Can I use Elizabeth if I already have an Isabella?

I think its fine - I didn't know they came from the same root until 6 minutes ago! Unless you are actually Spanish I think its not an issue. I've known people with John and Sean or Billy and Liam but I only know that because I am Irish, and even then, its their kids and a name is a name not a word to be translated.

As to the cousins having the same name, that wouldn't be an issue - they don't see each other and if she's called Libby and your DD is Eliza then they're not called the same name!

If you're really concerned, christen (or legally name, you know what I mean) her another name with Elizabeth as a middle name, and call her Elizabeth, or just christen her Eliza if that's the nn you'd use most anyway.

I also don't see why you shouldn't give your DD the same name as her cousin. One of my friends named her DD after her grown up neice.

In Wales Catrin and Cadi have the same meaning yet I know of quite a few siblings with these names.

Isabella and Elizabeth are both different sounding names, although I do agree that Izzy and Lizzy are not v. good nn, might be cutesy to begin with but could get v. annoying for your eldest v. quickly.

If Elizabeth is a name you a OH love then go with it.

I don't think you can name your child the same name as her cousin. Even if you don't see the other little girl, your child's grandparents will and circumstances may change in the future. Your daughter is likely, I would've thought, to meet her cousin at least once...

...basically naming your children with two or more versions of the same name just sounds uneducated/like you didn't bother to look it up before using it.

not the worst thing ever, but annoying for sure. i would find it embarrassing and irritating to find out that i basically have the same name as my sibling

Hamish is the Scots Gaelic version of James (though I understand it's incorrect -- something to do with case in Gaelic I think? but widely used). Seamus is the Irish Gaelic version.

Diego and Iago are Spanish versions of James.

James itself is an English version of the Hebrew Jacob (Yaakov)...

...most Biblical (and saints') names have a variety of transliterations and versions in different languages. Since they obviously come from languages (Hebrew and Greek) that don't use the Roman alphabet.

www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/James

How are James, Hamish and Diego the same name???

I think it's fine. They're different enough.

Not like a family I know where the boys are called Freddy and Alfie!

They are the same name.

It would be like naming your sons James, Hamish and Diego.

Please don't, it's really silly.

I would be put off by them both being variations on the same name.

What' has similar sounds to Eliza, or is traditional like Elizabeth, that you could use instead? Louisa, Alyssa, Elodie, Annelisa, Emma, Charlotte, Abigail, Catherine?

I wouldn't because the names are too similar and because although your niece is not around she is still your PIL grandchild and two grandchildren with exactly the same name is daft.

IMO they are too similar. There is the option of calling her Beth etc, but then it seems a bit pointless if you really like the name Elizabeth (I do too) to call her that only to actually use a nn all the time. I would use it as a middle name and find another one. It's a shame about how it worked out with your relatives, but sometimes these things happen and you can't predict what will go on further down the line with people moving away. They might have become best friends!

My two girls have similar names, but I don't care, I love both their names! They won't be at school together, and will live their own independent lives so I don't see the big deal (they also have 3 brothers so when saying all their names together not so bad). Mine are Lana (long aaah sound) and Zanna (like hannah). I asked advice before I named DD2 and people said no they are too similar but went with it anyway. Your names aren't as similar as mine, so I say go for it!!

Plus, with the age gap between them, they are never going to be in the same school and won't often be doing the same things.

I had a similar thing when naming my second child. THe names both have the same first syllable and are, essentially, a male and female version of the same name..though DS has 1 syllable and DD has 2.

In the end I went for it (well, we went for it but OH didn't see the problem so it was getting me on board) for the following reasons:

1. I liked the name and didn't like any other names as much
2. Someone pointed out they wouldn't be paired up all their lives - at most they'd be known as siblings P & P for their school days but generally speaking they are independent people, not a pair so it really doesn't matter how their names sound together
3. It meant something to us - the name was OH's brother's name who only lived for a month and our DS was born in the same months as OH's brother but 25 years later.

I'm an Isobel and often get called Elizabeth when people mishear my name. That might happen less to an Isabella, but it just goes to show how similar the names actually are, even subconsciously, to people who don't actually realised they're the 'same'.

It's definitely a no from me. Plus you'll get tired of people saying, 'didn't you realise...'

I'm multilingual and Spanish is one of my languages, so I see them as being the same name, so it's a no for me.

For anyone wondering how Isabel was born from Elisabeth, they don't have a 'th' sound in Spanish, so the name became Elisabel, which in turn got streamlined to Isabel. Elisabel is still used but is very rare.

Anyway, that aside, I feel the same about John and Jack, as well as Hannah and Grace (Hannah is the Hebrew world for Grace). Should never be paired with each other or used for sibling sets IMHO.

They could also be Bella and Betsy, or Bella and Betty. But Izzy and Eliza work fine, I think.

I didn't know they are the same, though thinking about it now, makes sense :o
I wouldn't see a problem, esp if you are thinking of Eliza for nn

I think it's fine, though i personally feel Isabella is a much nicer name than elizabeth. Lizzy isn't the only nn, there is Lily, Beth, Eliza, Betty, Betsy. There are loads of names, if you really like the name than use it, you will regret it if you don't.

lillibet? That's the queens nickname isn't it?

I doubt if many people would be aware that they are variations of the same name. I wasn't till you mentioned it. If you are worried about the Izzy and Lizzy thing, you could shorten the LO's name to Beth, Betty or Betsy.