Page 3 | Baby Name Etiquette

queenqueenqueen · 2020-12-30T15:00:00+00:00

Is naming a baby after a friends 5 year old ok? Or would you let them know first? Its a more unusual name i.e definitely not top 50.

LuckyNumberThirteen · 30/12/2020 18:40

@Wiredforsound

If it’s something like Allegra (not that common but quite well known and very pretty) then YABU. If it’s a made up name like Malandra then that would be a bit weird.

I weirdly love this name.

2pinkginsplease · 30/12/2020 18:46

For me I think depends on how good a friend they are, if you are best friend and see each other a lot then I find it strange but if you are neighbours or acquaintances then it would be fine.

My sil wanted to name her dd a name that rhymed with my daughters name, she soon got told it wasn’t too similar for cousins.

Our neighbours have a dog which is called the same as dd. It’s funny when we are all in the garden!

WithASpider · 30/12/2020 19:25

Friends of ours have given their daughter the same name as Dd1 but with slightly different spelling. They asked first if we minded! As there's 11 years between them we weren't remotely bothered and Dd1 was quite flattered. Doesn't make a difference and they have some really cute photos together.

RedMarauder · 30/12/2020 19:31

When I was pregnant several of my friends' kids suggested I should call my baby after them. They ranged in age from 5 to 16.

So the 5 year old would probaby be flattered to have a baby "named after" them.

I didn't in the end as their names are very common and I know more than one child with each of their names.....

FutureDuchessofHastings · 30/12/2020 20:12

People always say you don't own a name, etc, but I just think there are thousands of names to choose from, why not pick a different one? Especially if it's not a very common name and they'd only heard of it in the context of your daughter, it smacks of a lack of imagination if nothing else.

Rainb0wDrops · 30/12/2020 22:26

@FutureDuchessofHastings

People always say you don't own a name, etc, but I just think there are thousands of names to choose from, why not pick a different one? Especially if it's not a very common name and they'd only heard of it in the context of your daughter, it smacks of a lack of imagination if nothing else.

Yes there are loads of names to choose from but I know lots of children and if I exclude all of their names just because I happen to know them I might be left with names I don't like that much. I wouldn't use close family names but friends/acquaintances are fair game. Who knows if you'll even know them in a few years time.

EvieBoo2 · 30/12/2020 22:35

I clicked on this to tell you I would never choose the name Etiquette... glad that's not the issue you are discussing! I personally would find it flattering if you chose the same name I had called my child, it wouldn't bother me. Honestly just choose whatever name you like (but not something silly like Etiquette..).

LoveMyKidsAndCats · 31/12/2020 01:09

Weird OP don't do it to your 'friend'

AndcalloffChristmas · 31/12/2020 01:43

My Mum knew a woman locally who called her dd my name - which is unusual or was more so at the time - 6 months after me. She knew we were likely to be in the same class at school (and that we’d be at the same school) and said outright that she only thought of the name because my mum used its.

So I got lumbered with being Calloff 1 or whatever throughout primary school- it didn’t help that we also had exactly the same initials!

HibernatingTill2030 · 31/12/2020 02:19

Well, if it's Amy or Harry or something, probably fine.
Lancelot or something else unusual, probably not fine.

I think I would be silently annoyed but wouldn't say anything! Nobody owns a name.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 31/12/2020 02:24

@TheYearOfSmallThings

I'm just relieved you aren't thinking of calling her Etiquette.

Yep, me too!!!

@queenqueenqueen. I think it's a bit 'off'. They've chosen a name that's not popular and now you're going to copy it. Plenty of other names out there!!

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 31/12/2020 02:30

@queenqueenqueen

I jumped to pist begire reading the thread. I do on things like baby names because I don't want to be swayed by other peoples opinions!!

Now I see it's a reverse. But as you can see, I think your friend is wrong doing that.

Clawdy · 31/12/2020 08:43

Who knows if you'll even know them in a few years time? So true. I really liked a name for my first baby, but reluctantly decided against it because a neighbour's child had the name. A year later they moved away. And not all friendships last.

Generalblah · 31/12/2020 08:52

Mmm think it just depends on how it is handled. My husband’s cousin named her child after their grandad, as my husband was 30 years previous... Pee’d me off that she just announced it after he was born - a heads up would have been nice. What makes it worse is that to my husband’s immediate family the baby is full named but to everyone else he has the abbreviation of the name which my husband is known as; almost like she knows she overstepped in some way.

Wouldn’t have cared about using the same name at all, it’s a fairly common name but just how she dealt with it since is really annoying and made me think differently about her.

Original poster

queenqueenqueen · 31/12/2020 10:38

Thanks everyone, lots of post echoing exactly how i feel which makes me feel better! Im not going to say anything in RL just silently be annoyed!! Its totally how its been handled ... I only found out when it was announced which thought was a bit off and not what I would have done. I picked her name because I didn't want her her to be 'Allegra 1' haha so it feels almost like something has been taken away from her in that respect. And I do know I'm being precious and 'ridiculous' by the way for anyone that thinks I'm some princess 🙈

OP posts: