Anyone ever recovered from a "stolen" baby name?

[bee2121]

I did the biggest mistake of my life by giving a true answer when a co-worker asked what baby names I like. I was caught off gard and I am a terrible liar. She is not going to have children so I was like whatever, better just say it as it is. Unfortunately another co-worker where closer than I though, she walked in just seconds later, my guess is that she overheard us because a few months later she announces she is pregnant and guess what name her baby got? My name!

If it where to be a common name I wouldn't have batted an eyebrow, but knowing she overheard us and the fact that it's a very uncommon name (but still old/classic, not a weird name) makes me believe she "stole" it.

I know the fault is mine for sharing in the first place, but it was hard not to feel a jab in the heart when I heard the name for the first time. She spelled it slightly different but it is pronounced exactly the same. I didn't confront her but man did it sting in my baby-longing heart.

I no longer work there, but I did for about a year after her baby arrived.

Thing is I love this name, it was a name from my heart really. But having someone else reference their kid as that name over and over it just feels so weird naming my own that name. I love names that are somewhat unique (but not weird, I'm not that tragedeigh mom!) and probably couldn't name a baby something really common. It's like I want them to have their "own" name that no one else has, at least not someone we know.

Did this happen to anyone else? I wonder if it's possible to overcome this feeling or if the name is "ruined" forever for me? It feels like it's ruined but I don't want it to be.

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I actually AM named after a dog! My mum's mum had a dog with a name that my mum and dad liked when I came along - and here I am. Dog is, unfortunately, long gone now.

And I do admit to just a teeny tiny twinge whenever I find my eldest DDs name being used (it's VERY unusual, but not totally unique) and I mutter 'that was MY IDEA' under my breath. But then I forget all about it, because I've never met any of these girls with the same name as DD1.

Huh? "Recovered"?!

It's hardly a big deal is it. Call your child whatever you like.

This is just a co-worker, why would you even care?

Honestly you must have an incredibly easy life to be bothered about this and think it's something you'd need to "recover" from, so melodramatic.

Recovered?!?!? No. They're all still 6ft under as a direct result

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If this is your biggest problem in life then give your head a a shake. You do realize that babies are being killed in the most horrific way every day in Gaza? FFS.

It's the betrayal that hurts the most.

Thoughts and prayers, hun x

I think this is brilliant. Good for you still using the name! I think most people wouldn't have.

It's an overreaction, isn't it? No-one owns a name. I teach umpteen boys called Noah and Alfie, lots of girls called Maisie, Daisy, Lottie and Dottie. I'm sure their parents thought they had chosen a distinctive name. Turns out there's five in every class.
It'll be the same with Teddy, Sonny and Margot in a few years. Don't fret it.

@bee2121 If this is all you have to fret about, consider yourself lucky.

Most names are shared.

Jimberly?

We have shared names in family- no issues at all.

Oh ffs! Seriously?

You're pissed off that somebody you once worked with used a nem you like???? This is the oddest thread ever tbh

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This has to be one of the most ridiculous thread titles I’ve ever seen on Mumsnet. As for the post, what a load of nonsense.

This is as insane as the 'birth announcement cards.'

Good heavens ... "my name!" - it's not yours, it is just a name! How very silly indeed.

2 of my grandsons have the same name because their parents (siblings) liked the name. No-one gives a flying! Whyever would they?

I'm wondering if sometimes pregnancy hormones just make folks a bit irrational? No other explanation.

It’s a coworker, you can still use the name.

Except she wasn't pregnant at the time or from the sounds of it, since. This is just in case she has a baby she doesn't want anyone else on the planet to have the same name!

If I got this baby announcement, it isn’t the mother of the first born baby I would end up thinking was a bit crazy.

Not even a co worker, an ex co worker 😂

Unfortunately another co-worker where closer than I though, she walked in just seconds later, my guess is that she overheard us because a few months later she announces she is pregnant and guess what name her baby got? My name!

How do you even know the two incidents were related? They were months apart. You must have heard the name from somewhere in the first place - how do you know your colleague didn't hear it from there as well?

Seriously, the OP's phrasing has to be a contender for the most melodramatic ever on MN. "Recovered"? "Stolen"? "The biggest mistake of my life"?

It's just very strange.

Oh my goodness, get over yourself! It's entirely possibly the colleague walked in a felt the same pang as you did, thinking oh no she loves the same name as me. She had her baby first and was entitled to use it, even if she had indeed got inspiration from you.

There are no laws that you can't name your baby the same as a (now ex!) colleague, even if it is unusual. You have another colleague as witness that you loved it before her child was named. If you no longer wish to use the name because she got there first, that's entirely your issue.

He under-reacted. What kind of cold fish is he???