To give our child the same name as a family member

[pearlsandpetals]

Hi all,
So I'm currently pregnant and me and partner have been trying to think of names. We really really love one particular name and it goes so well with our surname which lots of other names we liked don't. The only problem is my partner has a cousin who has a daughter with the same name. He is not close to this cousin and never speaks or hears from them, they are simply just friends on facebook and maybe see each other on special occasions e.g. weddings, funerals etc. We really love the name but don;'t want to be viewed as 'name copiers'. Do you think this would be an issue?

I think that this would be absolutely fine! My sister has recently had a baby girl and called her the same name as my DD - we have different surnames though. We didn't know that she was going to call her little girl the same name as my little girl but were very flattered when she said that they were naming her after my daughter. Both girls have the same name but use a different shortened version. No-one 'owns' a name so go with what you love.

Not at all, my son has the same name as two of my cousins' sons (I have lots of cousins!). No one is bothered in the slightest! If you like it, go for it!

My eldest has the same name as her dad's cousin's dd. They've never even met tbh.

Given its someone you barely see and will likely see less and less over the years and its a common name I thjnk its fine.

I think it is fine if you don't see them very often at all. If it was a close cousin I would not be impressed. Dh's cousin named her dd a name that rhymes with my dd's name. Not very original but I was pleased that she didn't go for the same name as pre covid we would see them weekly.

Definitely choose the name you like .
In my family all children are named after the grandparents so my cousins all share names. It’s nuts .. I have 4 boy cousins on my mums side who all have the same Christian name !! My brother has that name too !
I have a different name from my female cousins as my mum “rebelled “😂😂

Congratulations on your little one .

We very nearly ruled out my daughter’s name because it was very similar to my niece’s name. We could never find an alternative that we were happy with. Thankfully, we went with the name we loved and haven’t regretted it for a single second.

Use the name. No grown adult will think you’re “copying” a distant relative’s name choice.

My daughter has my cousins name and its never been an issue