Somebody stole my name......can I/should I still use it??

[HeathersMummy]

Ok, so my baby is due on Hogmanay and after struggling for my whole pregnancy to choose names, DH and I finally decided (2 days ago) on Isla for a girl and Ewan for a boy. Got a text today, colleague at work has just had a baby girl and named her Isla - how dare they steal my name!!! Question is this.....do you think it is ok still to name my baby Isla if it's a girl? DH thinks I'm just being silly, it's my favourite name - and the baby might be a boy anyway.

[dustystar]

Go for it - its a work colleague after all not a family member. Lovely names by the way

[stillstanding]

I think the only time you have to back off is if it is a close member of your family. Otherwise you really really must choose your favourite name. Work colleague definitely no reason to change course - stick with Isla!

[NorthernLurker]

I agree with your dh - you are being silly! Names are not like unlocked porsches - they can't just be stolen. You are never going to get a unique name unless you totally make it up (and then your child will hate you so not a great solution!) Isla is a lovely name and if it suits your wee one when she arrives then you should use it. Unless you live with your work colleague it's unlikely to cause any problems! If you want to go for something different - what about Iona, Ida, Ailsa or Elsa?

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

there have been many many threads like this lately. and i have to say it AGAIN....

ISLA IS THE NAME I PICKED SO BACK OFF!!!!

(you do realize taht there are going to be 8million Islas around next year!)

it's a gorgeous name (obviously) go for it!

[HeathersMummy]

Gosh, you lot are quick off the mark tonight .
Glad you all agree with DH, I love the name Isla and it's the only girls name we can agree on.
Isla or Ewan it is then....roll on 31st Dec (or whenever )

[conkertree]

yes go for it - you may not be in that job forever but your dd (if its a dd) will have the name for ever so choose your favourite.

[MerlinsBeard]

names aren't exclusive, if you want it, use it

[TheNewsMonger]

It's just a colleague, not a friend or a relative. I'd use it if it's really the name you love, but make that clear to her.

"It's a little unfortunate we had both decided on the same name." but shrug, like she's inconsequential really and you're not that bothered if she wants to flatter herself by believing you copied her.

Isla is lovely by the way.

I advised a poster not to use a similar name to her sister's child, but this is different. Totally different.

[BlueChampagne]

I agree - stick with it, but maybe explain to her that you decided on it independently, and have a laugh about it.

[PeachyAndTheSucklingBas]

I used the same name as my close coleague- and happily mditted I'd nicked it opff ehr (but as was Sam was ahrdy unusual)

If you ahd it already planned doubly not-an-issue

[frazzledoldbag34]

Just say to her 'You have such good taste! That's the name we've picked for this baby if it's a girl".
She can't be anything but flattered.
(lovely choice by the way)

[kitsmummy]

Gosh I know of another Isla born this week. It's a lovely name, go for it

[falcon]

I don't see the problem with you using it. And you can't steal a name, unless you've copyrighted it, unlikely, then anyone is free to use it.

[HeathersMummy]

"steal" was just a turn of phrase - I know it's not just my name .
Thanks for all your support ladies, it's a fella at work whose baby has been named Isla. We obviously both have good taste

[TheNewsMonger]

Isla May be like Ruby and Freya. It might suddenly leap from outside the top 100 to one of the top 20 names in the space of 3 yrs.

BUT I still like it.

[2point4kids]

Same thing happened to me at work with DS1.
I just said 'oh good choice thats what I'm calling mine too!'
Wasnt a problem.
I dont work there any more and the children have never crosse dpaths!

[mickeylou]

if you love it then dont let that put you off. you dont want to spend the rest of your life thinking "i wish i called her isla."

[branflake81]

Half of my office have daughters called Isabel. It really doesn't matter.

[PixieMoon]

Just after I was born a colleague of my parents asked if they minded them calling their daughter the same as me, which they didn't. My name is very common now, but apparently at the time my parents thought it was very unusual and old-fashioned - although they did live on a small island!

I've only met the other 'me' once when we were teenagers, and it was a nice story to bond over.

[cheesesarnie]

my step sister called her ds same as ds1.

the name isnt your name.you do realise there are others dont you?(so actually you are stealing there name)

[cheesesarnie]

pixie what is it?i like your mn name!please tell me your called pixiemoon in rl?!

[PixieMoon]

Sadly not just my hippy alter-ego

I'm an Emma - mum got it from The Avengers, apparently, backed up by a love of Austen. She'd never met an Emma in real-life.

There were about 4 of us in primary school I think!

[oysterpots]

In my work one of my colleagues called her DD the same as another colleague's DD, and now that colleague has named DD2 the same name as her maternity cover person. Bit weird I think but there we go OP your situation is very different, think it's fine.