Is it ever acceptable to call your DC the same name as your pet? DH thinks yes..

[gaelicsheep]

.. I think probably not really. Although unfortunately we used up a favourite girls' name on the cat and now we're really struggling. She won't be around for that many more years. Would you?

Another one in the same vein, but less worthy of a thread title. Has anyone stolen a middle name of their first DC to name their second, for the same reason as the above?!

[SqueezyB]

if you still have the cat, I think not - surely that would just be really strange!? Though I am considering a name for DC2 that was our cat's name when I was a child, but at least not many people know that apart from me!

Stealing MN from DC1 is ok though, I reckon.

[EightiesChick]

If we'd had a DD (or if we go on to have) one of my favourite names would be the name of our much-missed cat who died 2 years ago. DH and I discusse it when I was pregnant but didn't think we could do it, but I do still really like it. I do know some people who gave their DS a middle name which I swear was their cat's name (it was not a 'usual' first name, let's say) but then they had chosen unusual names for all their kids.

I would also feel a bit bad about the reusing middle name scenario. We only discussed middle names that we were thinking about specifically as middle names, not first names, for this reason. The exception might be if it was a family name that linked your DC together.

[Goingspare]

I used to think it was a bit odd, and told a friend about someone I used to know who named her first-born after the family cat. My friend paused for a beat, and said, 'So did I'.

Then I realized it's about the name - you call your pet by your favourite name then you want to use it again for your baby. I had some vague idea that the baby was being named as a tribute to the cat...

So now I think it's fine.

Unless it's Tiddles, obviously.

[Goingspare]

I should add that in both cases, the cat was still around (which, had I though about it, I actually knew in the case of my friend ).

[gaelicsheep]

Never assume you're not having another DC, that's the moral here I think.

Why oh why is it so hard to choose a decent name?

[Goingspare]

Yes, blowing all your best names on the first creature that rolls up is a common mistake.

[vaganova]

No, I'd find it really odd to use one of my pets' names, especially if said pet was deceased.

[TigerFeet]

i completely misunderstood the thread title

i thought you were on about accidentally calling your dc's by the family pets name in a bit of a confused sleep deprived kinda way

something i have done myself

[gaelicsheep]

Yes, that is a good point. Once she pops her clogs it might feel a bit weird. Perhaps we could change her name?

[qwerty123]

I actually think it would be OK to use your cat's name. It's a name you both love afterall and that's really important. If you decide to go for it, just make your mind up not to let it bother you.

However, I wouldn't use the middle name of your first child as a first name. Go for something different.

[Amapoleon]

Why don't you just change your cats name to puss?

[ilovepiccolina]

Well, we named DD the same name as the ILs' dog. They were very at the time, but it just happened to be the name I had always wanted for when I had a DD.

The dog has been dead for a long time now, so no probs. ('Twasn't Fido )

[gaelicsheep]

TBH, said cat's name has already been unofficially changed to "bloody cat" - DS called her that in front of my mum once.

[Amapoleon]

Hehehehe

[Willabywallaby]

I realised a few years after naming DS1 that he shared the name with the hamster I had when I was 10. Also the name of DH's Aunt's horse, and his Grandpa (the real reason he has that name)

[Goingspare]

Problem solved.

[Magaly]

you have to wait for the cat to die, or re_name the cat. it wont notice. people will think it's odd if they know so you could say "eh no the cat's name was rover you must be confused, we wouldn't name our daughter after the cat"

or you could pick another name!?

[isittooearlyforgin]

i loved oscar but the cat already had that name. Sadly, since having children i can not bear either of the cats, I can only manage to look after the human beings in my life, let alone furry mammals

[EvilTwins]

DT1 has the same name as the cat we had when I was a teenager. I didn't exactly name her after the cat. My Dad thinks I did though One of my friends gave her DD the same name as a pet budgie she had as a child. But then, she named the budgie after a girl she met on holiday, so I suppose really her DD is named after the holiday girl...

[gaelicsheep]

Oh dear, I don't know what we're going to do whichever sex the baby turns out to be. I'm too scared to post a list of possible names in case they're all dreadful. Then we'll really be stuck!

One name (not the cat's) popped into my head very early on in pregnancy before I had any inkling of the baby's sex. I don't know where it came from and it won't go away - is that a sign d'ya reckon?

[Goingspare]

Yes of course it's a sign. Go on, do tell.

[gaelicsheep]

I just can't - it'd be a massive anticlimax when you all say "oh no, don't use that!". I'm not even sure I like it that much yet. It's not that amazing, just weird that it popped right in there out of nowhere. Ideally I'd like a name with an association - p'raps not so overt as the cat mind - DS's has a meaning to me. This one doesn't really - it's most strange.

[qwerty123]

Spill the beans!

[lotster]

Ha ha, both me my husband had a family pet dog with the same name as our son now has!!

Ours was the best dog ever, my best friend as a child. Although in my mind I can completely seperate the two names now.

[gaelicsheep]

Oh OK then. But I'm not divulging which is the surprise and which is the cat's (you can guess if you like) and there are a couple of others for good measure. The boy's list is nowhere near as advanced :

Cara
Megan
Robin
Simone