To use the same names?

[NC2025]

I can’t tell if I’m reading too much into it…or if it’s genuinely too close to use the same names.

We are expecting our second baby and our oldest son shares the same name as my brother in laws brothers son. So my niece and nephew have two cousins (on different sides of the family) with the same name. We have been thinking of names for number 2 and our top name is actually the name of their daughter.

Is it too weird to give them both the same names? So my niece and nephews will have two cousins from each side with the same names! We don’t see my brother in laws brother often I must add, I once met him at the wedding!

To add, the names are very top 10/popular so it’s not as if they are super unique!

Not weird at all- if it was your sister/brothers children's name then that would be a bit much, but a brother in laws brother is a bit of a random connection. I don't even know my brother in laws brothers children's names lol (there are 7 brothers so there must be some children!)

Also, if a close friend/ cousin had used names that I liked I wouldn't think twice about using them anyway- choose what you like and what suits your lovely little baby!

I guess I just wouldn’t want to! As I’d want them to be the only one in your niece and nephew’s eyes (and it puts me off if I know someone with that name). It’s up to you though. If it’s top 10 is there no other option?

In general I hold with “no one owns a name.”

However, if I’ve understood your OP correctly, you will have two children and each one has the same name as their slightly older cousin.

So you are using both the names your BIL/SIL chose for their children?

Once is fine. Twice is a bit creepy Single White Female unimaginative.

Ah sorry I think I wasn’t clear enough! The names are those of my sisters husbands brothers children. So not my BIL/SIL.

Yes! Already our child is known as “Baby James” because the other cousin of my niece/nephew is just known as “James”. (James as an example, that’s not the name!) plus they only have two sets of cousins.

Just use the names you like. Families will find a way of distinguishing the cousins (be prepared for it to be Fat George vs Ginger George, or similar, though - families can be brutal!!).

No, I wouldn’t do that. I would pick something else. Even if they aren’t cousins themselves, choosing the exact same two names as someone else I knew shows a certain lack of imagination.

My kids love meeting other kids with their same name. But sounds like these kids wouldn’t meet tbh.

As a parent I wanted my kids’ names to identify them and therefore didn’t go for, for example, Freddie, as there are millions around here. There were 4 in a small soft play of about 12 children the other day!

They are not your family so yeah it's totally fine.

Thank you so much for your views everyone :)

I believe this is exactly why 'the artist formerly known as Prince' did what he did.

Although it's a real bugg*r trying to type his chosen moniker, and I do wonder what was on his credit card and how they addressed his electricity bill.