A woman’s demand for her sister to rename her dog because it shared the same name as her newborn son has sparked fury across social media.

The original poster (OP), Reddit user diivinexxjuicy, shared her story on r/AITAH, explaining that she has had her golden retriever, Charlie, for four years.

Her sister, Emily, recently had a baby boy and also named him Charlie.

“At first, I thought it was funny and didn’t really think much of it,” the OP wrote in her post, but when her sister pulled her aside during a family gathering to ask that she change her dog’s name, it wasn’t so funny anymore.

The OP continued, “[She] said it was ‘confusing and disrespectful’ for me to keep calling my dog Charlie now that her son has the same name. She asked me to rename my dog.

“I told her no. Charlie has been his name for four years; he knows it, responds to it, and it’s on all his paperwork. Changing it would be weird for him (and for me).

“She got really upset and said it’s not fair for her son to ‘share’ a name with a dog, especially in family settings. She thinks it’ll lead to jokes and confusion as her son grows up.

“My parents have weighed in, and while my dad says it’s ridiculous to expect me to change my dog’s name, my mom says I should ‘just consider it’ to keep the peace.

“Now Emily’s barely speaking to me, and a few family members think I’m being stubborn. I have no idea how I am in the wrong here. The world’s gone crazy.”

Reddit users were quick to voice their opinions, with one user dismissing Emily’s demand as “absurd” and describing the demand as one no “rational person would ask.”

Another noted, “Your dog was Charlie first. I’d never change the name, and if dear sis keeps on giving too much grief, I’d start telling people at gatherings that sis named nephew after your doggo.”

“Charlie the dog is already “Charlie,” one Redditor insisted. “It shouldn’t be a big deal. Baby Charlie doesn’t care, only the parents do. If it was a problem, they could have easily prevented it.”

The Power of Saying ‘No’

According to The Leadership Circle, saying “no” in these types of situations reflects a commitment to personal values and priorities. The article emphasizes that every “yes” carries a cost, and individuals must weigh whether a concession is worth the potential disruption to their lives.

In a Newsweek article on toxic siblings, licensed clinical psychologist Yasmine Saad explained that most people think of a sibling as toxic when their attitude and behavior regularly have a negative impact on their life.

For a sibling to be labeled “toxic” there needs to be a regular pattern of negative, detrimental behaviors, which in most cases will leave you exhausted after interacting with them, and not just an occasional thing or a one-off.

Newsweek has contacted diivinexxjuicy comment via Reddit.

Newsweek‘s “What Should I Do?” offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.