2 babies within family, similar names

HmmGrey - I think you’ve made the right decision. Give it to her as a middle name?

I didn’t use my favourite name - which I loved SO MUCH - for my eldest (for various reasons). I thought I’d always be sad about it, and it took me until she was 6 weeks old to find another. But I didn’t feel that sad in the end - it was the new baby hormones. The name I didn’t use feels totally wrong now. I have zero regrets.

Whatever you choose to call your daughter will eventually feel so right that you won’t be able to imagine her called anything else.

It’ll probably be a story you tell her one day: “I nearly called you Ria”. She’ll probably love to hear about it and think it’s funny and unable to imagine herself as a Ria!

If you knew your sister's choice beforehand, maybe subconsciously, that is why it "clicked". Because it sounded familiar.

I think that is a really sensible idea! If you need any ideas I'm sure we can all help. I really hope you find a name you love and glad that your family relations won't be affected.

Nobody can help unless we know the names. If your sister reads the thread she will know anyway.
Just call DD something you like

Your dd isn't even called 'Ria' yet and it's causing problems.
Down the line you may regret calling her that name.

Choose another name.

Oh hang on, did you know her choice was 'Reena' before you changed your name from 'Mia' to 'Ria'? That definitely changes things.

A lot of people seem to have missed that Mia/Ria aren't the names. It's just any popular combo. Could be Sienna/Brienna etc etc.

I agree with @Owlbert. When you decided on "Ria", did you know that "Reena" was your sisters only choice for a girl? If so, I don't think you can use "Ria". Either go with "Mia" or name change and post the real names on the baby name board and I guarantee people will come up with similar names you haven't thought of

If you knew your sister's choice was 'Reena' before you gave birth and your sister was 100% set on the name with no alternatives I would not use 'Ria'.
If your sister had not been pregnant at the same time as you I would have said go for it!
I think your sister will hold it against you if you choose 'Ria' and she has to change her chosen name (she would have to or it would look like and people would constantly assume she was the copycat rather than you) then I don't think your close relationship would ever quite be the same.
If I were you I would go back to the drawing board!

Mia is used a lot in your opinion (I only know one Mia, in dds class have never met or heard of another) or upset your sister. It is unreasonable of her to be upset.

My choice would be use my original choice Mia.

Boy in our street has lovely and unusual name. His new neighbour moved in, boy same age and same name. You could miss out on Mia, annoy your sister and still not have the only Ria in the school.

Fwiw though, I know sisters named Melanie and Melissa. Nobody bats an eyelid.

Oh this is a tricky one...

On the one hand, why would you let something like your second choice name come between you and your sister? It's just a name. But then she isn't being terribly gracious. Many people would have quietly changed their name choice without mentioning, seeing as your DD is already here. Seems to be a bit of territorialness on both sides, which I understand.

Sorry, that's really unhelpful!

Your sister will surely be able to recognise your situation from this post even without the names!

The PP who outlined the 3 options is very helpful. These really are your only options (aside from you both rechoosing).

Which one are you going to pick?

I personally think you should both just go ahead and pick the names you like and if they are similar then who really cares. People will forget about it, the kids will have their own characters and possibly their own nicknames, it will be a funny story etc. You both chose them independently at the same time so there's not a clear answer as to who should "win". Any other solution will leave someone feeling disgruntled for life!

There must be other names that you like...can you give us a clue as to what your tastes are so that we can suggest something? MN was instrumental in helping me find a name!

This happened with me and my sister and we were both pregnant with girls due within 4 weeks of each other. She wanted a name very similar to a name I had picked and we both agreed they were very similar, and she picked another name so I can understand your sister thinking that they are very similar and being hesitatant for you both to use the names. However if you really really don't like anything else don't chose something else just for the sake of it then regret it. Does your sister not have any other ideas she can use? Who picked their name first?

I think it's probably quite an outing thread anyway from what you have already said so maybe more helpful to you to post the actual names so you get some more relevant opinions and maybe even ideas?
Did your sister know you were planning to go for Mia/Ria before now?

Gosh, you've backed yourself into a corner with this then op. You have 3 options to choose from:

1. Use your original choice but be unhappy about it being more popular than you'd like

2. Use your second choice and be unhappy with the tension with your sister and the similarity between the names

3. Choose a new name despite really not wanting too

None is ideal but it is what it is. TBH I'd go with option 3 and use my much loved first choice as a middle name.

What other names are there that you sort of like or what style? Maybe we can find you something...I know you've looked but you never know. How old is your baby and what have you been calling her so far...or just been calling her 'the baby'?

Everyone going on about whether they like Mia, Ria etc and none of them are even the actual names 😂

I think its hard to come up with alternatives for you when we don't know the actual names. So I guess if there is absolutely no other name out there that you like you're just gonna have to go with Ria as you've had you're baby first and you're sister will just have to get over it

OP you've really confused people by not using the actual names!

Go for the common one that was your first choice and you loved. Why do you need an uncommon name?

Why only Mia or Ria?

I prefer Mia of the two! And I think Ria is too close to Reena for cousins so close in age and as you say you are close to your sister.

As others have suggested Tia, Leah, Thea? Even Aria??

Thea? That's a lovely name.