A woman has slammed her sister for telling her to change her dog’s name so she can give it to her newborn son. The 26-year-old spoke of how she adopted a golden retriever named Charlie four years ago and he quickly became her “best buddy”.
Despite everyone knowing Charlie as the pet’s name, her sister has demanded that she change it. Sharing her story on Reddit, she said: “My sister, Emily, 29F, recently had her first child – a baby boy. She and her husband named him Charlie.”
“At first, I thought it was funny and didn’t really think much of it. But then Emily pulled me aside during a family gathering and said it was ‘confusing and disrespectful’ for me to keep calling my dog Charlie now that her son has the same name. She asked me to rename my dog.”
Perplexed, she argued that changing her dog’s name would be nonsensical because Charlie recognises his name and reacts to it. She explained: “I told her no. Charlie has been his name for four years; he knows it, responds to it, and it’s on all his paperwork. Changing it would be weird for him and for me.
“Her request turned sour, leading my sister to become quite upset, claiming that it’s unfair for her child to ‘share’ a name with a dog, and could result in jokes and mix-ups as the boy grows older.” This issue led to a split opinion among their relatives, with her father backing her stance while her mother sided with her sister.
She continued: “My parents have weighed in, and while my dad says it’s ridiculous to expect me to change my dog’s name, my mum says I should ‘just consider it’ to keep the peace. Now Emily’s barely speaking to me, and a few family members think I’m being stubborn. I have no idea how I am in the wrong here. The worlds gone crazy.”
“I love my dog, and I didn’t name him to spite anyone. I also think it’s not my fault they chose a name already in use in the family.” In her quest to find out if she’s in the wrong for refusing to rename her pet, she’s turned to social media for advice. One user responded: “I would start calling her kid Charlie 2. Her request is absurd. No rational person would ask that.” Another chimed in: “Suggest that she changes her son’s name to Spot or Rover.” A third advised: “Adopt a second dog, name it Emily.”