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Baby names

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

Original poster

Having the same baby name as a friend

31 replies

Jaexo · 13/02/2024 22:10

Hi everyone,
I just needed some advice on what to do, if anyone can help. Me and my friend got pregnant around the same time, she found out she was pregnant in April I found out in July, we both decided to find out the gender and we both are having girls.
I’ve had a name I’ve always wanted for a girl, it’s quite rare and I’ve wanted it ever since I’d heard it when I was a little girl, during a conversation a few years ago I’d mentioned the name and she said that she’d always wanted to call her daughter that when she had a daughter too, we had a mutual understanding that if we were to have baby girls they would both have the same name. When we found out we were both having girls so close this remained the case, we were both fine with the other using the name and both our daughters being named the same thing.
The thing is she’s now given birth to her daughter and as much as I love the name and understand that we have a mutual agreement that we can both use the name, it feels strange to name my baby girl the same name. But I’ve always wanted it, for much longer than me and my friend have known each other and there’s no other names I like. I’m due to give birth very soon and already have things with my baby girls name on, how can I stop feeling strange, and like I’ve ‘copied’ my friend even though we’ve both known the entire time our daughters would be named the same thing?

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MumChp · 30/05/2024 17:08

Ds and my friend's ds born 6 week apart have the same name. Never been an issue. A very common name for boys.

Pollycan · 30/05/2024 16:25

I don’t think it matters either esp they are going to different nursery and schools etc - you’re not going to hang out that often with others. As long as you are both comfortable with it! congrats on the new baby! I know another baby coincidentally called Alora also so maybe it is getting more popular

DreamingOfItAll · 30/05/2024 16:21

In my group of friends, 2 boys have the same name and 3 of the girls have the same first or middle name. My child is one of them. They’re nice names, were similar people, so no wonder we liked similar names. It’s not a problem, the kids liked it when they were little, they’re still close and it’s never been a problem.

Longdarkcloud · 30/05/2024 16:14

Congratulations. It’s a pretty and rather unusual name. A close friend and I had our first DGD born about the same time and given the same not particularly common first name and this was regard as a sign of our children’s good taste and something to celebrate.
I hope you got a great first photo of Alora inher named clothing!

Original poster
Jaexo · 30/05/2024 12:51

Thank you so much! ☺️

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FayCarew · 29/05/2024 09:11

Congratulations! Hope you and your baby daughter are doing well.

Original poster
Jaexo · 28/05/2024 23:47

AmelieTaylor · 28/05/2024 18:12

Hopefully when your daughter is here you'll stop feeling weird about it!

Do you have mutual friends? If you do I'd let them know now, so you don't feel like they think you're copying!

id love to know the name

We both have our DD’s now, it’s not awkward to be fair we’ve had a laugh about it.
The name is Alora so we had a joke about ‘when Alora met Alora’

OP posts:
AmelieTaylor · 28/05/2024 18:12

Hopefully when your daughter is here you'll stop feeling weird about it!

Do you have mutual friends? If you do I'd let them know now, so you don't feel like they think you're copying!

id love to know the name

Crunchymum · 14/02/2024 18:54

What is the name? Maybe people can suggest similar?

ragdoll12345 · 14/02/2024 17:56

Just to add the girls were in the same school too - can't remember if they were in the same class.

ragdoll12345 · 14/02/2024 17:55

This exact situation happened to me. My friend's baby was born 2 months before mine. Both had the same name, not a problem. They are both now adults and have no contact. I don't have contact with my old friend either. Life moves on, choose the name you want

Original poster
Jaexo · 14/02/2024 17:46

No I’ve thought about it, since I of course knew her baby would be born first and it would feel a bit strange but I’ve always wanted to call her this when I had a daughter, even when I was younger it sounds silly but when I’d play families as a child my daughter would always be this name.
I looked it up and it’s not really gaining popularity so it’s still an unusual name, it’ll just mean both of them have the same. We live on opposite sides of the city anyway so they won’t be in nursery or school together.

OP posts:
Neurodiversitydoctor · 14/02/2024 17:45

Jaexo · 14/02/2024 17:28

Not exactly what the post is about, and comments about ‘tempting fate’ aren’t exactly welcome so close to due date as you’ve said. I’ve already lost one baby so I know not everything can go smoothly and would prefer if anyone else has a comment like this to keep it to themselves.
I’ve always said if I had a daughter she would be called that and I’ve triple checked with every midwife if she’s a girl before ordering anything, also I’ve worked with many people who have been pregnant this past year and we’ve all ordered things with our set name before our baby comes, because when she’s born I want her to be wrapped in a blanket with her name on it.
thank you for the last sentence but the rest of it is a little unnecessary.

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Ok as I say hope it all goes smoothly.

Original poster
Jaexo · 14/02/2024 17:28

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Not exactly what the post is about, and comments about ‘tempting fate’ aren’t exactly welcome so close to due date as you’ve said. I’ve already lost one baby so I know not everything can go smoothly and would prefer if anyone else has a comment like this to keep it to themselves.
I’ve always said if I had a daughter she would be called that and I’ve triple checked with every midwife if she’s a girl before ordering anything, also I’ve worked with many people who have been pregnant this past year and we’ve all ordered things with our set name before our baby comes, because when she’s born I want her to be wrapped in a blanket with her name on it.
thank you for the last sentence but the rest of it is a little unnecessary.

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Neurodiversitydoctor · 14/02/2024 16:52

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Etincelle · 14/02/2024 16:49

FirstFallopians · 14/02/2024 16:45

What’s the name.

If it’s one of the Isla/Eva/Evie/Ella/Ava/Olivia etc names, I honestly wouldn’t give it a second thought.

If it was an unusual name, I’d give it more consideration.

OP said it's rare

FirstFallopians · 14/02/2024 16:45

What’s the name.

If it’s one of the Isla/Eva/Evie/Ella/Ava/Olivia etc names, I honestly wouldn’t give it a second thought.

If it was an unusual name, I’d give it more consideration.

FayCarew · 14/02/2024 16:36

What's the name? You could look it up on Baby names in England & Wales since 1996 (darkgreener.com).
Chances are if both you and your friend love it, many other new parents will too and you might find that your daughter is one of 4 'Name's in her school class.

greendaisie · 14/02/2024 15:49

I would definitely give my daughter her own name. I'd hate to be known as little X. It also shows a lack if imagination and defeats the purpose of a name imo

Is there NO other name you love?

islamann · 14/02/2024 13:39

Can you think of your friends baby as "Big X" and yours as "Little X", even if only in your head. Might help to separate the names in your mind.

noodlesfortea · 14/02/2024 09:41

I would absolutely use it. It might feel. Little odd at first, but so little of her life will be spent with this other child.

ab03 · 14/02/2024 07:46

Just to clarify I think if it's all been agreed you don't need to worry but in terms of you feeling uneasy, I just thought using a middle name kind of as if it's hyphenated, even temporarily while you get used to it, might help. Hard to do examples without knowing the name, but in other cases I know Zoella often calls her daughter Ottilie Rue, I've also heard of a Matilda/Tilly Joy

NotARealWookiie · 13/02/2024 23:11

I think you’re fine. The middle naming is a fun idea if you feel weird about it and it’s often quite natural to refer to babies by first and middle name.

OolongTeaDrinker · 13/02/2024 23:07

What’s the name - maybe we could suggest some with a similar vibe and if none of them seem right to you, you’ll know to stick with your original choice :)

Gcsunnyside23 · 13/02/2024 23:06

I don't think it odd, I have two cousins born a month apart with the same name. How would you feel if you didn't use it?