The husband says he “does not like” his mom’s husband, and doesn’t want his child sharing a name with him
A man says he and his wife are arguing about what to name their firstborn child — with the wife eager to name him after her maternal grandfather. But her grandfather, it turns out, shares a name with the man’s stepdad — whom he does not like.
In a post shared to Reddit, the 30-year-old man writes that the couple are expecting their son in one month.
“For the last while we’ve been debating baby names and she is feeling stronger about naming our son after her maternal grandfather who died last year,” he writes. “I’m not against this. But her grandfather shares the same name as my mother’s husband and I don’t like the man, and I do not want to give anyone the idea, least of all him, that he’s being honored in the name and even if we say it was after my wife’s grandfather, he’ll be boasting about it forever.”
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He says that his wife “understands” his predicament, but still “wants to honor her grandfather all the same.”
“So I asked her if we could use his middle name instead of his first name. That way she can still honor him but it’s in no way associated with the man my mom is married to,” he continues.
While his wife was initially “upset” at the idea, she came around — but her family has not.
“They weren’t happy about it,” the man writes about his wife’s family, adding: “They told me I should be giving the decision to my wife and sucking it up and dealing with any issues I have with the first name being used.”
And while his wife defended him, the family members still said they “wouldn’t accept” if the couple used another name, he adds.
Commenters on the post say the man is being reasonable with his request, and it’s the family that needs to take a step back.
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“You offered a compromise by suggesting the middle name to honor her grandfather without associating it with someone you dislike,” writes one Reddit commenter. “It’s reasonable to ask for a name that feels comfortable for both of you.”
Adds another, “I think it’s an excellent compromise. Your in laws are probably emotionally driven with their response to it, and hopefully aren’t like this all the time.”
A third sums it up succinctly: “It’s your kid, not your in laws.”
