With a world population of more than 8 billion, it’s not uncommon for people to borrow names from others. Whether it’s from people, objects, countries, or even fruit, name borrowing is a regular practice. However, one woman, Mia, took offense when her old friend named her baby daughter Mia without asking for permission.
Mia, whose name ranks 8th in popularity for girls in 2021, accused her former friend, Melinda, of stealing her name. She voiced her complaints online, stating that using her name without permission was outright disrespectful. Seeking advice, Mia turned to Reddit to share her situation and ask for guidance on how to deal with it.
Mia explained that she and Melinda were close friends in their 20s. They had even been bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. However, as time went by, they drifted apart. Recently, Melinda had a baby girl and named her Amelia, but they referred to her as Mia. This didn’t sit well with Mia, feeling as if Melinda had named her child after her without their friendship being close enough for that and without even asking for permission.
In search of validation, Mia spoke with a mutual friend who confirmed that the situation was indeed strange. Mia never intended to confront Melinda about the name stealing, but fate had other plans. At a party, Mia ran into Melinda and her husband, and in an almost joking manner, she half-jokingly said, “Yeah, my namesake.” Melinda gave her an odd look, and Mia continued, “Her name is Mia… I’m Mia.” Melinda responded by stating that her baby’s name was Amelia, and Mia was just a nickname. Mia expressed her understanding but still believed that Melinda had named her child after her, finding it odd yet cute.
The conversation quickly escalated into an argument, with Melinda asking Mia why she assumed that the baby was named after her. Mia responded that it must have been a strange coincidence and something that Melinda would do. This only provoked Melinda to retaliate by saying, “You’re not important enough for me to name a baby after.” Hurt by this remark, Mia told Melinda that it was rude. Melinda fired back by accusing Mia of implying that she was odd just because her baby and Mia shared the same name.
Frustrated and seeking advice, Mia turned to the Reddit community. However, the majority of users were confused by Mia’s sense of entitlement over her name. They expressed that the world does not revolve around her and that Mia is not an uncommon name. Many users pointed out that if Melinda had chosen the name because of Mia, she would have mentioned it. The lack of communication and the fact that Mia and Melinda had grown apart indicated that the name had nothing to do with Mia.
Some users even poked fun at Mia’s reaction, suggesting that she was being egotistical and overreacting. Others shared their personal experiences of sharing names with friends, cousins, or even pets, highlighting the common nature of names and the lack of significance behind them.
In conclusion, while Mia felt offended by her old friend using her name for her baby without asking for permission, the majority of people online saw her reaction as overblown. They reminded Mia that the world doesn’t revolve around her and that names are often chosen for various reasons that may have nothing to do with her.
