The Bert Show – Vault: His Best Friend Wants To Steal His Kid's Name!
Release Date: February 12, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, The Bert Show team tackles a surprisingly heated topic: baby name “theft” within close friend circles. Listener Travis calls in for advice after discovering his lifelong best friend is planning to give his soon-to-be-born son almost the same name as Travis’s 8-year-old – with only a one-letter difference. The conversation unpacks feelings of betrayal, boundaries in friendships, and whether this is a genuine slight or an overreaction. The hosts, Travis, and audience callers take sides, making for a funny, authentic, and at times cathartic debate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Travis’s Dilemma: The Case of the ‘Borrowed’ Baby Name

• Travis shares backstory:

  • He and his best friend have been tight for 17 years; their families vacation together.
  • Travis named his son “Brody” eight years ago.
  • Now, his friend is expecting a baby, and via the friend group grapevine, Travis learns they’re naming the new baby “Brodyn” (pronounced “Brody”).
  • Travis feels this is blatantly copying his son’s name (01:57–03:06).

• Rationalization vs. Reality:

  • The best friend justifies it by saying, “It’s different, we added an N!”
  • Travis sees this as denial and feels the essence of the name (and even the nickname) is identical.
  • Quote: “You could put Bob on the birth certificate, but if you’re calling him Brody, I don’t care what you wrote down.” – Travis (03:09)

• Group Dynamics:

  • The couple’s extended friend group has mixed reactions; most are trying not to “stir the podcast” and keep things smooth (03:48–04:30).
  • Travis’s wife supports him, saying it’s “jacked up, especially 'cause it’s not that common of a name” (05:51).

Is Travis Overreacting?

• Defending the Name:

  • The hosts side with Travis, calling the friend's move a “straight jack” and “insulting.”
  • Co-host: “It’s a sacred thing, a name.” (03:26)
  • Host echoes the disconnect: “He’s been around your kid for eight years and the name has been thrown around now for eight years. He straight up stole your name, right?” (03:35)

• Travis’s Fairness:

  • Travis says he’d be fine if the friend admitted to copying because he genuinely liked the name, but the denial irks him more than the act itself (05:19).

• Wider Reactions:

  • Some called in to say Travis is overreacting, including Larry:
    • “Dude, suck it up. If he’d come to you wanting to name the kid Travis, you’d be honored.” – Larry (06:21)
  • Travis disagrees, arguing honor only applies if the child is being named after a person, not just “jacking” an existing kid’s name (06:25).

• The Spousal Influence Theory:

  • Travis and the hosts speculate the friend’s wife is driving the name choice.
  • Host: “At the end of the night, your best friend has to go share the bed with his wife, not with you. I think you’re overreacting, buddy.” (07:44–08:19)
  • Travis’s wife notes that a woman wouldn’t snag a best friend's kid’s name, implying it’s different because the men are the friends (08:18).

How Big of A Deal Is This, Really?

• Host & Co-Host Split:

  • Most audience callers minimize the drama – “get over it” becomes a repeated refrain (09:19–09:34).
  • Host and co-host insist it’s a bigger deal, particularly with a unique name:
    • Co-host: “Especially when it’s a unique name … if it were John or Michael, something more common, but something that’s unique like that…that’s so weak, really.” (09:09)

• Advice, Humor & Petty Payback:

  • Suggestions to cope:
    • Refuse to acknowledge the new Brody by that name; “Just call him Kevin.” (07:36)
    • Refer to the child just as “N” to highlight the difference (09:47).
    • Playfully invent variations for other group kids to point out the silliness (10:01–10:13).

• Shared Experiences:

  • Caller April commiserates:
    • “Basically, the same thing happened to me…and after the baby’s born…we kind of just call each other’s kids different nicknames.” (08:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Denial and Denial:
  • “He justified it, I think, by throwing an N on it, which is basically a made up name, because you can’t even find that name on a website or a coffee mug.” – Travis (02:53)
• On Friendship Boundaries:
  • Co-host: “It’s a sacred thing, a name. In a group of friends, you don’t want two of them to have the same name.” (03:26)
• On Wanting Honesty:
  • “Be upfront. If you wanted to say, ‘hey man, we can’t think of a name and we just want it, we’re going to copy it and it’s a cool name…’ I’d be like, ‘it is what it is.’” – Travis (05:19)
• On the Spousal Power:
  • Host: “…at the end of the night, your best friend has to go share the bed with his wife, not with you.” (07:44)
• Humor In Frustration:
  • “I think you should always refer to his son as N. Just N.” (09:47)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:43 – Travis introduces his friendship and the dilemma
• 02:50 – Specifics about the name spelling and the friend’s justification
• 03:26 – Co-host asserts the “sacredness” of names among friends
• 05:19 – Travis discusses what would have made him feel respected
• 06:21 – First caller challenges Travis to “suck it up”
• 07:44 – Host and Travis discuss the likely influence of the wives
• 08:36 – Caller April shares a similar story and resolution
• 09:09 – Co-host stresses uniqueness as a factor in the dispute
• 09:47 – Hosts joke about only calling the new baby “N”
• 10:01–10:13 – Lighthearted riff on spelling and alternate name variations

Tone & Final Takeaways

The Bert Show’s style is warm, funny, and just a little irreverent. Travis is earnest and conflicted, seeking validation. The hosts, while empathizing with his frustration, keep the energy light—poking fun at the absurdity while also validating both sides. Audience calls bring real-world perspectives, often downplaying the rift but acknowledging how tricky these social boundaries can be when it comes to close friends and family.

Final word:

• The majority may say “get over it,” but The Bert Show agrees: baby names are personal—especially among friends—and honesty is always the best policy.