Choosing the same name as a friend's baby?

[GumtreeGirl]

Just wanting to gauge opinion really.

I'm pregnant, along with 6 friends, most of whom I see a lot (my ante-natal class from the last time around). We're all due in monthly installments from about now until late May.

Obviously we're all thinking of names, but I wondered whether calling your baby the same name as friend's baby is a big no-no, or whether this is OK.

So - if you found a friend had named her baby the same as yours, would you be annoyed at 'name stealing', flattered that you both have great taste or not bothered either way?

Any thoughts? My feeling is that it shouldn't matter but I also think that some people might be miffed and I wouldn't want to ruffle feathers...

OP Have you discussed it with the friends when you meet up? Maybe see what everyone thinks in the group. You won't be the only one worrying about this.
All in all though, it doesn't matter at all, if you love a name, use it. Your babies will all be unique even if they share a name! good luck

Would you really want your child to have the same name as your friend's child? There are so, so many gorgeous names out there...

I have to agree with those here who say that they would not choose the same name. My SIL recently had a little girl and we were so relieved when she chose a name that wasn't on 'our' list. I would have deliberately chosen a different name.

In my case though we have no strong reasons for choosing a name so it would just be preference. If you do have a strong family connection to a name it may be better to say early on, and then leave your friends with the dilemma of whether they can copy the name.

Part of the difficulty we have had in choosing a name has been making sure that it's not the name of any of our friends, friends' children, ex-partners etc etc - soon narrows down the field! But I know many people would not be as concerned.

my DD is 7 nearly 8 months old. i had a cousin and a friends pregant at the same time
i had DD in may, my cousin then had her DD in august, she gave her DD middle name same as my DD as she wanted to use it too, but used my DD middle name as first name, it was my great grandmothers name on my paternal side so no connection to her, but she liked it. in the meantime the camerons named there child same name as did 3 of the 5 5 pregnant friends 2 of which live in the same street (them not me)and i have known from school. my DD wil always get her full title as my son does, but many of them shorten already and one uses her DD middle name as she now prefers it. i personally would never have done it, and didnt deliberatly mention it when pregant as a family member used a name i loved and meant a lot to me as she had aher son early... i didnt make a comment although my grandmother did as she knew why i had chosen the name!
like others have said i would discuss it if you really like a name or possibly keep the one you do like to yourself incase you 'inspire' soemone else to use it!

OP I have been in this situation and I think the trick is that as soon, and I mean with your next breath, that they mention the name you wanted you immediately reply 'oh thats lovely, we love that name too and that is what we've decided on'.

It immediately says that its a great name, but you had already decided on it, you are not copying. If you say it with confidence, as a fait accompli then there is nothing they can say really - unless they are very rude. If they are still pg and they really, really have an issue with your babies having the same name then they can think of another!!

I had a name in mind for my first which was very special to me, my late mothers name, and there was no way I was going to change it or feel bad for using by anyone else. As it turns out a friend I saw a lot of at the time wanted to use the same name, I did what I described above and it worked out fine, she ended up using another name though I'll never know if it was because she didn't want the same as us. In any case, I hardly see her now so it makes no difference at all. The key is in the confidence, if you speak to the other mum about it remember that you are not 'asking permission', the choice is still yours.

As it turns out, I have since met and now see a lot of a friend whose DD has the same name as my DD and it doesn't matter in the slightest. They are just 'big xxx' and 'little xxx' when they are together.

This came up in conversation with my mum, as I was put off a name that friend had used. My mum didnt see the problem, and said that one of her friends called her daughter same name as me, about 6 months after I was born.

The name was probably top 50 at the time, and my mum didnt mind in the slightest. Apparently friend said to my mum, I hope you dont mind but I've always like the name ..... too.

I think it probably depends how close you are to friend, I have four very close friends, and would never use their daughters names for instance.