Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is naming my baby after a casual friend weird

64 replies

NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 11:48

I am pregnant with my first, a baby girl. DH and I have chosen Hope for our daughter's first name. DH doesn't have an opinion on the middle name, and I really want it to be Lauren, after a friend. I went to school with said friend and always admired her, almost like an older sister. She was and still is a lovely person, smiley, kind, and fun to have around and I want my daughter to be like her. However since we aren't very close I am not set on the idea as I am worried this could come across as weird.

Our other alternatives are having my name as her middle name or use our second favorite name, Olive. I am torn and want to know if it would be weird if I choose to name her after the friend and would it be better if I just go with one of the alternatives.

OP posts:
Moveoverdarlin · 07/09/2025 11:51

It would be weird if you told this non close friend ‘I’m naming my daughter after you’. She may be weirded out by that. But it’s not an unusual name so just do it, surely no one would necessarily make the link and you can just say ‘oh I’ve always like the name Lauren.’

Original poster
NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 11:53

Moveoverdarlin · 07/09/2025 11:51

It would be weird if you told this non close friend ‘I’m naming my daughter after you’. She may be weirded out by that. But it’s not an unusual name so just do it, surely no one would necessarily make the link and you can just say ‘oh I’ve always like the name Lauren.’

Yes I can say that but her and some mutual friends are definitely going to suspect

OP posts:
Echobelly · 07/09/2025 11:53

YANBU, a not all that close friend called one of her daughter my name and used the same (unsual) nickname for her and honestly, it was just because she liked both, and I'm very happy about that.

MeetTheGrahams · 07/09/2025 11:53

Lauren is very dated

2chocolateoranges · 07/09/2025 11:54

I think it’s strange to give your child a middle name that doesn’t have a special meaning relating to someone very close to you.

ds has dh’s name as his middle name and dd has one of her grandmas names as her middle name,

I hate my middle name, always contemplated changing it or removing it and so dh gave me all the say in middle names so both are my choice.

Comedycook · 07/09/2025 11:55

I have a casual friend whose DD has the same name as me. I don't interpret it as she named her DD after me...I just assume it's a coincidence that her favourite name happens to be my name.

Didimum · 07/09/2025 11:56

I named my daughter the same name as a friend – not super close but see them regularly and we have occasional heart to hearts. I just liked the name though, it wasn't 'after' her. She is very flattered.

If the name 'Lauren' reminds you of good people and good traits and is a positive name for you, then use it. No one is going to pay too much attention to a middle name, other than baby's parents.

Laska2Meryls · 07/09/2025 12:03

Back in the day long long before I even thought of children , I used to work pt in a pub. One day one of the regulars brought his brother in with him .. I only met him a couple of times. He came over as a really nice intelligent calm man and had a name which was quite unusual then. When I had my son 10 years later I remembered him ( having left the pub job and moved away many years previously) and as I'd always thought it was a lovely name I thought I'd call my son that name and after that man .. Apparently though lots of people had met that man 10 years previously because of my NCT group three of us called out sons that same name and he went through school with two more in his class!

CrosswordBlues · 07/09/2025 12:04

It’s a common name — unless you tell your friend you’re naming your child in her honour, there’s no reason for her to think that, surely?

Original poster
NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 12:06

CrosswordBlues · 07/09/2025 12:04

It’s a common name — unless you tell your friend you’re naming your child in her honour, there’s no reason for her to think that, surely?

There is a good chance she might suspect that as I had not been shy in thinking she's cool

OP posts:
friskery · 07/09/2025 12:22

"I named my child after my casual acquaintance Lauren Smith because she's a wonderful person and I want my kid to be just like her" = bit weird

"I named my child Lauren because I went to school with a Lauren and have always liked the name" = not weird

Name your child what you want but don't make it weird by gushing about your friend.

honeylulu · 07/09/2025 12:30

If Lauren is the actual name it's not exactly unusual. I can't see why people would leap to say you'd named her after your acquaintance unless you said so. They'd assume you just liked the name.

