A mum is regretting her baby name choice after her own sister told her it sounds like a popular dog food brand - but she's struggling to come up with an alternative16:05, 28 Jun 2026Updated 16:05, 28 Jun 2026Choosing the perfect baby name isn't always easy. The first port of call for many parents is to decide whether they want to give their child a traditional name or opt for something more unique. Once it's settled, the task at hand is usually to make sure that whatever name you pick doesn't leave your child with unfortunate nicknames.‌Making sure a name isn't easily mocked by adults and children alike is usually something which is more important when you've picked a unique moniker that people won't be used to hearing. And as one mum on social media has figured out, it could leave you regretting your choice down the road.‌In a post on Reddit, the mum said she is expecting her first child, and while she isn't sure of the gender yet, she knows if she has a girl, she wants to name her Pierina, as it holds significant family meaning.‌However, when she told her sister about the name, the other woman immediately said it was a bad idea - as some people may mispronounce the name as "Purina", which is a brand of dog food.She wrote: "My boyfriend and I are having our one and only child. We don't know the gender and don't want to know until delivery, so we are planning for a boy's and a girl's name. My boyfriend and I both love the girl's name Pierina. It's a family name on my side and means a lot to me.‌"My sister, on the other hand, is very against the name and says that everyone will pronounce it Purina like the dog food brand. Obviously, I hate the idea that she is probably right, but the truth is that's not how it's pronounced."Despite this being a family name for our family, it is starting to spread around, and other family members are cautioning me against this name. Advice needed, please! Is this name awful?"Commenters on the post were quick to offer their opinions, with some suggesting she use Pierina as a middle name, while others recommended using the shorter version, Piera, and saving Pierina as a special nickname.‌One commenter advised: "You can use it as a middle name. Your sister is right."Another responded: "Don't tell anyone the baby's name options until he/she is born. However, since you have now told us, I need to be honest. That's a terrible name."A third wrote: "Pronounced correctly, it's a pretty name. Unfortunately, unless you live in Italy, it won't be pronounced correctly (as you can see from the comments). I think using it as a middle name is your best bet, but Piera and Pia are also nice alternates."Article continues belowWhile a fourth person suggested: "[I would use] Piera. I suspect that Pierina is a diminutive form of Piera anyway. Then, mum can use Pierina as a special nickname."According to Nameberry, Piera is an Italian feminine name that originates from the Greek name Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone", conveying strength and stability.Pierina is a variant of the name Piera, with the added suffix "-ina" giving it a diminutive charm, effectively translating to "little Piera". This makes it a suitable nickname for a youngster named Piera.