'My mother-in-law has named her new cat after my favourite baby name'

Daily Record

27-05-2025

A pregnant woman has taken to the internet to ask whether it's acceptable to give her daughter the same name as her mother-in-law's cat.
Choosing the perfect name for your newborn can be an arduous and taxing endeavour. With a plethora of options available for both girls and boys, parents are inundated with choices, which paradoxically can make the decision even more challenging.
Some parents gravitate towards traditional, well-loved names, while others seek a distinctive name to ensure their child stands out. It's common for parents to compile a list of favoured names, taking cues from a variety of sources, such as departed family members or characters from films and television shows.
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A pregnant woman recounted that she and her partner had settled on their preferred name for a baby girl, only to discover her mother-in-law had recently named her cat the same, reports the Mirror.
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She added humorously: "But I see similar posts to this about other people stealing baby names, and I thought this would give everyone a laugh."
The woman elaborated on her naming preferences: "My husband and I have a fairly long list of girl names, but I keep learning towards 'boyish'/masculine names for girls, and as a HUGE Interstellar fan, Murphy has been [at] the top of our list."
She went on to say that her mother-in-law is "not a pet person" but relented to her younger sister-in-law's wishes to adopt a kitten.
During a phone call while her husband was at his mother's house, he informed her: "They named the cat Murphy."
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Now, the couple is left pondering whether they should go ahead and name their daughter after a feline.
The woman's Reddit post sparked a lively debate, racking up 1,400 upvotes and over 300 comments as people were quick to weigh in on the matter.
The top-voted comment pointed out: "Murphy is a much better name for a pet than a person. Sorry."
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Another individual agreed saying, "I agree. It also seems masculine because it is traditionally a surname."
One user added their experience: "Every Murphy I have known is a male dog. There have been several."
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Some chimed in with examples of other animals named Murphy they'd encountered, including a ferret and a male rabbit.
A different commenter couldn't hold back their surprise: "I can't imagine looking at a sweet little baby and calling her Murphy...or a teenage girl saddled with that."
The Redditor was fond of the name Murphy, inspired by Murphy 'Murph' Cooper from the 2014 sci-fi adventure film Interstellar.
Murphy, a name with Gaelic roots, holds the title of the most common surname in Ireland, as per The Bump.
Its meaning, 'warrior of the sea', has gained prominence partly thanks to the renown of actors Cillian and Eddie, both of whom carry the name Murphy as their last name.