Am I Wrong for Choosing My Own Twin Names Over MILs Demands?

Facing pressure from an overbearing MIL, OP questions if standing firm on their chosen baby names makes them the AH.

Davy

Published in Interesting
August 8, 2025

Am I Wrong for Choosing My Own Twin Names Over MILs Demands?

In a recent Reddit post, a 28-year-old soon-to-be mom shared her dilemma of dealing with an overbearing mother-in-law (MIL) while expecting twins. The OP and her husband, who have been together for five years, are expecting boy-girl twins, sparking the discussion of baby names.

However, the MIL immediately took charge, bombarding them with traditional family names, which clashed with the couple's desire for more modern and unique names. Despite politely declining the MIL's suggestions and asserting their right to choose names that resonate with them, the MIL persisted, even claiming that as a grandmother, she should have a say in naming the babies.

Tension escalated as the MIL continued to push her agenda, causing the OP to stand her ground firmly. The OP's husband is caught in the middle, understanding his wife's perspective but also wanting to maintain peace with his mom.

The thread garnered various comments supporting the OP, affirming her right to set boundaries and make decisions about her children's names without interference. The consensus was clear: the OP is not the asshole (NTA) for standing firm against her MIL's demands and asserting her autonomy in this deeply personal decision.

Original Post

So I'm (28F) currently pregnant with twins, and my mother-in-law (MIL) is an incredibly overbearing person. She's always had this habit of wanting things her way and has never been shy about expressing her opinions.

Don't get me wrong; I appreciate her love and care, but sometimes she takes it too far. For background, my husband (30M) and I have been together for five years now, and this is our first child (or should I say, children!).

We recently found out that we're having boy-girl twins, and we're beyond excited. However, when it came to discussing names, my MIL immediately took charge.

She bombarded us with suggestions, all of which were traditional names from her side of the family. While they're lovely names, my husband and I had always talked about more modern and unique names for our kids.

We politely thanked her for the suggestions but made it clear that we wanted to choose names that resonated with us. My MIL did not take this well.

She started insisting that we honor her family's tradition by using those names. She even went as far as saying that as the grandmother, she should have a say in naming the babies.

This really rubbed me the wrong way. I believe that the baby names are a decision for me and my husband alone, and no one else should have a say in it.

Despite our repeated conversations, my MIL keeps pushing her agenda, sending us name lists, and making comments about how our choices are not as good as her suggestions. It's getting to the point where every interaction revolves around the baby names.

I've reached my breaking point. I had a heated argument with my MIL where I firmly told her that we appreciate her input but the final decision rests with us.

She didn't take it well and accused me of being disrespectful and ungrateful. Now, tension is high, and my husband feels caught in the middle.

He understands my perspective but also wants to keep the peace with his mom. So now, I'm left wondering: Am I the a*****e for standing my ground on the baby names and not giving in to my MIL's demands?

So AITA?