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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Same name as family member (not immediate)

17 replies

Iggly · 29/11/2011 17:19

can I have some opinions?

DH and I have settled on a name for DD which is my cousin's name. We both love the name, it's the only one that works for us and with DS's name (ok there will be others but it's one we like).

I don't see my cousin often (family gatherings only), but am in regular contact with her mum, my aunt.

Do you think it would be a bit weird to use her name? If you were her would you be freaked out? It's a popular name and I think she'll probably take it as a compliment but still I'm unsure

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bigbadbarry · 29/11/2011 17:21

It's pretty common to use names in a family and I am sure she will be thrilled and definitely see it as a compliment

shouldnotbehere · 29/11/2011 17:30

It's fine. I would take it as a compliment if my cousin used mine.

Montsti · 29/11/2011 18:16

I think it's fine and, in fact have a big dilemma after finding out we're having a girl in May..

I really want to use my sister's name as we both love it (I can't use my other 4 favourite names as nieces are called them or very similar...). We live on different continents and only see each other once a year...my mum and sister don't seem to have a problem with it but I know eyebrows will be raised amongst some friends. I really don't want to use a name that I don't like as much and feel as they are different generations it would be ok.....(would never use my nieces names..). Would also use a nn. sometimes that my sister has never been called...maybe close family can refer to my daughter as that...

Sorry should have started my own thread! I know some people will say there are hundreds of names but I promise you I can't think of one anywhere near as nice and have only had 3 girls names my entire life and can't use the other two..

HappyCamel · 29/11/2011 18:18

I did that. But then I have nearly 29 cousins and DH more than ten. It was more or less inevitable. I wouldn't pick a name that had already been used this generation.

NewsClippings · 29/11/2011 18:27

It's fine, and a compliment as others have said.

EvilTwins · 29/11/2011 18:30

My DSis did that. No one minded at all.

andthisisme · 29/11/2011 18:32

Agree it's fine, but if you're worried just ask your cousin. I'd be really pleased if it was me.

My DS has the same first name as his Great Uncle, and his middle name is his Uncle's first name. They were both really flattered when we announced the name.

Uglymush · 29/11/2011 18:36

It's fine. I am named after my aunt, my mum is named after her aunt and 2 of my cousins have the same name, same side of the family with about 10 years apart in age.

Original poster

Iggly · 29/11/2011 19:14

Thanks all! I think we'll go with it - DH is probably getting fed up of me flip flopping over it!

OP posts:

tammytoby · 30/11/2011 06:49

Why don't you just ask your cousin?

Original poster

Iggly · 30/11/2011 07:06

Because I rarely see her.

OP posts:

lljkk · 30/11/2011 07:22

DS3 has the same name as a first cousin I haven't seen in about 30 years.
I'm sure he doesn't mind.
I have over 30 first cousins & then many of them have partners + children; seemingly impossible to avoid duplicates. DS1 has the same name as my step-sister's husband (only met him about 5x in my life) and it never even crossed my mind he might mind .

PercyFilth · 02/12/2011 16:26

Montsti Why do you think you have a dilemma? You say your ma & sis are OK about using your sister's name, so why worry about what anyone else says?

Woodlands · 02/12/2011 16:43

Of our shortlist of boys' names, one was the name of one of my cousins (big family) and one the name of one of my DH's cousins (v small family, only 2 cousins). Another was the name of my dad and my DH's uncle... I don't think you can avoid it, really. We chose the one that's the same as DH's cousin and it's fine (he uses a different nickname of it anyway).

jandymaccomesback · 02/12/2011 20:21

My sister had the same name as my cousin and my godmother. We ended up calling the other two "Cousin Blah" and Auntie Blah" and my sister as "Our Blah" to differentiate. It became a family thing to call all our cousins "Cousin Firstname" and I was quite old before I realised that not all families did this.

Montsti · 03/12/2011 13:31

PercyFilth - I know I shouldn't care what other people think, but unfortunately I do a bit, but thanks for your comment as kind of just wanted to her that I wasn't being a nutcase using my sister's name!

PercyFilth · 03/12/2011 17:36

Not at all. When you look back you find that up until the beginning of the 20th century, there was a fairly small pool of forenames in use, and naming children after close relatives was the norm. Assuming it's not a controversial sort of name, I can't see why the opinion of anyone outside the family would matter two hoots. If all you mean by "raised eyebrows" is a few friends thinking "I wouldn't do that", that's up to them and shouldn't affect your decision.

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