A woman has spoken out after her in-laws repeatedly used a different name for her, despite being told countless times what her actual name is. The woman, named Rynn, said her in-laws have decided to call her Katherine instead, and have even introduced her to friends using the wrong name.
In-laws insist Rynn is a nickname
Taking to Reddit, Rynn explained that her in-laws believe Rynn is simply a nickname for Katherine, despite it being her full name. She wrote: "My name is Rynn. Just Rynn. Not Katherine. But ever since my in-laws have met me, they have gotten the idea that my actual name is Katherine and Rynn is just a nickname."
Rynn said she asked them not to introduce her or tell people that was her name, but they always went back to it. She and her husband took a break from them when it continued, and they apologized and seemed to do better.
Birthday party joke backfires
However, when the family gathered to celebrate her mother-in-law's birthday, several friends approached Rynn and asked if she was Katherine. Realising her mother-in-law had again told people a different name, Rynn decided to respond with humour rather than anger.
She explained: "We were invited to celebrate with them and a couple of her friends came up to me and asked if I was Katherine. I decided to get a little bit jokey instead of annoyed and played up on it, saying mother-in-law is so forgetful and that I was so sorry she told them the wrong name. That I'll need to write my name on everything she owns so they don't forget."
The joke went down well with the friends, who found it funny but admitted it was strange. However, Rynn's in-laws were not laughing. She eventually told them to stop telling people her name was Katherine, reminding them it was not something they could choose for her.
Reddit users side with Rynn
Rynn added: "They claim I was rude and that it was awful for me to try and embarrass them in front of their friends by joking with mother-in-law's friends. My husband told them they should have listened. But they are saying I took it too far and maybe I did."
Unsure whether she had gone too far, Rynn turned to social media to ask other users if she was in the wrong. Reddit users were quick to question why her in-laws were blaming her for an embarrassing situation they had created themselves.
One person wrote: "How are they unaware that they're embarrassing both you and themselves in front of their friends? It's a basic of decent manners to get people's names right, to the best of one's abilities, whenever possible. I like your sense of humour."
Another user added: "Took it too far? She's introducing and calling you by the wrong name. Just start calling them a different name and see how they like it." A third suggested taking the joke further if the behaviour continued, saying: "I suggest you increase the dose to accomplish the wished effect: next time it repeats, it's not plain forgetfulness, it's a disorder still to be diagnosed that has you and your husband concerned."
