I Refused to Rename My Dog for My SIL’s Baby

Some pet names are the same as human names. For instance, you’re bound to find dogs named Max, Penny, and Charlie. Similarly, you’ll find people holding the same name. Now, for some, having the same name as a dog might not be their cup of tea, and that’s what we’re about to uncover in this story.

My SIL suggested I change my dog’s name.

Our user wrote to us, “I (32M) adopted a dog four years ago and named him Leo. Everyone in my family loves him.

My brother recently had a baby and his wife wanted to name their son Leo. I thought it would be cool that my nephew and dog would have the same name, but my SIL thought otherwise. She told me that I have to change my dog’s name because her son can’t share the same name as an animal.”

She thought it was “undignified” that her son would have the same name as my dog.

I honestly thought she was making a joke, so I laughed. But she then said, “I’m serious, I don’t want my son sharing a name with an animal. It’s undignified.” I told her, very politely, that I was not going to rename my dog of four years, and that I’m sure we can all figure out the difference between a baby and a dog.

She involved the rest of the family, making matters worse.

She got really mad and told my entire family that I’m being disrespectful to her son and that I’m showing that I value my dog more than my nephew. My mom even called and said that while she thinks my SIL is being silly, I should just “be the bigger person” and pick a new name for the dog to avoid a bigger problem. But, I refused to do anything.

The next day, I was going to take Leo out for a walk when I found something wrong with his collar. The part with his name was all scratched up. I was livid, but I don’t want to confront my SIL. I knew she was behind it all, but I’m not sure what to do next.

She should review the name she chose for her son.

Thanks for sharing your story. If your SIL thinks that her son sharing the same name as a dog is undignified, she should’ve thought about naming him another name. Leo is a highly popular pet name. So if it wasn’t your dog, it could be the neighbor’s, or a stranger at the park’s.

Her actions were uncalled for.

Your SIL messing with Leo’s collar crossed a line. While she was mad and likely did it in the heat of the moment, that still doesn’t justify that she ruined one of your possessions. You can first confront your brother regarding the situation, because the SIL might get even more mad, or worse, deny that she did it.

Your family shared their thoughts.

If everyone in the family refuses to believe you, then it’s time to let it go. It’s not worth fighting over. Your dog’s name is Leo, and it will remain Leo, whether the SIL likes it or not. Your family will eventually come around, and the issue will pass.

That said, you can let your mom know that you weren’t happy with her reaction when she sided with your SIL. Once you’ve openly communicated your say in the problem, you’ll feel more at ease.

Finding a pet name alone is hard, training your pet to respond to the name is another thing. Being asked to rename your pet is just unreasonable. Just look at how these pet owners had to go on a quest to find their pets’ names.