Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Charley

34 replies

UserABCDEFG · 22/05/2026 15:03

Thoughts on Charley? My cousin has a daughter called Charlie (short for Charlotte), so I want to avoid using the same spelling because I don't want anyone to think that I've copied her child's name.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Sunshineandgrapefruit · 25/05/2026 16:57

Apologies. Missed the fact this is a boy's name, the Charley confused me. I assumed girls name ( so maybe not that!)

rosydreams · 23/05/2026 10:14

well theres Charlene which is a girls name then you can nickname it charle or neena .So should be ok but she still gonna be miffed

HmmWhatNameToHave · 23/05/2026 10:12

I love the name, but it is the same as Charlie which makes it difficult if you see your cousin regularly.
Would you like any of the following similar names ?
Frankie short for Francesca.
Toni short for Antonia
Freddie short for Frederica

NamingNoNames · 23/05/2026 10:11

It's quite possibly a 'posher' version.

jinglejuicing · 23/05/2026 10:05

VintageLane · 23/05/2026 09:27

If it’s possible for a spelling to look common, then ‘Charley’ does it.

It’s a less common but perfectly normal and acceptable version of Charlie.

NamingNoNames · 23/05/2026 09:55

@VintageLane , it's an established spelling and doesn't look common. Charli and Charly look common.

Charley Boorman
VintageLane · 23/05/2026 09:27

If it’s possible for a spelling to look common, then ‘Charley’ does it.

NamingNoNames · 23/05/2026 09:25

@FancyBiscuitsLevel Charley isn't that unusual but the popular spelling will be used unless corrected and some will spell it Charly.

@Sunshineandgrapefruit , Charlene for a boy?

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 23/05/2026 08:53

They are completely different names to Charlotte ( and not your fault what they get shortened to!)

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 23/05/2026 08:52

If baby is a boy go Charles

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 23/05/2026 08:51

Why not go Charlene and shorten to Charley?

FancyBiscuitsLevel · 23/05/2026 08:22

Charles / Charlie completely fine.

The unusual spelling is going to cause your child a lifetime of issues while they try to correct it. (I speak as someone with a foreign spelling of a common name in the uk.) if you want Charlie go for Charlie. How likely is it your dc will go to the same school as your cousin’s dc or spend lots of time with their cousin as a teen /young adult? Will you be causing your dc headaches to try to solve a problem that won’t exist in 5 years?!

Everlore · 23/05/2026 01:34

Go with Charli, then you can tell your cousin it's a tribute to Charli XCX!

user1492757084 · 23/05/2026 00:53

For hundreds of years Charles has had nick names of Charley and Chas.

I would call your son Charles and use the nick name Charley so as not to be mixed up with your niece, Charlotte, who is known as Charlie. Then in written cards etc. they are identified.

NamingNoNames · 22/05/2026 19:55

Daffodilsinthespring · 22/05/2026 19:38

Charley is ok for a girl but not a boy.

The opposite. Charley Farley and Charley the cat were definitely male.

Daffodilsinthespring · 22/05/2026 19:38

Charley is ok for a girl but not a boy.

NamingNoNames · 22/05/2026 18:41

If the OP's grand-parents are alive they'll have two great-grand-children called Charlie.

Spidey66 · 22/05/2026 18:12

foreversunshine · 22/05/2026 16:14

I echo PP to ask how often you see your cousin.

Regardless, it will still be odd that the grandparents will have two grand children with effectively the same name. You can spell it differently but it's the same phonetic name. Millions of other names to choose from out there - why are you going this route?

It’s her cousin’s child. So grandparents won’t have grandchildren with the same name. The children will be second cousins. That’s enough distance to have the same name. I have numerous first cousins with the same first name, i don’t even know the names of most of my second cousins!

Pemba · 22/05/2026 17:26

The spelling 'Charley' is not 'silly', it's existed a long, long time. Just not the most usual spelling.

I wouldn't use it though, as you already have a 'Charlie' in the extended family, and it sounds exactly the same, obviously.

Unless you never see each other?

Like my first cousin and my niece each have a son with the same name, but they live in different areas, have met each other once or twice years ago at big family events and probably wouldn't recognise each other if they bumped into each other in the street.

Upin · 22/05/2026 17:23

BrownRedPink · 22/05/2026 16:38

I disagree with PP. Names (especially common ones) cannot be owned, and nobody is obligated to not use a name (or change the spelling) that they've liked for a long time just because someone that they know (or are related to) has children first and uses it before they get a chance to. It's not copying if you didn't get the idea/inspiration from her. I would just go with the Charlie spelling, if that is what you like.

Strongly agree!! I have an acquaintance who is certain that I named my child after a celebrity. In reality, my child was not named after this celebrity. I gave my child a name that had been on my list for years and was not inspired by anyone. There's a difference between actively choosing a name because of someone else and just happening to choose the same name. If there's no prior pattern of copying or jealousy, it seems slightly self-absorbed to assume that someone intentionally copied your child's name.

NamingNoNames · 22/05/2026 17:16

I really like the name Charlie for a boy but not for a girl but I agree that nobody owns a name although I believe some try to. Does it really matter?
I don't care that three of my cousins have a son called Jack - it looks a bit unimaginative but it's a nice name.

BrownRedPink · 22/05/2026 16:38

I disagree with PP. Names (especially common ones) cannot be owned, and nobody is obligated to not use a name (or change the spelling) that they've liked for a long time just because someone that they know (or are related to) has children first and uses it before they get a chance to. It's not copying if you didn't get the idea/inspiration from her. I would just go with the Charlie spelling, if that is what you like.

Orlando27 · 22/05/2026 16:38

Choose something different, there’s literally thousands you can choose from.

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 22/05/2026 16:35

I know someone with two GC called Charlie. She calls the girl Charlie and the boy CharlieBoy so there is no confusion.

NamingNoNames · 22/05/2026 16:32

Use the most popular spelling, Charlie.
if you are close to your cousin, look for another name. If you're not use it.

Several of my cousins used the same name. The children are second cousins and have different surnames.