Man Says Sister 'Knowingly' Used His Preferred Baby Name After Agreeing Not to: 'We Had Dibs'

Mar. 15, 2025

Pregnant woman and man seem stressed.Photo:Akacin Phonsawat/Getty

Akacin Phonsawat/Getty

A man who has long planned to name his firstborn child “Julian” now says he can’t — because his sister knowingly stole the name.

In an anonymous post shared onReddit, the man writes, “For the last several years, my fiancé and I were open about wanting to use the name ‘Julian’ with a view to calling them ‘Jules’ for short when we eventually had a kid, which we plan to in the next year or so.”

“We had mentioned this, and the desire to use ‘Jules’ for short to my sister and her husband several times in conversations over the last few years, and even (jokingly, but seriously) mentioned that name was off limits and we had dibs,” he adds.

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And while the sister and her husband said “multiple times” that they had “other names in mind” for their own future child, they have now changed their tune.

The sister, who is now eight months pregnant, recently told the man, “Oh, I know you want Julian, but we’ve settled on Jules for our child.”

“She tried to say that they were different names so didn’t see the issue,” the poster adds. “I was a bit taken aback, like I say, of course I don’t have ownership of the name, nor even have a child to name it (yet) but had specifically said and asked that they leave me with this name, and they had agreed they wouldn’t consider it.”

“The name holds no significance to them other than liking the sound of it. I find it really inconsiderate that despite their dozen or more names they had shortlisted, they disregarded them all, and instead took essentially the exact name I had asked they not,” he writes.

Other Reddit users have recommended that the man try talking to his sister, with one writing, “It’s true that you don’t own the name but you asked her to not use this one and yet she did which gives you the right to feel upset. Ask her why, of all the names they had and after their agreement with you, they chose specifically the one name you asked them not to?”

Recommends another commenter: “It’s understandable to feel disappointed when your sister disregards a name you’ve expressed a special interest in. You made your feelings clear, and it’s hurtful that she chose to go against that after agreeing to respect your wishes. While names aren’t owned, a little consideration goes a long way, especially in family dynamics. It’s worth expressing how this made you feel to her, as it could lead to a better understanding between you both.”

source: people.com