One woman changed her name but didn't reveal it to anyone for five years, all because of her parents and their "weird" obsession.
Our name is something we're given at birth and don't have any control over, but luckily when we get older we can take matters into our own hands.
I'm not saying my name is outrageous - if anything it's really mundane, but I do wonder if I'd be happier if I called myself Max Power or Optimus Prime.
Probably not, and I'd probably get laughed at... but anyway, I digress.
One woman recently took to Reddit to ask for advice after she changed the name that she was given at birth.
The woman, referred to as OP (original poster), hinted at her parents' strong political affiliations, labeling them as "massive republicans and America lovers," suggesting that their name choices might have been influenced by patriotism.
She began the post: "My parents decided to name my sister and I after American states. I have permission to share her name (Arizona) and I was called Pennsylvania at birth. Yea, my parents are weird.
"I guess they thought geographical names were cool but I think there's a huge difference between calling your child Arizona or Dakota or Paris Vs Pennsylvania."
Despite her parents' insistence on using her full name, the woman confessed to facing ridicule and mockery throughout her childhood due to the unconventional moniker.
She recounted instances where her parents would reprimand her teachers for allowing her to go by the nickname "Penny."
However, the turning point came when she reached the age of 21 and legally changed her name to Penelope, a decision influenced by her college years where she predominantly went by "Penny."
Keeping her new identity under wraps for years, she decided it was time to reveal the truth to her family, especially with her wedding on the horizon.
Despite her efforts to break the news gently, her parents reacted negatively, accusing her of disrespect and criticizing her decision.
They refused to attend her wedding, leaving the woman's sister, who is also her maid of honor, caught in the middle.
"They think that I should've had the courage to be honest with them years ago so they would've had time to get used to it, instead of me dropping the news on them two months before my wedding and causing all this drama," she said.
People overwhelmingly supported the woman, with one person commenting: "What I've come to realize is that that generation sees respect as, respect me rather than we should all respect each other.
"They don't see that them demanding that you keep the name they pick, even to your detriment, is a form of disrespect. They don't see them choosing to skip your wedding as disrespect."
A second person said: "If your parents spent 13 years of your school life trying to force everyone to call you 'Pennsylvania,' I suspect they would have spent the past 5 making you miserable for changing your name. Hence, your silence."
