Can we give baby same name as cat?

[Mammanat222]

We don't know gender yet so this may be a moot point but the only girls name we both like is what we called or cat (she is 6 and we've had her since she was 9 weeks old, so she is a proper part of the family)

Part of me thinks "well if it was good enough for Indiana Jones" but another part of me thinks it's silly.

Everyone that knows us semi well - family, friends, even some of my work colleagues - will know baby and cat have same name.

What to do?

Don't.

Any reasons as to why not?

The name is not a cat name per se?

It's a semi popular girls name

Picture this:

20 years in the future when your (theoretical) daughter goes for an interview...

'so, indiana, thats an interesting name, where did it come from?'

' well, my parents named me after their cat'..

'oh...'

Coming from someone with an odd name, please dont.

Can you change it slightly?

I knew a family who changed their cats names to jessi-cat and harri-cat when they gave their children their names!

Because everyone will assume that you're unnaturally attached to your cat, and that your cat was a baby substitute.

I wouldn't. The cat has been part of your family for 6 yrs and everyone knows you have a pet with that name - they will think it strange.

Of course if you don't mind that they'll think it strange, use it.

You chose your cats name because you love it, so its the perfect name for your baby.

Do as wonder says or adopt a nickname for moggy .

The cat isn't called Indiana (I was using IJ as a jovial example) and will be long dead by the time child is of interview age.

Although I take the comments on board, I do think it's a little unoriginal.

There isn't any variations sadly.

We don't actually call the cat by her name, she has a nickname BUT the name in question is her actual name.

I don't think it's a problem at all.

Send everyone who knows you a card, and announce mogs name change in advance.
Make it a 'thing'.

Dear Friends and Family,

I take great pleasure in announcing that Esmerelda has adopted the name Mog.
Please use this new title in all further dealings with her.

Yours,

Mamma xxxxx

Hehe, no I didnt think Indiana was the cats name, as cool as that is though! Can you change the name of the cat to Indiana Jones... that would be ace!

So for example dd would be called Isabella but the cat is usually known as Izzy?

I'm having a hard time getting my head round it... I badly want to tell you to use the name you love, but I just can't get past PFB being named after the family pet, sorry!

No.

One of the girls' names we like is the name of our cat. But there's no way we would ever use it. It's a different story if the pet is long gone (coincidentally, my DS has the same name as the dog I had as a child) - but if the cat is alive and well and in your house?!

No no no. It's just weird. And mean for the child. Because relatives and friends will continue to mention it despite your best efforts/any attempt to change the cat's name. And your child will resent you for it!

My DS' name is not Fido or Bingo, in case anyone was wondering

It's silly - don't do it. I love cats but I'd like my kids to understand the ranking in the family without having to purrsue it by asking why the hell there's a cat that answers to THEIR name!

:-)

Good luck, it's gonna be wonderful

We did this! We renamed the cat whilst I was pregnant. It's not like the cat ever responded to its name anyway. None of our extended family even remember that the cat used to be called DD's name. Now pregnant with number two and considering using the name of DD's beloved dolly for the next one.

Thanks all, lots of food for thought.

It's probably easier to give actual name - which is Amber.

Cat is known by us as Ambi, but yep her official name is Amber.

Let's hope we're having another boy hey? (Indiana will be on the list !!)

There was a long thread on exactly this question a couple of years ago. The name in question was Angus, if I remember rightly. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, it was decided that no other name could compete, the cat was old, and they decided what the hell. So somewhere there is another cat and baby sharing a name.

Perhaps the cat could become Bambi?

I say if that's the name you love, go for it!
One of my life regrets is not giving DD2 the name we wanted because of other peoples opinions on it. As she has grown up, it would have suited her perfectly and I like it so much more than what we changed to.
Who cares what other people think? You are the ones that will all be together in 20 years time when the cat will be (sadly) long gone!

Call your child Amber

Rename your cat. The cat will neither know or care.

Simple

I was named after a cat so don't think there's anything wrong with that. I do think that you'll have to rename the cat though (Ambi's too close to Amber) as it'd be confusing to have cat and child with same name. My mum used to muddle up our names and that of the cat or call names of all children and cat until she found the one she wanted.

For some reason now you've given the actual name it doesn't seem so bad. I like the idea of the car becoming Bambi. It has the same sound as her present name but doesn't "feel" too similar to Amber. Emmy or Annie would also work...

Sorry, cat not car. I don't think you're naming dd after a car!