Bitch stole my name.

Think of it as baby name etiquette. When it comes to choosing a name for your child (or future child), what are the rules?

You like the name Josh, but that’s the name your greengrocer gave his third. You’ve always been partial to Sarah, but that’s the name of your best friend’s sister. And your neighbour’s dog.

Pippa’s always been top of your list, but last week at dinner, you overheard another friend saying she’s already had the letters P-I-P-P-A stitched into a quilt for safe keeping.

It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s the kind of first world problem that could make or break a friendship.

And so it should probably come as no surprise that expectant mums are “bags-ing” their chosen baby names in a defensive move to stop other mums from stealing ‘their’ name.

This week The Herald Sun reported:

IT was once top secret, but expectant mums are increasingly revealing the name they have chosen for their unborn child to deter friends from choosing the same one.

Social researcher Mark Mccrindle said women were becoming more protective when it came to baby names and taking measures such as including the preferred moniker on invitations and checking if there was a Twitter account in that name.

‘‘Parents are putting more effort into ensuring their baby’s uniqueness and that their baby is the only one within a circle of friends with that name,’’ the Sydney researcher said.

But it’s not just expectant parents who are claiming names faster than medicare rebates. There’s a whole team of one-day-when-I-have-a-baby name thieves out there, claiming the names they’ve picked out for the children they might have one day.

So is this okay? Can people call dibs on a name and expect no one to touch it? And close do you have to be to that person to have an obligation to respect that claim?

I’m not sure, but just for the record…. I’m calling dibs on Lola.

Do you think it’s okay for parents to reserve a baby name? And what’s the etiquette around naming your baby (or future baby) if someone you already know has the same name – or their kid does?  Have you ‘reserved’ a name yet?