Similar names for cousins

[BrushtheHeat]

Sil and bil (dh's sister and her husband) are having their third dc. We were discussing names and they said they wanted Meredith for a girl. I think it's a beautiful name. I'm also upset because our DD (5yrs) is named Edith and they are far too similar for my liking. Dh says he's unhappy with their choice too.
Wwbu if we told them how we feel about them being too similar? I feel strongly enough about it to not be too worried about the fall out of such a conversation, but from an outsiders view, awbu to feel annoyed at the similarity between the names? We're a close family and socialise a fair bit. If they weren't close I could shrug it off. But we are and it will grate everytime I hear the name.

[x2boys]

that is a little odd Time just a bit unfortunate i suppose, my DM has a brother and a stepbrother with the same name they became stepsiblings as adults though so not quite as odd but it did get confusing not knowing who my grandparents were talking about.

[SummerHouse]

We have a Flynn and a Fin. They are both generally known now as FinFlynnFin [slap self in face FIN or FLYNN.

As far as I know it didn't annoy anyone.

But I also see your two names as very different.

[KateBeckett]

I remember a thread from a few years ago, where a couple had recently had a baby and called her 'Isabella Eve' and her crazy sil had a girl a few months later and called her 'Isabelle Eva'

Just adding for the comedy value as op has already realised she is bu

[TimeToMuskUp]

When DH and I met I already had DS1. His name is the male version of SIL's DD's name, exactly the same but the very last letter. SIL was quite upset when she realised (and I understood that, tbh, because you don't want your DC to lose their name/identity).

DS1's Dad has a new partner who has a son with the exact same first and middle names as DS1, too. That's very odd and DS1 really doesn't like it.

[GoblinLittleOwl]

Meredith and Edith are not remotely similar; different roots and different stresses in pronunciation.
And whatever makes you think you have copyright on the name?
It actually belongs to my grandmother.

[sparklewater]

I have the same name as my cousin. Exactly the same. We're a close family as well. I do wonder what my nan thought when both her daughters announced their name choices...

[ThatsNotMyHouseItIsTooClean]

I know this thread is effectively over but I just wanted to say that we have cousins with the same name & a 5yr age gap in our family and it doesn't cause as much confusion as you'd think as there is usually some context. If we're speaking to the relevant parents, it is obvious which one is being discussed; if we're talking to mutual grandparents, it will be something like "Jack loved the lego we got him" as opposed to "Jack loved the Peppa Pig play set we got him". It has been less confusing than I thought it would when the "second" Jack's name was initially announced.

[Footle]

Meredith does sort of mirror Edith when written. They probably love your daughter and think it's nice that the names look similar on paper.

[abbieanders]

Aw, I was going to bore on about how my daughter's name is like an amalgam of my niece and nephew's names (brother and sister) and it never occurred to me for ages.

[x2boys]

ok she accepts she was being unreasonable now she doesnt need telling over and over

[Archer26]

I can see the similarity in the spellings but not the pronunciations. In Edith (beautiful name) the stress is on the E whereas it Meredith you hardly hear the second E.

I wouldn't have connected the two without you pointing it out, I think you may be overthinking it. But baby names are a minefield of emotions.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Wouldn't cross my mind that they're similar! We have an Abby and Addy cousins.

[Janeymoo50]

To me they are different enough and both totally lovely names.

[BrushtheHeat]

Ok, thanks for the input everyone. As far as I'm concerned the discussion is over as I've conceded that the names are different and that iwbu.
No need to throw around words like precious etc!
Can we stop acting like I haven't admitted iwbu as you're all a bit late to the party at this stage and really have nothing to add to the discussion other than to create drama where now there isn't any.
Thank you.

[Thymeout]

It'll probably be shortened to Merry, anyway. I doubt if anyone will notice any similarity.

[lanbro]

A non issue IMO.

I know cousins Caitlin and Cayden, much more similar, and cousins Emily and Bromily. No problems anywhere!

[Katedotness1963]

I knew cousins who had the same first name, same last name and were in the same year at school.

[scrumptiouscrumpets]

Even if they wanted to give their baby exactly the same name, you wouldn't be able to stop them. Nobody but the parents get a say in what name their baby is going to have!

[SmileAndNod]

Our daughters (cousins) have VERY similar sounding names, derivatives of Catherine, and it never even occurred to be until ours was about 3 and FIL called her by the other name on the phone. We don't see them, DH is pretty much minimal contact with his family so it really doesn't bother us.

We chose a name we like. Names are not unique, we don't have a monopoly on them so I can't see a problem with it.

[chrome100]

I don't even think it would be an issue if they wanted to call their kid the same name as yours - cousins or not, a name can be used by anyone.

[aquashiv]

Completely different names.

[Eminybob]

YABU and a bit mad. They are different names but even if they were exactly the same name you would still BU because it really doesn't matter or take away from what your daughter is called.

[Enjolrass]

Firstly you have no claim on any word.

Your dd won't lose her name because a younger cousin has a name spelt slightly similar.

Meredith is not pronounced Mer-E-dith. When pronounced they sound very different. How they sound is far more important in everyday life.

So even if a similar name was something to be upset about, most people will not even notice.