Mother-in-law and sister-in-law constantly mock woman for being named 'Dove,' try to call her 'Diane' because they think that's a normal name: '[They] have pressed me on WHY I won't change my name legally and why I use my name in daily life'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Dec 4, 2024 8:00 PM EST

We live in an age where uniqueness is a virtue in baby naming. It makes sense that you would want to name a child something that you have no preconceived negative opinions about; who wants their kid to have the same name as that one kid in Elementary school who lobbed spitballs at your head or the girl at your first job who always asked you to cover her shift, but never agreed to cover yours. All classic names like John, George, Paul, and Randy are probably associated with someone you've already met, and it's normal to want a clean slate with your kids.

While it seems like every new parent is naming their kid something unique, just as many people criticize these wacky names, deeming them "Tragedies." The mother and daughter-in-law in this story are some of those people, and their willingness to harass their daughter/sister-in-law for her unique name knows no bounds. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10436822784
    via Kateryna Hliznitsova (Unsplash+)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    AITA for telling MIL and SIL their obsession with hating my name is weird?
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    My MIL and SIL have this real intense hatred for my name. It's become an obsession to the point they are in groups on different parts of the internet and mock my name, comment on how embarrassing it is to be associated with me, etc. My FIL is the reason my husband and I know this. He has grabbed screenshots and forwarded them to my husband to show just how bad this is.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    My name's Dove. I always loved my name. But they think it's weird and a "tragedeigh". They have a few groups they're a part of and their only contribution is to mention me and my name and how awful my name is and how awful my parents are for choosing this as my name.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    This stuff does spill over into in-person interactions. My MIL spent a month trying to call me Diane because she felt that calling me a "normal" name would be a positive. My husband shut her down and said she either had to use my name or not see us, and he didn't care what she picked but they were the only options.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    MIL and SIL (this is my husband's oldest sister) have pressed me on WHY I won't change my name legally and why I use my name in daily life. They are really judgmental about names in general. Whenever SILs kids start in a new class, SIL and MIL go through the names on the class list and mock these kids for their names unless they approve of said names.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    A post recently made my husband say enough is enough and we won't see them again. They were critical about my name and the fact that I would be contributing to the name of all our future kids and how scary they find it because they don't want little tragedeigh's being
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    born into our family and how they have no faith that I won't have a bunch of little Dove's and become the female George Foreman. My husband told them it was disgusting that they were going on this internet hate campaign against me and my name and he was done.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    They're furious FIL has been feeding us all the info. And they're pred I won't tell my husband it's okay. They confronted me in public and I told them their obsession with hating my name is weird and I don't want that poison around any kids I have. Which they also hated and apparently, according to FIL, they are still furious I said that to them. AITA?
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    EuropeSusan NTA and Dove is no case for r/tragedeigh they deal more with Eighmayleigh or the very unique name Raefarty. Your husband is right, they are overstepping and you don't have to deal with them.
    via u/EuropeSusan
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    III-Ad-2452 • 4h ago Edited 4h ago • They don't like you and that is the only way they can actually get that across without looking like haters. but they look like haters anyway. You're not an a_h_le. They are bu ying you like middle schoolers. Also I LOVEEE the name Dove.
    via u/III-Ad-2452
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    madmaxturbator • 4h ago Top 5% Commenter They are also insane people lol. As you cut them off make sure you tell them that they are weird and off putting and strange people And +1, dove is a beautiful name!!! But I prefer Duh'v
    via u/madmaxturbator
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    OkGazelle5400 Yah Dove is so not a tragedeigh. I'm amazed they're even getting traction in the online groups.
    via u/OkGazelle5400
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    TitaniaT-Rex My friend's daughter is Lark. Idk why people are hating on names that are inoffensive and not oddly spelled. It's not like she's called Crop Bag. I say this as someone whose mother gave them a stupidly spelled/pronounced name and changed it as an adult.
    via u/TitaniaT-Rex
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    Sad_Ease_9200 Dove is a beautiful name. No spelling issues. Easy to pronounce. Perfect revenge would be to call your kids Wren, Jay and Robin
    via u/Sad_Ease_9200
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    Mother_Search3350 FIL needs to stop taking screenshots and have his wife and daughter committed to a mental health facility Calling them weird was mild. I would have called them deranged and unhinged. Who TF goes through their grandchildrens class lists and gets
    via u/Mother_Search3350
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    off on making disgusting comments about the names of other people's children? They are stark raving lunatics Definitely NTAH
    via u/Mother_Search3350
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    Suzdg Actually I like the fact that FIL is showing OP their true colors. This is his way of having her back. NTA.
    via u/Suzdg
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    JuliaX1984 He needs to keep documenting evidence of insanity to help him when he files for divorce.
    via u/JuliaX1984
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    No_Use_9124 Dove is a fine name. There is another reason they don't like you and the name is the excuse. Your husband is right, and frankly, they shldn't be near any children you have.
    via u/No_Use_9124
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    Fanstacia This. I've met and worked with a few Doves in my 50 years on this planet and not only is the name beautiful... tbh, I've never met a Dove who was an AH. You mention they brought up "George Forman”, and I am wondering too if there are other reasons they might not like you? Like... they would clutch their pearls and say, “I'm not!” if you were to call them out on it?
    via u/Fanstacia
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    Living_Programmer_61 NTA. It's an uncommon name, and people are entitled to their opinion for sure, but what kind of sad, empty lives must your MIL & SIL have if they spend that much time and effort hating other people's names. My nephew has a middle name, I think, is ridiculous, but I keep that opinion to myself and certainly don't mock him or his parents for it. I sure as heck don't spend my time in wee groups mocking folk for their names or going through school class lists.
    via u/Living_Programmer_61
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    What tragic, pathetic people they must be. I feel so sorry for you and your husband. Your poor FIL for having to be married to/the father of tossers like that! Ignore these buffoons. They aren't worth the effort of having them in your life unless they change their ways.
    via u/Living_Programmer_61
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    Complex_Molasses_625 OP They are obsessed with the class lists. I even hear them asking the kids in the family about kids in their school and what the names are. They are SO nasty about it. I can't imagine being so caught up in what other people name their kids.
    via u/Complex_Molasses_625
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    Jade_Echo Nta. There is a famous person with your same name. Sure, it's different. But even if your name was actually Tragedeigh, it's YOUR name, and you like it, and it doesn't affect them AT ALL. Let them have their "normal" Dianes. Also, kudos to your husband for having your back, like a true partner should. Let him handle his family. He's doing a great job.
    via u/Jade_Echo

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family drama daughter in law baby names mocking wife reddit story husband sister in law names in laws mother in law family reddit thread Reddit dove name
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