'My husband's ex stole our baby's name'

A mum-to-be is furious that her baby name has been stolen. But is she right to be angry? Photo / Getty

The internet is divided over whether this expectant mum is over-reacting after she found out that her husband's ex has taken the name she had earmarked for her unborn child.

The baby naming process is nothing short of a minefield. Finding a moniker that is both trendy yet timeless, friendly but not ripe with a multitude of unfortunate nicknames, so when you find one that works, you're going to want to hold on to it for dear life. Or, in this case, perhaps not tell a soul?

Turning to Mumsnet to vent her frustrations, a mum-to-be reveals how she made the mistake of mentioning the baby name she had chosen to her husband's ex.

"His ex who he already has a son with [and] who has just had a baby, has actually stolen the name we were going to use," she said.

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"We are on amicable terms and she knew what name we had chosen, now she has robbed it."

"We call the baby by this name and it is the name we want, but his son can't have two sisters called the same thing can he?! Livid."

The online thread has prompted a slew of varying reactions while asking the all important question: Can a baby name, in fact, be stolen?

One user didn't think so, saying: "You don't own the name so are being rather ridiculous banding around accusations of the ex stealing it."

Others have echoed that statement, commenting: "Get a grip, you can't steal a name, nobody owns them."

And: "You don't own the name, there's millions out there, pick another one."

But some mums emphathised with the incensed woman: "I'd be fuming!" one wrote. "She knew! And bl***y stole it! I'd use it anyway. B***h! Seriously, I'm annoyed on your behalf."

Another said: "I just hope she hasn't stolen the middle name as well."

Some mums took an "I told you so" approach: "Reason why nobody should tell anyone their chosen name," wrote one.

But, according to one user, it could have been worse: "I have seen worst, when the ex wife stole the baby's name, to give it to her new puppy".

To help the livid woman move forward, one mum suggested a somewhat novel approach.

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"I would pick another name insisting that the name you said you liked/she picked was your 'stunt name' to stop copycats picking the name you really like but kept to yourself".