Taking someone else’s baby name

Jesse is great, I love it but felt it was a smidge too popular for us - so you definitely shouldn't feel weird about using it!

Also, unless your DC's school is very small, with only one intake class in reception, it's not a given they'd be in the same class. I imagine a school might try to avoid having multiples of one name in a class if they can.

I was one of six kids with my name in my class. I didn’t love it but it wasn’t really something I could control, so I didn’t hate it either? It just was.

Jesse isn’t unusual enough that it’ll draw any comments. If you love it, use it, and don’t think any further about it. You may have no plans to move now but anything can happen, same for her. It’s really not worth stressing about.

I don't see this as 'stealing'. There will be two Jesses in the class that's all. One of you might even move away so I really wouldn't take this level of acquaintance into consideration.

Jesse is an ancient, well known biblical name as well as popular now so it's not as though she's picked something unusual you'd never heard of until now. It could easily have been on your shortlist anyway.

If you see her you could maybe say 'i had another name in mind before but we've always liked Jesse and it just suited him when we saw him!' it would be true!

It's good for kids to have one or two people in their svhool with the same name. It helps then identify with their peers.
Your friend will thank you in her mind.
Two boys and their friends who know how to spell the name.
It won't be odd; they will be normal.

If they're going to be in the same class I wouldn't, I don't think it's fair when you know it's a probability and he'll spend his school days being the second Jesse. He'll spend his school days as Jess or Jesse Surname.

"it’s the same name as his favourite tv-character."

You can't call your child 'Inspector Morse', regardless of this fact. IMO.

We ruled out Arthur for DC2 because DC1's very best friend at the childminder was called Arthur, plus there was another friend called Arthur who was one of our neighbours that we used to hang out with in the park etc. Fast forward a few years and childminder Arthur went to a different school and the boys lost touch, and neighbour Arthur has moved away and we've lost touch with that family too. Not met any other Arthurs since!

Happily DC2 was a girl so it wasn't a problem in the end 😂

My point is, just use Jesse if you love it.

Was her baby born before school year cut off?
You say he is a couple of months old, so there is a chance, they wont be in the same school year

Go for it.

What's the TV show? I'm wracking my brains

It's fine - people hear names, like them and use them - it's normal.

It’s not us you need to convince it’s you. You’ve hammered home how you’ve only spoken to her once to convince yourself it’s ok but you’ve also mentioned stealing it and feeling like apologising. You feel uncomfortable about out it so it’s not really opinions your looking for here its people to make you feel better about something you feel shitty about. I don’t think I personally would want all that ties to a name. It it’s your husbands favourite tv character of all time etc you’d think he’d have thought of it. Either pick it or don’t but you need to let of of guilt etc attached to ‘stealing’ your own child’s name!

After I gave birth to my son I was put into a side room as the post natal ward was full upstairs. Another woman was wheeled in a while after with her husband and could hear them arguing over what to name their baby, eventually husband storms off and the woman starts talking to me. She of course asked what I had and what I called him and the moment i told her , I could see her eyes light up. She was gushing about what a gorgeous name it was and how much she loved it. So I told her to use it if she loved it . She was moved soon after but I always wonder did she use the name. I'd be delighted if she did because I love the name and the world needs more people with that name.

Go for it, it sounds like you barely know this woman so to me, there’s just no reason why you wouldn’t have your chosen name.

It’s only stealing a name if there’s a name that you know a close friend or family member plans to use, so you use it first, making it weird if they use it too because then there would be two children with the same name in a close circle and it would look like they copied you. You’ve just heard the name acquaintance has already used and happen to like it. She’s not even your friend. She can’t expect the name never to be used again just because she’s used it. I really doubt she’ll care and if she does she’s being ridiculous.

There were two Jesses in one class of 30 kids at DS's last primary. (In the one he was at before, his class alone had two Alices, two Harrisons and a Harry, two Georges and two Imogens.)

It’s fine, don’t think twice.

If they're going to be in the same class I wouldn't, I don't think it's fair when you know it's a probability and he'll spend his school days being Jesse J (whatever surname is)

If you both love the name then use it!

I would go for it. If you love the name, use it. A lifetime of you loving your son's name versus someone you don't really know being a bit miffed (and probably still would never tell you so to your face). A good friend of mine who lives abroad asked a mutual friend to tell me that she ashamedly took the same name as my daughter for her daughter (born 3 years later), and I felt so sad my friend was scared of telling me herself, as I was just really flattered she loved the name as much as me. And given we live so far away from each other, I thought it was a lovely thing that we were bond daily by our daughters' name. Maybe that mom will be flattered too?

She is not a friend. In 4 years time she won't even realise you had this conversation. One of both of you may have moved by then. And your kid will have the name his whole life....If you like the name take it.

Harvey
Henry
Joe
Quinn
Elliot

These names have a similar sort of vibe I think.

You are really over thinking this. A lot could happen between now and school age and here are often people of the same name in a class. Someone you can get very uncommon names get doubled up, no one think anything about it.