would you still use this name?

[sliceofsoup]

Would you name your baby girl Alexandra if your cousin had a boy named Alex?

We are considering TTC DC3 later this year, and this is my absolute favourite name if we have a girl. But then last year there was a little Alex born into the family, so now I am not so sure.

We see this cousin often enough but not every week.

Yes, I think I would. If they were close first cousins then probably not but they'll be... Second cousins? And not too close by the sounds of it.

Good luck!

Yes.

Yes.. but may depend on how close you are to the little boys family.. if you see them twice a week socially, then possibly not.

Yes.

Not much confusion potential as it's boy and girl, and they may well end up with different casual names anyway. People never used to worry about this sort of thing at all.

Yes.

This sounds a bit familiar!

If DC3 is a boy, definitely not Alexander.

If DC3 is a girl... I actually probably wouldn't, but it does depend on how far away you live. And I absolutely wouldn't nickname DC3 Alex.

So I guess it's okay, although I wouldn't do it myself.

Also, would it upset your cousin? Some people wouldn't notice/care, other people would be really hurt.

Personally no.
I would choose again, Aurelia or Anastacia probably.

No I wouldn't. If you see them fairly regularly then I wouldn't use the same/almost the same name, sorry.

My brother in law is called Harry and his first cousin is called Harriet. They are still very close and we often joke about their mothers lack of imagination (they are sisters) but it's never been an issue.

No, I woulsnt use it.

I think my cousin may be the type to be annoyed or put out by it, and we live about 30 miles away from them, we see them at birthdays and Christmas etc.

One of my friends asked me if I minded her calling her DC2 a name very similar to my DC2s, both girls (Sophia and Sophie). I didn't mind that, but then we are just friends, family is very different.

I wish there was another name that I loved as much that went with my two DDs names. It is all hypothetical at the minute of course. A boy wouldn't be Alexander, picking a boys name is another story lol.

No I wouldn't Alexandra is a mouthful for most people and so like it or no it will be shortened to Alex.

If you think your cousin would be put out, then I think it's best not to. But it sounds like you have several months/years to choose a name so hopefully you come up with another one you really like (or have a boy!)

But I suppose if you do have a daughter and call her Alexandra, once the birth certificate is filled out it's too late for the family to complain!

I know what you mean about friends and family being quite different.

My mother met a friend when my sister was very little and both had daughters with the same name (let's say Jessica for the purposes of this thread). My DM had me a year later, and called me, let's say, Ellen. Then her friend had a second daughter a few months later and named her Ellen too! It was more funny than annoying, I don't think permission was asked or anything like that.

But when I was about five or six my father's cousin (in Hobart!) was going to call his daughter 'Jessica' and my grandparents raised such a stink that they named her something else.

It really is quite different for family, but as you can see from this thread some people wouldn't be bothered at all.

I would, but just mention it to cousin first. I'd use alexa or lexi as nns.

Yes. It's no-one's business what you call your child. It's a name, the cousin didn't pay for it and hasn't patented it.

My cousin is easily annoyed really, so while her feelings are a consideration, they don't hold much weight. If she wants to be annoyed she will find a reason. I am more concerned about the wider family, we have a lot of kids with the same sounds at the start of their names, and finding the right name to say or call out is already confusing without having an Alex and Alexandra added to the mix.

I think I am leaning towards no. :(

After two girls a boy would be lovely, but for some reason I can only think of another baby as a girl.

Oh and I am not too worried about nicknames, my eldests name is very nicknameable (made up word there) and she gets the full thing, our family isn't one for nicknames, and I can't control what happens at school so I don't worry about that really. I know a few older Alexandra's and they all use their full name.

But I have to get Alexandra out of my head now.

Aww, that's a shame OP. My DD is Alexandra (shortened to Alex), and my good friends who are expecting their first in a few months have decided not to go with Alex as a boy's name (it was their favourite before my DD was born) as our kids will be growing up together and it might sound weird. It didn't bother me but I can understand the concern.

I have an Alexandra, known as Alex or Alli. She says now that she would have quite liked being called Sandy as a nn. So maybe Alexandra, but with a different nn would work?

If your cousin's son is called Alex, and you say you would be using the full name Alexandra, then I really can't see a problem there at all.