I have a common/traditional name and know several friends and extended family members who named their daughter the same either as a first name or middle name. I've never once assumed it was "after me". I might have commented something like "great name, all the best girls are called X haha".

The fact a friend you liked had the name just means it hasn't been "spoilt" for you. The reverse can sometimes be true, I've been put off some otherwise nice names because I knew someone with that name who was horrible!

If you like it just use it.

Original poster
NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 12:33

honeylulu · 07/09/2025 12:30

If Lauren is the actual name it's not exactly unusual. I can't see why people would leap to say you'd named her after your acquaintance unless you said so. They'd assume you just liked the name.

I have a common/traditional name and know several friends and extended family members who named their daughter the same either as a first name or middle name. I've never once assumed it was "after me". I might have commented something like "great name, all the best girls are called X haha".

The fact a friend you liked had the name just means it hasn't been "spoilt" for you. The reverse can sometimes be true, I've been put off some otherwise nice names because I knew someone with that name who was horrible!

If you like it just use it.

Lauren is the actual name. The thing is I'm only considering it as a middle name because of the friend; the name itself isn't my personal favourites.

OP posts:
clarrylove · 07/09/2025 12:34

Just use it. It's no biggie. We have my son a slightly unusual name, my husband and I knew it from one of the company directors where we worked. We just liked the name and it went well, and he seemed a decent guy. We didn't tell him we gave our son his name as that would have been odd...

JustGoClickLikeALightSwitch · 07/09/2025 12:44

I had similar with DD’s first name. Several distant friends with the name who always came across as calm, measured, bright etc and while I wasn’t naming DD after them there was clearly something in their character I admired.

Anyway - one friend was clearly weirded out even though she’s too polite to ever say anything and DD is a complete firecracker with Taylor Swift energy who is the exact opposite of her namesakes. Whoops!

Gingercar · 07/09/2025 12:47

Nobody will remember the middle name for long anyway. If it comes up just say you like the name.

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 07/09/2025 13:00

NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 12:06

There is a good chance she might suspect that as I had not been shy in thinking she's cool

Show quote history

By all means name your daughter Lauren if you like the name, but be prepared for your daughter to be HER OWN person.

I hope this isn't patronising, but the fact you transparently idolised this woman and fantasise about your daughter being the same is a bit OTT.

Original poster
NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 13:03

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 07/09/2025 13:00

By all means name your daughter Lauren if you like the name, but be prepared for your daughter to be HER OWN person.

I hope this isn't patronising, but the fact you transparently idolised this woman and fantasise about your daughter being the same is a bit OTT.

Show quote history

Yes of course I will encourage my daughter to be her own person; I do fantasise about my daughter having her qualities but I will still love her the same if she doesn't. This is why her first name, Hope, is not being named after anyone

OP posts:
JDM625 · 07/09/2025 13:05

I had not been shy in thinking she's cool
the name itself isn't my personal favourites

How old are you OP because you sound very young! Choose a name YOU like, not the name of someone you seen infatuated with.

Original poster
NewPeachCat · 07/09/2025 13:07

JDM625 · 07/09/2025 13:05

I had not been shy in thinking she's cool
the name itself isn't my personal favourites

How old are you OP because you sound very young! Choose a name YOU like, not the name of someone you seen infatuated with.

I'd say infatuated is a bit of an exaggeration. I'm in my late 20s

OP posts:
sciaticafanatica · 07/09/2025 13:09

You are way overthinking the use of the name Lauren !

Hadalifeonce · 07/09/2025 13:14

My daughter is named after someone I met on holiday. We kept in touch for a year or so after we came back.

I just loved the name.

fourelementary · 07/09/2025 13:17

Just wanted to say I have no opinion on Lauren or not Lauren scenario. But don’t go with olive as she’d have the initials “Ho” which is a bit unfortunate…

Kary26 · 07/09/2025 13:17

Is there a similar name you like so you know it's after her but no one else will and you like the name - Laura, Lara, Laurie etc

Kary26 · 07/09/2025 13:17

Is there a similar name you like so you know it's after her but no one else will and you like the name - Laura, Lara, Laurie etc