Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

is it weird using the same name as our dead cat?

35 replies

ballinderrymum · 27/03/2012 10:01

had our 20 week scan and we are having a DD. We like the name Willow but we had a cat who died 3 years ago called Willow - is it weird to call our DD the same name? We are not naming her after our dead cat, just the same name (maybe, depending on verdicts). We also like the name Daisy but our friends had a dog called Daisy and i don't want to remind them of the dog they got rid off. picking a name is so hard!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
nizlopi · 27/03/2012 10:27

I know some other people will say 'Do it!' but I personally wouldn't. I have a cat called Bella, which is a name I love, but I wouldn't call any future daughters that because... well, that will always be my cats name to me!

Just me though, ofc.

TheEpilator · 27/03/2012 10:46

For me, it would depend how close you were to the cat TBH! If you really saw the cat as part of the family etc, she will always have a special place in your hearts and you hold memorial services on the date of her passing etc then no.

If the cat was a pet, an animal you were fond of but accept as a fleeting element of your family life, then I'd say go for it, as its a pretty name!

FWIW I'd also use Daisy despite your friends' dog. Your daughter's name is a big decision and the only people you need to please with it are yourselves and your DD. How do you know that any name won't be a reminder to close friends of their dog/mum/gran/best friend etc. All names come with baggage and associations for someone. As long as you like it thats all that matters.

Congrats by the way!

elliebug · 27/03/2012 10:59

No, we are planning on naming our baby the same name as DP's not too recently departed and well loved dog, we haven't got a huge list and I love the name, more problematic is the fact that my parents cat is still alive and I love it's name! I did name it at 16.... I have always given my animals proper names and after 20/30 hamsters I am running out of ones I like!! Go for it, the cat won't mind SmileSmile

DottyDot · 27/03/2012 11:01

Nah - ds2's named after dp's dead cat. Although we do tend to get some Shock faces when we tell people Grin

bex2011 · 27/03/2012 12:55

On my list for any future DS is the name of my gran's old cat, my goldfish and budgie and for DD my dad's current dog. They are all just names I like.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 27/03/2012 13:01

I wanted the same name as a family members dog but my dp didn't like it. Fwiw I really like willow!!!

MoonHare · 27/03/2012 13:39

There's a lesson for us all here, never use favourite names for pets in the pre baby days. We have a cat with a name I love and now we won't be able to use it for DC3 if a girl.

How I wish I'd thought on before!

But if our cat were no longer with us.........hmmm, I might be tempted to go for it.

Someone I know named their car a favourite name and years after it went for scrap has given their first child the same name. As she pondered whether they could name their baby after a car I said go for it - it's only a very few people who remember the name of the old car and we don't care, their baby's name is lovely. Maybe the same applies to you and your old cat.

strawberrypenguin · 27/03/2012 13:48

If you and DH are ok with it then go for it. My DS has the same name as one of my PILs cats, the cat just has 'furry' put in front of his name when we're talking about him!

rebecklet · 27/03/2012 13:58

I personally wouldn't do it, especially if the story is attached to your child. I wouldn't like being reminded I was named after a dead pet, but each to their own.

CandiceMariePratt · 27/03/2012 14:00

We named our DD the same as our cat and changed the cats name!

Frontpaw · 27/03/2012 14:02

Only if your cat was called Mr Tiddles McWiddles of Barstow Lane. Then no, I wouldn't. All our cats had 'people' names too!

malakadoush · 27/03/2012 14:35

My nan named her dog after my brother...my mum was a bit Hmm

But I think the other way round is fine. IMO.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 27/03/2012 14:57

My middle name is "after" an old pet of my parents - it took me years to work out that they had just liked the name, used it for the animal and then later still liked it enough to use it for me. I thought I had been named in honour of her, which I HATED, and which wasn't helped by their constant reminiscences about her soft ears or what have you :o

I'm fine with it now though, it's a lovely (usually used for humans) name :)

Marmite2012 · 27/03/2012 17:03

I have a fish called Henry and my top boys name in Henry!

But I think a fish is a bit different to a cat.

My cats are called Wolverine, Superman and Fury - I won't be using these for my kids.

Badgerina · 27/03/2012 18:17

Wolverine is a perfectly fine name for a baby.

Original poster
ballinderrymum · 27/03/2012 20:45

i think you are right moonhare i'll have to discuss this more with DH. marmite fury sounds good!! Thanks all for your help.

OP posts:
ipanicked · 27/03/2012 22:06

DD has the same name as my SIL's (alive) cat. Tbh we forgot the cat was called the same name. I think they thought it was slightly Hmm but are far too polite to say. Ps Willow is a gorgeous name!

MeconiumHappens · 29/03/2012 11:13

Its a leetle bit odd, but if you really love it, then go for it. Be prepared fro really annoying relatives to say things abut the cat.

DizzyKipper · 29/03/2012 11:17

There are several names I've used for pet rats and mice that I would re-use for my children. Not so sure about a dog or cat though given how much longer we have them and how much more a part of a family they feel. But then it's entirely up to you and all that really matters is how you feel about it.

Abcinthia · 29/03/2012 11:27

My sister is named after one of my great-granddad's cats because my dad remembered the name years later and thought it would be cool. It always makes an interesting story when people ask how she got her name.

FreshwaterPlimpies · 29/03/2012 17:23

I take great pride in telling my younger sister I chose her name after a favourite pig that lived across the way. Don't think I'll be letting any future children name their siblings though:)
Love the name Molly, but that was the name of our old dog, who went senile.
Don't think I could use the same name, personally, but I say if it doesn't bother you, then go for it. No-one else will remember.

MadameChinLegs · 29/03/2012 17:27

I considered naming DD after my living cat. She is called Phoebe, and I had always wanted that name for a DD, but got the cats a good few years before children and I am a little supersticious and thought that if I saved it, i'd end up never having the opportunity to use it.

I will use it if I have another DD in the future. If Phoebe-cat is still alive, it will be future DDs middle name. If the cat has gone, it will be a first name.

farmerswifey · 29/03/2012 17:46

Until recently whenever anybody asked 'any names in mind?' Hubby would always reply that yes, we had and we were going to name her after his favourite sheep Barbara Hmm I think I've convinced him otherwise, but I'm not going to allow him register the name on his own just in case :o

TheDowager · 29/03/2012 17:53

With hindsight, should have called my dd Tiddles

viktoria · 29/03/2012 19:00

My cousin had a hamster called Florian. She then had a DS and called him Florian too - while the hamster was still alive. One day she called my mother and I overheard my mother talking to my cousin. The conversation went something like:
My Mother: "Oh, no, I'm sorry to hear that Florian died"
(my cousin spoke, which I obviously didn't hear)
My Mother: "Oh, well, life must go on, I hope everybody else is doing allright. You really need to come and visit soon"

I had forgotten about the existence of the hamster and assumed they talked about my cousin's DS. I was horrified.