A woman has been branded XX after arguing with a friend who named her baby after her.
On the American social media site Reddit's Am I The A*****e? wire the woman named Mia explained that her friend named her daughter Amelia.
But she plans to call her Mia for short, and that doesn't go over well.
“I thought this was strange because my name is Mia,” the woman said. “I felt like she named her child after me and we didn't feel close enough for that, and she didn't even ask. I said something to a mutual friend of ours, who said they thought it was strange too.
But Redditors didn't rush to Mia's defense, calling her “selfish” and baffled that she was so concerned about their lack of closeness.
Two girlfriends sit on the couch and argue with each other (stock image)
Explaining the situation, she began, “I had a friend in my early twenties, Melinda. She was always a bit strange, but we remained friends for a while. Were bridesmaids at each other's weddings.
'We grew apart over the next few decades as our lives took different turns. We kept in touch through the odd text message and a Facebook message. She attended my virtual baby shower in 2021.”
Recently, Melinda welcomed a baby girl named Amelia, or Mia for short.
Her friend continued, “I didn't say anything at first. Then I saw Melinda with her husband and the baby at another friend's party. She showed me the baby and I half-joked “yes, my namesake”.
She looked at me strangely and I said “her name is Mia…I'm Mia”. Melinda said her name was Amelia and Mia was a nickname, while my full name is just Mia. I said I understood, but she must have named her after me and said it was strange but cute.
'Melinda got this weird look on her face and said, “No, we named her after (her husband's) mother.” I nodded and she was clearly annoyed. She asked why I assumed I was naming the baby after her. I said it was just a weird coincidence and it seemed like she would do something.
“Melinda said, 'You're not important enough to me to name a baby after.' I told her that was rude and she said, “I'm also trying to imply that she's weird because her baby and I have the same name.”
Our mutual friends think I shouldn't have brought it up at all. Some still think she went too far by saying I'm not important enough.
The response was overwhelmingly critical and it was determined that Mia was in fact the ******, with many feeling entitled to the feeling of ownership of a popular name.
Redditors labeled this woman 'selfish' because she felt insulted when a friend who wasn't closer named her child after her nickname
One user said: 'Why do so many people on Reddit think they have some weird form of name ownership? You're not the only one Mia.
'Mia isn't such an unusual name; it is currently the 8th most common name for a girl.
'Spoiler: If a friend chose a name because of you, they would tell you. That she didn't, and that you two grew apart, should be a big indication that it had nothing to do with you.
“You don't own the name, so she doesn't have to be 'close enough' to you to decide to use it as a nickname, regardless of the reason.
'The world doesn't revolve around you. Why are you angry that she doesn't think you're important enough in her life to name a baby after you, when you think so too?
“You literally noticed that you two aren't close enough for that, so you're lucky that she confirmed that she feels the same way.”
Another bluntly said, “OP has main character syndrome,” and another user confirmed the name's ubiquity: “My neighbor is Amelia, but is also often called Mia. It's not that it's an unheard name, she's super selfish about it.”
And another user joked: 'I named a cat Mia in 2000. I think OP was probably named after my cat since she seems to be about the right age based on her behavior.”