Is a person entitled to a baby name – even when they’re single and not expecting? 

On this week’s So You Think You’re an Adult, a woman explained she has had the same group of friends since secondary school. 

“We're now in our early 30s and last year, the first of the group became pregnant, so there was great excitement,” she told Moncrieff. 

“She had her baby girl a few weeks ago and called her Molly*. 

“The problem is one of the other girls in the group, for years, has spoken about how if she ever had a baby girl, she would call her Molly – it is now World War Three in the friend group.” 

The woman said she told her friends you can’t “claim a name” - especially when the other friend is not pregnant and “not even in a relationship”. 

“The group has now divided in two and the girl whose name was robbed is genuinely hurt,” she said. 

“At a time when one of our friends just had her first baby, I think the focus should be elsewhere.” 

Baby names

Writer Barbara Scully wholeheartedly agreed that the priority is the new baby, not the ‘robbed’ name. 

“This is the most stupid argument and thing to fall out over,” she said. 

“If you're going to fall out with them, fall out with them over something big and important.” 

Barbara said you simply cannot “copyright” a name. 

“That's crazy, especially since the one who has claimed the name isn't even pregnant,” she said. 

“Even if the other woman does get pregnant, if she does have a girl child, and she does call her Molly – the chances of the two Molly children being friends is very, very low. 

“The chances of the imaginary Molly going to school in a class where there's loads of Mollies are actually much higher.” 

'Partly culpable'

Broadcaster Declan Buckley agreed with Barbara – but he pointed out that the new mother should have known names are something important to her friend. 

“You could just at least have that chat in advance?” he said. 

“You kind of walked into that one and you're kind of partly culpable. 

“People have these visions in their head of their future, and to see somebody else taking that path or whatever can be infuriating.” 

Declan also pointed out he went to school with “52 Seans” - so the friends will be able to deal with two Mollies.