Many people hold names near and dear to their hearts. They are the first thing people know about us when we meet them. They are our identifiers in society to all of those around us.
Names make us unique; to many people, their name is sacred. However, not everyone sees names this way and this can cause some serious tension and disagreements.
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Recently, one Reddit user shared that her mother disrespected her in a big way
The Reddit user, melissaurorex, shared that her mother decided to surprise her and her brother with a dog. The dog in question is an adorable golden retriever puppy and she claims she “loves her more than anything in this world.” However, she does have one small issue with her mom’s decision regarding the dog.
The Reddit user shared that her name is “Melissa”
And, to top it all off, many people in her town name their dogs “Melissa,” and it’s very common. Of course, her mom didn’t name her dog Melissa — because that would be over the top.
She, however, did name the dog a different name — Mei Li. Melissa shared that she wouldn’t care, however, her Chinese name is Mei Li.
It’s actually a special name for her
The Reddit user said that her family is half Chinese, and her parents named her Melissa because her grandmother wanted something similar to Mei Li and easier for people to pronounce, thinking Mei Li would be too complicated for some.
When her parents told her that they named the dog Mei Li, she thought it was a joke
“When they told me that was the name, I thought they were joking at first. They asked me what was wrong, and I said ‘Well, that’s kind of my name lol but that’s okay!’ I hate conflict, but I was feeling a little sad because my mom and stepdad were like ‘oh, but nobody calls you that’, which isn’t true at all,” she wrote.
She couldn’t believe her parents forgot her “official” name
She also shared she was sad that her parents forgot her name is actually Mei Li. Despite being known by some as Melissa, her family decided to name their daughter Mei Li — it clearly holds significant value to the Reddit user.
When she told her grandma and her boyfriend, they were shocked
While her parents downplayed the situation, others did not. When she told her boyfriend, he said it was weird that her parents would do that.
Her grandmother also agreed, especially because she calls her Mei Li constantly when they speak to each other in Chinese. Her mom and dad still didn’t see a big issue.
So, she decided to come up with a plan
The Reddit user decided to bribe her little brother, who is five, to “change” the dog’s name and give her a new name. She said she would “pay her little brother $100 if he gave the dog a new name.” That way, it would be non-confrontational and she could avoid having a seriously awkward conversation with her parents.
Her mom wasn’t about that plan, however
After her brother said, “Yeah, ok!” about changing the dog’s name, her mother was not on board.
Her mom said that she had already ordered name tags and that it was just too late to change the dog’s name. Now, the Reddit user is conflicted and wants to know if she was the one who was in the wrong for wanting to change the dog’s name.
People online said she was definitely not wrong
Reddit users said that it was “weird” that her mom was so hung up on naming the dog Mei Li, especially because it is a name that is associated with her own daughter.
And seeing as her mom got the dog for her daughter and son — her daughter will be helping take care of it. It is a bit strange to have to call your own name to a dog.
Another person said that the Reddit user should put her mom on the spot
One Reddit user commented, “To be honest if you want it to create problems and your mom is still doing that every time someone comes over or every family member you talk to loudly Proclaim that the dog was named after you because your mom wanted to ensure that everyone knew that daughters were like spilled water leaving the home in that Sons were to be invested in and she wanted you to remember your place in the family.”
Hopefully, her mother can see that it makes her uncomfortable and find a new name.
