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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

MIL names her cat after our son

261 replies

JKT007 · 01/05/2022 02:05

Am I being unreasonable thinking it's very odd that my MIL named her kitten the same name as our son, her grandson?

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 01/05/2022 02:10

I'm guessing she's an odd duck to begin with, but anyway, I wouldn't lose sleep about it. It just doesn't matter and there's nothing you can do about it anyway. Let it go.

RobertaFirmino · 01/05/2022 02:11

Maybe she'd been looking for a kitten for yonks and had his name already picked out. Then you come along and not only steal her son from her but also her KITTEN NAME! MIL took to AIBU, what with it being such a supportive, encouraging community and was advised that nobody owns a name.

ThePoorWeeDonkey · 01/05/2022 02:12

It is a bit weird. Says more about her than you tho. My (very close) cousin named her son the same as mine (they were born days apart). People are just odd.

Rickrollme · 01/05/2022 02:13

I’m sorry to say I think it’s kind of funny. You seem pretty relaxed about it but there is a certain species of MN DIL that would be frothing at the mouth at the effrontery and debating between NC and grey rock. If that is the type of DIL I end up with I may end up naming a household pet in her honour just to give me a giggle.

XenoBitch · 01/05/2022 02:13

What bad thing will happen as a result of this? Nothing, I bet. I bet your DS will grow up thinking it is cool he shares a name with his gran's cat.

WildCoasts · 01/05/2022 02:14

It's a bit strange but meh. I hope your son's name isn't fluffy or floof, or whatever she's called the cat. 😜

DropYourSword · 01/05/2022 02:15

I think it's cute. Is it a sign of just how much she loves her grandson?

HerRoyalNotness · 01/05/2022 02:23

My dad named his new dog the same as my Dd. At least he’ll never forget her name.

UnwantedOpinionBelow · 01/05/2022 02:34

Sounds sweet to me

Original poster
JKT007 · 01/05/2022 02:43

For context - I have a really great relationship with my MIL, dont get me wrong tho, she can be very overbearing at times but I'm a pretty relaxed kind of person whom very rarely sweats the small stuff, but for some reason this just hit different & felt not quite right to me. I would never ask her to change it or let it affect our relationship, just want to know peoples thoughts on it.

OP posts:
Salutatorydrinks · 01/05/2022 02:45

I think she just wants to say your son's name more.

Whooshaagh · 01/05/2022 02:45

You have a weird mil.

Jenasaurus · 01/05/2022 02:51

My Ex SIL named her DD the same name as out puppy, so the other way round, which was a bit strange.

tortadicarote · 01/05/2022 02:51

YANBU for thinking it's strange. It's very, very odd. You don't have to be very imaginative to understand that some new parents would find that insulting, so... Just why? With all the millions of other options available, why that name?

I think you're right to ignore it, but obviously it's a weird thing for her to have done. If she did it as some sort of tribute or because she loves saying your child's name, surely she'd mention that the first time she told you the kitten's name. To just announce the name with no explanation is quite something. I'd be very curious about her motivation, but it's probably better not to ask.

Margotshypotheticaldog · 01/05/2022 02:53

It's a bit odd. You should get a chinchilla and name it after her. After all, she doesn't own the name.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 01/05/2022 02:54

I wouldn't worry about it. Cat's are notoriously bad at remembering their own names. Worst case scenario is both occasionally turn up when you call, other than that you won't notice.

Muffinsorcrumpets · 01/05/2022 02:54

Very strange

ValerieCupcake · 01/05/2022 02:55

Friend of mine named her son after her ex-cat. I think it was funny.

Peoniesandpeaches · 01/05/2022 02:56

XenoBitch · 01/05/2022 02:13

What bad thing will happen as a result of this? Nothing, I bet. I bet your DS will grow up thinking it is cool he shares a name with his gran's cat.

what utter BS. I say this as someone whose name is sometimes used for dogs it’s not exactly “cool” to have your name associated with a pet.
OP it’s weird as hell and all you can hope is that she’ll start using a nickname for it instead.

steff13 · 01/05/2022 02:58

I think it's hilarious.

Original poster
JKT007 · 01/05/2022 03:00

I definitely think she could have spoken to us about it & I think that is what upset me too. I would have been respectful & told her my thoughts & gone from there. I think in the back of my mind there is the that thought of what's your motivation behind it.

OP posts:
givethatbabyaname · 01/05/2022 03:01

Is the name Tom?

Original poster
JKT007 · 01/05/2022 03:09

Omg, yesss how did you guess.....it definitely is NOT Tom.

OP posts:
Pallisers · 01/05/2022 03:12

what did you say when she told you?

If this had happened to me I'd have said "oh my god you called the cat after DS - that is hilarious"

Did you stay silent? like why would you? Calling a pet the same name as someone in the family would be worthy of a bit of a comment and laugh from nearly everyone I know.

And I do think your MIL is a bit odd. My nephew is called Tom. I wouldn't call a cat or a dog that name because ... I have a nephew named Tom. she is weird.

mycatisannoying · 01/05/2022 03:12

It's fucking odd, let's be honest Grin