Names carry memories, but not all of them are good ones.

One new mom-to-be found herself at a crossroads when it came to naming her new daughter.

On one hand, she wanted to honor tradition by choosing a family name.

But when her husband’s grandmother happened to share the same name as someone from her past, it stirred up hurt all over again.

Read on for the full story!

AITA for not wanting to name my baby after my husband’s grandmother?

I (34F) am pregnant with my 4th child.

We aren’t finding out the gender, but of course, we are already discussing names.

The rest of her family already has some ideas.

In my culture, it’s very common to name after deceased loved ones, and it’s considered an honor.

My husband’s grandmother passed away a few years ago. Let’s say her name was Sarah.

But this is where it gets complicated.

I have nothing against the name and think it’s beautiful. However, I used to have an ex-friend also named Sarah.

She really hurt me when our friendship ended by calling me selfish, mean, and other harsh names.

Our friendship ended years ago, but even now, whenever I see that name, I think about the horrible words that were said to me.

She feels like she can’t go through with naming her daughter Sarah now.

If it wasn’t for this ex-friend, I wouldn’t think twice about using the name Sarah. But because of what the name now means to me, I can’t imagine using it.

But she worries about what the rest of her family will think.

I feel horrible for my husband, who was close to his grandmother, but I also don’t want a consistent reminder of a dark time every time I hear my daughter’s name.

AITA?

She never thought honoring tradition would mean reopening an old scar.

What did Reddit think?

This commenter suggests a compromise that just might work.

These types of things do tend to sort themselves out.

Maybe it’s about time to address the issue at the root.

This commenter also has a strict policy regarding names.

She may not have chosen the name her husband hoped for, but she chose what felt right for her family.

Protecting your peace is never the wrong move to make.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.