That's MY baby name!

missytequila, presumably your friends haven't made up 'their' baby names specially for their children? They 'stole' them from someone else - how else would they have heard of the name in the first place?

This is such utter rot, it really gets up my nose when people try to 'own' a name like this. Nobody's name is unique.

If I were you I'd go back and tell them that much as they love the names, you were very upset that they tried to prevent you from using a name that you adored just because they adored it too. You could lie...! And say that it's in your DP's family line. Or just be honest and say that you love the name and it's clearly a sign of what good taste you all have that you've chosen the same name.

I honestly think that if someone stopped speaking to you because you chose the same name as they did, that would make them pretty childish and manipulative and not worth the effort of keeping the friendship. I know that doesn't help, but it's such a pathetic FannyAnnie attitude to take about a name.

Oh, by the way, I love 'Vivienne' - that's the only way to spell it, too .

Oh I see, they want diff names not the same one. I think you are better off without either tbh .

my sil did this when i was pregnant with my first and she wasn't at all pregnant - she told me Alice was their name and I wasn't allowed to use it!

I didn't make a thing of it, and anyway had a boy! When she did eventually have a girl she didn't use the name anyway.

I find it is safer not to discuss names with anyone and just hope they don't use a name I really love when they name their dcs.

So what will these 2 do if they both want the same name as each other? Ask them that. If they say 'well we'll both use it' then no problem, you can too. If they say 'whichever of us gets pregnant first will use it' then no problem, you are the first pregnant so it's yours. If they say 'well neither of us will use it as it wouldn't be fair on the other' then you can use it as they weren't going to anyway!

fwiw, dh and I were set on both a boy's name and a girl's name for years, but then used neither for our dd or ds (although ds has the boy's one as his middle name).

What names do they want?

1. Don't tell anyone what names you're considering because a. they can't poo poo them and b. they can't bagsy.

1. Choose your favourite name whatever anyone says.

Once baby is named then everyone just has to be nice about it!

They haven't got dibs on a name, but for the sake of peace I would choose another and DON'T TELL ANYONE!

They are being ridiculous. Tell them that for a start. But as you have a shortlist, maybe just discount that particular name rather than have to deal with your friends histrionics?

Is it in the top 30?? If so, I think this happens all the time. Friends of a similar age of a similar background all find the same names appealing. They can't help it.

Lots of people in America, all independently of each other, "invented" the name Zayden.

I think if you pick a name like Zelda, Dulcie or Beryl and your friend copies you, you have every right to be pissed off.

If you really like the name though, and you are certain you didn't copy the name, then stick to your guns. You didn't steal the name. You both independently of each other chose the same name.

You have to tell us the name though!!

I would ignore them and go with the name you want. It could be years before either of them get pregnant. Or you the friendship may end and you will always think you should have gone with your first choice for your child.

My sil "stole" the name I wanted for my dd, 9 months before I had dd, but she didn't know and still doesn't!

For the future tell no-one any name suggestions even your mother, although you can and should spill on here of course!

Good luck.