Giving baby same name as old family pet?

If you like the name, use it. I named my first puppy after my first grade teacher. I loved them (my teacher and my dog) and I loved the name. Twenty-five years later I give my first daughter the same name -- I still loved it. (Of course, both teacher and dog were long gone, but I remember them both fondly.)

When we were expecting DS1, I had one of our previous cat’s names on my girl shortlist (Tabby). DH was not keen and we decided on something else. We had a boy (then another boy, then another boy) so it turned out to be a moot point.

My in laws have had several dogs with human names and always find it hilarious when a baby is ‘named after their dog’. Someone in the extended family did this very recently, I doubt he even met the dog, (also dog has also been dead for about 10 years!) but nonetheless they’ve commented on it. I thought it was absolutely bizarre when I first met them, but have become acclimatised to this particular quirk (and to be fair, I’m sure they think I’m an absolute fruit loop some of the time but are too polite to say)

My husband had a family cat growing up called Phoebe.
I absolutely love that name. We have said for past couple of years between ourselves if we ever had a girl that's the name we would like. He doesnt relate it to his old cat it was many years ago. But his nan got a puppy about 12 months ago and called her Phoebe .
We are currently 6 weeks pregnant so obviously no idea if boy or girl etc ... but would it still be weird to have the name Phoebe for a girl now ?? X

My DGD is named after a dearly missed family cat. DGD knows and is quite happy about it because she understands that cat was special to us, was loved and regarded as a member of our family.

I think Alfie and Archie are a bit boring and uninteresting to be honest

My DD has the name of a cat I used to have and my DS has the name of a dog my aunt used to own years ago.

They’re very unusual names so all the family thought of the animals when I first announced the names but I like them and that’s all that matters

To be completely honest, I think both names are better on a dog. Sorry.

I would not like it if I found out that I had been named the pet's name.

And Alfie is pretty awful and will sound like a dated trend 10 years from now.

Not keen on Archie or Alfie. Both are fine for a dog.

Both are very, very popular (2 of each in daughter's nursery). I wouldn't expect that to change with the royal baby. Pick which ever one you like most.

I also opened the dogs Christmas present by accident once

I think this is fine. My uncle aunt and cousin called their pet after me when I was aged about 6 or 7. That was weird and made family occasions very confusing when they'd always be talking/shouting at the dog.

My sister named her daughter the same as our old childhood dog (long dead by the time my niece came around) - I think it was the name our parents would have used if they had had a third daughter. It's a nice name, more human than canine, and I don't think anyone has been bothered by it.

I don't like it at all. At some point, the child is going to find out, and if that had been me, I would find it insulting and a little bit degrading, that I ranked the same as an animal in my parents' opinion. Some people might be fine with it, but some wouldn't, and you have no way of knowing which your child will be when they grow up.

Find another name.

I think it would be sweet! I bet your son would like it as a little boy - you could show him other Alfie! It's the kind of thing a child would enjoy and maybe even be almost proud of! a beloved family pet isn't a bad link. Pets are family members too!

I knew a woman who gave her children the names of her best friend's cats: Charlie and Coco. Everyone was a bit at first, but then everyone forgot about it.

I prefer the name Alfie to Archie, and If you really like it, then you should go for it.

I love the name Hazel ( little brown nut) who was my first dog but OH thought it was horrible and vetoed 😡
If you both like it use it. Actually we had a dog called Ned too. I'd use that in a heartbeat.

My friend was named after a dog her parents once had. Go for it.

I went to school with 2 sisters.. one had a puppy and called it Henri then her sister not long after had a baby boy and called him Henry! I think its bloody weird. But if its an "old" family pet name i don't see it as strange x

I know someone who has a baby and a dog with the same name.

My mum has a still alive and wellSpringer spaniel called oscar. It's the only boys name I like, I've been through thousands and I just cant find one I like other than Oscar.

I just absolutely know I'm going to have a boy for this exact reason

When life gives you lemons, just name your child the family pet name and it will get mentioned approximately 4 times then noone will care.

We named our son the same name as a beloved family cat (he’d been dead for years mind), whose name I’d picked as a teenager (should have saved it for future children). No one batted an eyelid however and it’s not been an issue at all despite my reservations so I’m glad we went for it. Unfortunately I also named our beloved female family cat one of my favourite girl’s names and kicked myself for doing so when I later had a girl. Needless to say I did not use that name for my daughter. Would have been a step too far

It's fine. I wouldn't think twice about it.

We did it, it was fine.