Welcoming a baby into the world is typically a time of joy, but for one woman, her pregnancy announcement sparked tension rather than celebration—especially with her sister, who was also expecting.
In a post that has racked up over 6,400 upvotes on Reddit, user Open-Event-9604 revealed the emotional fallout that unfolded when she shared her pregnancy news with her sister in December 2024.
Along with announcing that she was three months along, she also shared the name she and her husband had chosen for prior to conception. But instead of congratulations, she was met with a surprising reaction.
“She did not announce the name and kept it secret (as she did with her three other children). I found out she chose the same name when I saw the look on her face when I announced it to her,” the woman explained.
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The situation grew even more complicated when her sister gave birth in February 2025, five months before her due date in July. The woman noted that her sister has since been “pressuring” her to pick a different name, as it’s causing panic attacks and anxiety.
“She says two cousins born [five] months apart with the same name is going to create an unnecessary rivalry,” she wrote.
Despite the emotional appeals, the woman and her husband have remained firm in their decision.
“I am now [eight] months pregnant, and I have been calling my baby by this name since the beginning,” she said. “I feel for her but I don’t see this name thing as a major issue, and I don’t want to change the name of my baby because she has anxiety over this.”
In a comment, she told another user that she lives in the U.K. while her sister lives in Asia. “We see each other once a year,” she noted.
‘Nobody Owns a Name’
Newsweek spoke with Steph Coffield, a name consultant from St. Paul, Minnesota, who weighed in on the dilemma.
“It’s never OK to ask someone to change their child’s name,” Coffield said.
“On a positive note, cousins with the same name might feel a special bond, and if they don’t live near each other, I don’t see the problem.
“Nobody owns a name, and while I would not recommend cousins sharing a name, it happens quite a bit depending on one’s culture.”
Coffield also pointed out that many of these name disputes can be avoided if expectant parents keep their baby name choices private until the child is born.
“This helps avoid being influenced by other people’s opinions,” she advised.
Despite the emotional turmoil, the Reddit poster has received widespread support from fellow users, many encouraging her to stay firm in her decision. As the due date nears, one thing seems certain—this name isn’t going anywhere.
Reddit Reacts
So far, the May 27 post has over 760 comments.
One comment with 5,200 upvotes said: “If you live so far apart then I’m struggling to see the issue. They won’t be in the same schools, have friends that know them both, family members aren’t going to mix them up. It seems a bit much when they’re barely going to interact, where would the rivalry be??”
Others chimed in with stories of their own.
“My grandmother had three kids with the same first name. It was fine. Culturally, it wasn’t uncommon to go by your middle name. always thought it was kind of crazy she named three of her daughters Maria, but if some families can deal with full siblings having the same first name in the same house then you’re [going] be fine living in different continents,” said another user.
A third wrote: “My sister and our first cousin have the same name ( first and last). It has never been a problem. When discussing the cousin we refer to her as ‘Uncle A’s Lila.’ I also have two first cousins with the same first and last names. We refer to them in the same manner. It isn’t hard.”
Newsweek reached out to u/Open-Event-9604 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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