Daughter Backed for Naming Son After Late Brother Despite Dad's Disapproval

Despite her dad's disapproval, a woman has been backed online for naming her son after her beloved brother.

The now-viral Reddit post, titled "AITA for naming my son after my late brother when my dad had already asked me not to?," has received over 5,900 upvotes since being posted on Tuesday, September 6. AITA stands for Am I the A**hole, and over 990 people reassured the original poster, u/IslandSlopesx, that she isn't one.

In a lengthy post, the new mom said: "My older brother died at 17. He and I were very close. We went through a lot together, our mom got sick and died after we had to watch her fade away slowly. Then our dad announced he was dating four months later and within six months of announcing this, he moved his then-girlfriend and now wife in and moved her kids in as well. It was a lot for us."

She went on to say that her brother didn't "like" the wife or her children and that they didn't get on for three years before he unexpectedly died. "A lot of feelings were hurt and a lot of things were said that left their mark. Then my brother died in an accident. His death symbolized the death of my family in so many ways. Mom's was the first to do that and then his," she wrote.

According to data from the National Survey of Family Growth, one in four marriages (26 percent) includes stepchildren. As a result, many American families are blended. One-fourth of women in remarried stepfamilies have their own children living in the house full time, the survey said.

Meanwhile, research from the Pew Research Center shows that two-parent households are declining in the United States as remarriages, as well as divorce and cohabitation, are on the rise.

Speaking about her family's dynamic, the original poster said: "A lot of weird feelings are present with my dad's wife and her kids because of how [the brother] hated them and my dad has mixed feelings there also.

"When my husband and I found out we were expecting the first thing we figured was an honor to him would be amazing. My dad jumped in when he found out we were having a boy and asked me not to. He said my brother hurt a lot of people before he died and there was going to be a sort of bitter feeling if I named their grandson and nephew after someone who treated them badly," u/IslandSlopesx said.

The Redditor ended the post by saying that she isn't "close" with her father and that she named the baby after her deceased brother in spite of his feelings.

The top comment has received 9,700 likes, with the user saying:" Your dad and step-mom feel guilty because they tried to force a new family less than six months after the death of your mother and, unsurprisingly, your brother wanted nothing to do with. Blaming a deceased 17-year-old kid for your own mistakes is vile."

A second commenter said: "Yep, naming a kid after someone isn't weird or wrong. Only forcing them to be like them and not their own person is wrong, and lots of parents do that without naming them after anyone."

Newsweek reached out to u/IslandSlopesx for comment and has not verified the details of the case.