake and he'll never learn his real name!)

Toilenstripes · 05/01/2021 09:01

I wonder if they think it suits him better? Also, it’s a very cute name, as opposed to Ron. 😬

Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 13:39

@hannahbananananananana yep she knew it!

@Toilenstripes lol those aren't the actual names, just a similar example. Baby Ron 😂😂

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Toilenstripes · 05/01/2021 14:02

Ah! Whew! Not to disparage a name, but....😂

ThundercloudYouBastard · 05/01/2021 14:12

How common is the name (Robbie)? If very common, it wouldn't bother me. If quite unusual...yeah, a bit odd.

But, I do know of cousins with the exact same name and a pair of siblings with the same shortening! So, like one being Eliza and the other being Eleanor, both called Ellie. It's fine. As adults, they aren't joined at the hip. Cousins even less so, especially as you don't live near each other. Not a big deal really.

Original poster
Coldandcross · 05/01/2021 14:17

@ThundercloudYouBastard it's not top 10 common, maybe top 50? Their name is a bit more popular. I know that they don't have any other friends with the same name as ours, so I'm pretty sure he would have picked it up from family/facetimes.

Two siblings with the same shortening - that's hilarious. Me & my SIL have the same name which doesn't help either!

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