Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

BIL gave dog same same as DS

136 replies

bippitybippity · 29/12/2023 14:23

Not sure if AIBU or precious so am prepared to be told I am!

BIL (DH brother) recently got a dog and has given it the same name as our DS. Aibu to be irked by this? Name is common boys name (think Jack) and not a name you'd associate with a pet. Surely out of the millions of names out there you would choose one that isn't the same as your nephews?

I can't imagine naming a pet the same name as a close child relative?

OP posts:
mrskimsneakattack · 29/12/2023 15:39

I had an elderly uncle whose dog was named after himself (i.e. both uncle and dog were called 'Charlie'). I asked him why as it seemed a bit odd and the response was "well it was a choice between that and Marcus'! It wasn't a rescue with a previous name, he'd had it from tiny pup.

I would find it a bit odd OP tbf but maybe he just likes your DS's name and couldn't be arsed to think of a different one.

AuntMarch · 29/12/2023 15:40

It's definitely odd. I wouldn't get cross about it but I think I'd have to ask what made him choose it out of sheer curiosity!
Any chance he thought it was a nice gesture or something?

ilovesushi · 29/12/2023 15:41

That would annoy me. So many names to chose from and he choses the name of a family member.

ilovesushi · 29/12/2023 15:41

That would annoy me. So many names to chose from and he choses the name of a family member.

MissyB1 · 29/12/2023 15:42

It does seem odd but then my family can’t talk. My eldest ds has the same name as one of our childhood cats, and my nephew has same name as another of our childhood cats!! It wasn’t deliberate but it’s weird when I think about it 🤣

Sunshineismyfavourite · 29/12/2023 15:49

Well we gave our daughter the same name as my DH's sister's dog. We loved the name and didn't care that the dog had it first.

Scaraben · 29/12/2023 15:51

My brother named our childhood dog and chose to name him after our big cousin, who he idolised. I suppose it was a bit odd to outsiders but cousin was delighted and his parents just found it funny!

Our cat has the same name as our new next door neighbour's child and she is buzzing about it. She sent the cat a Christmas card "To cat-lola from human-lola" 😄

snoopyfanaccountant · 29/12/2023 15:52

A childhood friend had a dog which was named after her mum's sister. The mum and sister were still on speaking terms.

Easylivin · 29/12/2023 15:57

Is it Ralph? So many dogs called Ralph. Or Milo.

369damnshesfine · 29/12/2023 15:57

I do find it a bit odd.It wouldn’t wind me up but I just wouldn’t choose a name for my pet that would remind me of someone else.

I do know someone who named his dog after himself though, which I thought was quite cute.

diddl · 29/12/2023 15:58

Do you see it as an insult to your son Op?

Feraldogmum · 29/12/2023 15:58

On the flip side close friends called their son Max, I’ve had to bite my tongue 22 years. Could have been worse, could have called him Fido or Patch.

Shouldershoulder · 29/12/2023 16:00

I think it depends on his thinking behind the name, if he absolutely loves it and it's meant as a compliment, then all good. If he knew it would piss you off and did it as a wind up, then not so good.

AllstarFacilier · 29/12/2023 16:04

The same thing happened in our family. The grandparents quite often had the dog whilst BIL was at work, so it was a bit confusing when DD and the dog were both at the grandparents’ house. I always thought it was weird but never said anything, and he ended up splitting up with his girlfriend and she took the dog with her.

PurpleOrchid42 · 29/12/2023 16:05

That's weird and annoying. Why did he do that?? Surely your brother's first reaction was to say 'what?? Why did you give your dog the same name as my son??'

dontgobaconmyheart · 29/12/2023 16:05

Nah, I'd let this one go OP. It's not the insult you imagine it is, or one at all, and there's no such thing as a 'dogs' name.

Isobel201 · 29/12/2023 16:08

My cat who I got a few months ago I decided to name Nessa after a favourite TV character from Gavin and Stacey. She was previously called Lolipop and I couldn't abide that name as the song just popped into my head immediately. I'm sure nobody will mind that lol.

Its strange how you said it was like a common name "Jack". that is one of the most common dog names tbh.

DewHopper · 29/12/2023 16:09

This is a complete non-issue OP.

feellikeanalien · 29/12/2023 16:09

It's not really a new thing to give dogs "human" names.

My parents gave my sister the same name as my cousin's dog and that was back in the 60s. It wasn't a particularly common name.

My cousin, my sister and I were having coffee the other day and my cousin still remembers how strange she found it. My sister doesn't like her name!!

My cat is called Jack but that was down to DD. I love the idea of Mark the cat.😁

WhatYouWearing · 29/12/2023 16:13

Aquamarine1029 · 29/12/2023 14:27

I couldn't even begin to get worked up about this.

😂 you lie. IRL you'd be pissed.

birdglasspen · 29/12/2023 16:13

I guess you like the same name. I think it’s odd what he’s done and I wouldn’t do it however I wouldn’t get upset about it. My BIL and SIL named their DS the same as mine although mine has a double name so it’s different. I thought it was a bit odd, especially as it is a family name and they didn’t tell us for two weeks as if they were dreaming up a new name when actually they were using a name from the family which is important to them. Anyway I’m just glad they have their DS and can cope with the cousins have same names!

Prelapsarianhag · 29/12/2023 16:14

He sounds goady.

Bobbotgegrinch · 29/12/2023 16:14

A few years ago my best mates brother had a son, which he named Max.

Me and DP popped into my mates Mum's house at Christmas shortly after Max was born. As you do, we asked my mates Mum "How's Max?"

The response rocked us "Oh, didn't you hear? Max died"

We sit there shocked, how could we not know this, why didn't my best friend mention that his nephew had died?

And then it filters through, she thinks we're talking about her dog, with the same name, that died 5 bloody years ago.

Aquamarine1029 · 29/12/2023 16:15

WhatYouWearing · 29/12/2023 16:13

😂 you lie. IRL you'd be pissed.

Show quote history

No, I wouldn't