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Baby names

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Original poster

Parents giving their children masculine/feminine form of their own name?

39 replies

Topazbutterfly · 18/05/2023 12:49

What do you think of parents giving their children a masculine/feminine form of their own name? For example Nigel Lawson and his daughter Nigella Lawson. Many thanks

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Original poster
Topazbutterfly · 30/05/2023 14:07

Would Henry and Henrietta, parent and child name, work for example as they're different names or are they too similar?

OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 24/05/2023 17:22

The worst example of this I've seen is Raymonda. Seriously.

Reugny · 24/05/2023 17:05

Coolblur · 24/05/2023 16:45

Willow and Jaden Smith are famous examples of this, parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith. At least both names are fine, but I think it's a bit odd to name your kids after yourself.

Will Smith's full name is Willard Carroll Smith II, which is the name of his dad.

Willows is Willow Camille Reign Smith.

So it is a thing in his family.

Reugny · 24/05/2023 17:03

winterbabyrose · 24/05/2023 16:26

Just jumping on this thread if that's okay, as I have a similar dilemma!

My DH is a Rory, but we both love the name Aurora for a girl. They wouldn't be named after him at all, but worried that the names are so similar that it would be perceived as such?!

I wouldn't really notice.

As they are both well-known names and it isn't an exact match.

(Though I don't like the name Aurora and told DP as we weren't married he wasn't calling our baby if it was a girl that. She is a girl and isn't called that. )

Coolblur · 24/05/2023 16:45

Willow and Jaden Smith are famous examples of this, parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith. At least both names are fine, but I think it's a bit odd to name your kids after yourself.

winterbabyrose · 24/05/2023 16:26

Just jumping on this thread if that's okay, as I have a similar dilemma!

My DH is a Rory, but we both love the name Aurora for a girl. They wouldn't be named after him at all, but worried that the names are so similar that it would be perceived as such?!

FayCarew · 22/05/2023 15:42

Unless you have the feminine version of a male name (Danielle, Philippa, Charlotte, Nicola, Caroline, Jane etc) not many female names will have a male version.

I don't think that anyone work clutch their pearls if you were a Felicity mother of Felix or something like that, unless it was two very similar names like Paula and Paul

Original poster
Topazbutterfly · 22/05/2023 14:10

Thank you for your comments everyone, there's been a realy mixed response. I had been thinking of using a masculine version of my name for baby, just because it's a name tha DH and I both like but might choose something different.

OP posts:
TheOtherHotstepper · 19/05/2023 13:41

Mochudubh · 18/05/2023 13:19

Thinking about it, in my Granny's day it was relatively common to name a first born after the father even if it was a girl. So women might be called Donaldina or Hectorina, esp in the west Highlands.

In our local cemetery, there is a lady who was called Roderickena!

Fifthtimelucky · 19/05/2023 10:59

I knew someone who called two of his children after himself.

So for example if he was called George, he called his eldest child Georgina, and one of his sons George. Oddly, perhaps, it was the youngest of his sons.

I always thought it was rather odd but the children were born in the 1920s so perhaps it was more common then.

ThomasinaLivesHere · 19/05/2023 08:18

ICMB · 18/05/2023 22:16

I think it’s sweet. My FIL is called Paul and I always said if I have a daughter I will call her Pauline

That’s different to naming the child after yourself. Obviously it’s not egotistical to name the child after someone else.

user1492757084 · 19/05/2023 07:40

I like the historic idea if the names are attractive, if the person is special and if the name is carried down from ages ago. I prefer the name to be the middle name.
A family connection is better than naming a child a top ten name that has no significance to family or a meaning that is inappropriate.
For example - Why use Noah, Theo, Olivia and Ava when the children might have a brilliant and attentive Aunt called Winsome or Arrietta or a Grandpa called Augustus or Wilbur?

ICMB · 18/05/2023 22:16

I think it’s sweet. My FIL is called Paul and I always said if I have a daughter I will call her Pauline

drpet49 · 18/05/2023 20:04

Luredbyapomegranate · 18/05/2023 13:23

It’s a naff thing to do, obviously.

This. Naff and chavvy

Spendonsend · 18/05/2023 20:01

I'm not offended by it particularly if they sound quite different. It seems less odd than passing on the exact same name.

I have two sons and We used family middle names honoring men. I sort of wish Id honoured the women too now.

junebirthdaygirl · 18/05/2023 19:51

I always think they were disappointed they had a girl so just stuck an A on and gave the poor girl the name they had planned for the son they were expecting.

Pinkbonbon · 18/05/2023 19:47

Narcissistic and self important.
The same as giving them the same name with 'junior'. Fine back in the day. Creepy now.

ChildrenOfTheQuorn · 18/05/2023 19:44

My name has a common masculine version... but I couldn't do it with a straight face. I'd be so embarrassed introducing a DS with it.

tallsmallmum · 18/05/2023 19:04

SilentParrot · 18/05/2023 12:53

Egotistical and unimaginative.

says you 🤷🏽‍♀️

Londonlady1423 · 18/05/2023 18:49

I like it, lovely way to pass on a family name. I definitely prefer it to having the same actual name, both my husband and mother have their parents exact names. Though I only like it if it's a real actual name not something made up but then I'm not a fan of the newer made up sounding names sorry!

OP are you planning to do this with your child?

ourflagmeansdeath · 18/05/2023 17:31

Like they did in the Roman times lol. Flavius and Flavia, Cornelius and Cornelia...that's all it reminds me of.

I think it's nicer to give your child their own name but it's fine if it's still a fairly distinct and slightly different name on its own.

mydogisthebest · 18/05/2023 15:33

Well at least Nigel and Nigella are slightly different. The dick Danny Dire calling his daughter Dani is pathetic

sillyonehetpes · 18/05/2023 15:26

Mochudubh · 18/05/2023 13:15

Dani Dyer?

I love it

ThomasinaLivesHere · 18/05/2023 15:10

I don’t like it. Like others say unimaginative and egotistical. I was named after my dad but I don’t think about it and often forget it. It’s not quite so obvious as some names. More like Nicholas / Nicole.

(And it’s not in my MN name so not Thomasina)

Hazelnuttella · 18/05/2023 13:34

SilentParrot · 18/05/2023 12:53

Egotistical and unimaginative.

Same.