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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Using a name again.

34 replies

poolblue · 16/01/2022 13:23

Does it matter if you use a name that you'd already used?

So first child is, say, William David James and plan for second boy is James Thomas Peter.

Having a discussion with a friend who thinks it's ok as third names aren't used very much and she really wishes she'd used James as a first name the first child.

Would anyone care and do you think the boys themselves would be bothered when they got older?

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VanillaAndOrange · 08/02/2022 21:49

I wouldn't do it personally, but it's not that uncommon and I think the more popular view is that it's perfectly OK. Even the Queen did it (one of Prince Andrew's names is Edward).

ZebraKid71 · 04/02/2022 21:22

My kids have this, it is my grandma's name and the eldest two both have it as their second middle name. We didn't like any other girls names as much so gave it to our dc3 as her first name - I like the link between them, plus it is more like she's named after my grandma than a "runner up" of her siblings. Other may not see it that way but it is a complete none issue for us.

Splashinginpuddles15 · 02/02/2022 20:23

I have the same middle name as my sister . I always loved that as a kid .

PaddleBoardingMomma · 27/01/2022 22:06

Both my daughters have the exact same middle names... because we let our eldest pick them and she wanted the baby to have the same as her 🤣

Liliatori · 27/01/2022 20:53

Absolutely fine!

Good luck

polavary · 27/01/2022 20:51

Totally fine

BooksAndHooks · 27/01/2022 20:49

Very much depends on their future relationship which you won’t know when naming. I know my husband hates having a recycled middle name of his golden child older brother.

ElliotGoss · 27/01/2022 20:25

I know sisters called Amy Catherine and her younger sister is called Catherine.
I also know 3 sisters with the same middle name as their mum said it will bond them when they get married and if they change their surnames.

Rache49 · 22/01/2022 17:17

Maybe as a Middle name but a different name for his first. I only use my Middle name on important forms. Each Child needs to be individual and their name is part of that.

irishfarmer · 19/01/2022 10:59

I think it's absolutely fine. I don't think it is lazy. People don't know how many DC they will have and if they will be DS/DD so could use both names they love on the 1st DS just in case they don't have another DS, they low and behold they do so they get to use it again.

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 18/01/2022 22:56

I actually have this. My eldest is new name, same name, new name, surname and my youngest is same name, new name, surname (Hope that makes sense!)

It’s a family name I wanted to use, and my youngest is known by a diminutive of the same name, so people may not even realise anyway.

Tulips21 · 17/01/2022 08:06

I know 2x siblings they have the names -

Elanor ffion

Ffion Elanor

wingsofabird · 17/01/2022 07:44

It's fine !!

BootsScootsAndToots · 17/01/2022 03:01

I think it's fine.

I knew sister's who were Joanna Kate Smith and Kate Joanna Smith. I thought it was sweet.

harriet465 · 17/01/2022 02:57

I gave DS a very special family name as a middle name would have been first name if DH would have agreed to it for DS1. Always said he chose DC1 and I choose DC2 name so if DC2 is a DS2 it will be his first name as it is too special not to use

Kite22 · 16/01/2022 23:24

I'm with Shmippy sounds like you couldn't be bothered with the younger child to me.
No, generally most people wouldn't know what their friend's older brother's middle name was, but for the people that do know, I think it sounds like you lacked any enthusiasm for the younger child.

There must be tens of thousands of feasible names, it seems a bit odd that you can't think of a couple that don't involve repeating one of the older sibling's names.

RedHot22 · 16/01/2022 23:19

Absolutely fine

We kind of did this with male/female versions

Synchrony · 16/01/2022 23:16

I think fine. I used my second favourite name as dc's middle as there's no guarantee that I'll have another of the same sex. Would be a shame to waste it! But if I have another dc I'd love it as a first name.

OtiMama · 16/01/2022 20:37

I think it's fine. One of my sons middle names I kind of regret not saving if we have another boy but I loved the name and we may never have another boy!

I don't think it means you can't be bothered to think of new names, just means you love the name!

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/01/2022 19:28

Nobody really remembers middle names anyway

Original poster
poolblue · 16/01/2022 19:21

@FayCarew

It's fine. Will DS3 be Peter?
I've not used the actual names, so no to Peter but I love the name and hope it comes back into fashion soon.
OP posts:
RoseMartha · 16/01/2022 19:10

Yes it is ok
I know some people who used a middle name of their second child as the first name of their third

mondler · 16/01/2022 19:07

I think it's fine and not many people will know their middle anyhow.

FayCarew · 16/01/2022 18:52

It's fine.
Will DS3 be Peter?

tarheelbaby · 16/01/2022 18:24

Ask Kate!

Seriously, I know friends who have had this dilemma and used 1st child's middle name as other child's first. I think it's all how you spin it. My suggestion was 'we liked it so much we named you both it' and it can be a link between them. Another friend named her girls all the same middle name for the same reason - to give them a link.