Friend called their daughter what we want to call our son!

[lemonslemonslemons]

I'm due in less than 2 weeks and DH and I were pretty much decided on our son's name, Avery. We really like it and we're planning to go with it.

However, a few weeks ago I met a friend of a friend who had a baby girl 7 weeks ago. We have become really close in the last few weeks and she ha just moved to the same area of us. Problem is, she and her DH named their daughter Avery

My DH is still keen to call our boy Avery, but it feels kind of weird now. What would you do?

[PerspicaciaTick]

How are you going to vet all your DS's friends at nursery, school, cubs etc.? Will you only participate in activities where he is the only child with a particular name? If not and you are happy to accept that you may meet and be friends with other children who share his name in future, then I would just choose the name you love and not worry about your friend's DD.

[MrsDrSpencerReid]

My DS has a Ruben and a Ronan in his class at school. Both lovely boys

[contrary13]

How about Aveley? It sounds similar, but is a place name, so can be unisex. And it's an 'A' name, too, if that's what you're going for.

I know a family with the surname Rowan - and their three little ones are all red-headed, which is pretty apt

Because my children are that much older than most of my friends children, I didn't have this problem of "so-and-so has used the name I wanted to use". However. I do know that one of my ex's wife was very upset to discover that I'd called my DD (who isn't my ex's child!) the name that she wanted to call their DD, who is three years younger than mine. Ex and I're still friends and he was very bemused by the whole thing - especially when his wife (who is actually very nice when she's not complaining about something that happened before she'd wandered into our circle of friends) insisted that their DD be named incredibly similarly to my DD. Think 'Beth' and 'Bethan' (not the actual names, but...).

Nothing wrong, incidentally, with giving a child the same name as a dog - within reason, of course. My DD has the same name as my childhood dog... which is why my ex was so bemused by the whole sitauation

[Permanentlyexhausted]

It's not the neighbour's child, it's the freaking dog!

Huh? You said they had a baby girl 7 weeks ago and named their daughter Avery. Where does the dog come into this?

[puzzledleopard]

isn't it strange how the brain works and puts us off names by association be it social circle, people we dont like or had a bad association with in our lives or names of pets!

I knew what my DD name was before I knew if she was a boy or a girl it came to me in a dream and I had to have it. I would have been gutted if someone else chose it before her birth or in your situation but I would have changed it. can't suggest any as I am awful with names!

My sister had a name picked out and was adamant that was going to be his name! When he was born and she was looking at him she "he doesn't look like that name at all and it doesn't suit him" they came up with one on the spot! - I didnt like the new name at first because I was so used to the old name but love it and he's a teen now and loves his name.

[unicornthong]

I definitely wouldn't go for Avery now. It's too much of an unusual name to seem like a coincidence, especially if you are new friends!

Hell, my OH's best friends have just named their son Jack so that's off my list despite its immense popularity and room for coincidence.

I second Rowan. And may I add Axel and Abel to the pot? They're super cool and not too dissimilar to Avery (which I think is kinda feminine anyway!)

[TutanKaDashian]

Awful name. It's what you keep a bird in isn't it? (Only spelt differently) Remember, you're not naming a baby, you're naming a person and this person has to live with this name for the rest of their life. What is cute now, will just be silly when they're older. Go for a classic like James or Benjamin, far nicer.

[NeedACleverNN]

What about Boris

[Goingtobeawesome]

In my Aqua natal group I was the last to have their baby. One mum brought her baby and announced was called GTBABoy. I said oh, that's what we were going to call out baby. I can't remember what she said but we were friends after so it wouldn't have been anything awful. I told DH when I came home and he said of course we are keeping the name. Within six months we'd moved and we never saw her again. He is his name so I'm glad we kept it..

With my second two children were murdered who had the names we had in mind for dc2. Again, I talked to DH and he said no, we are keeping the names. While we didn't pick the right name for dc2 for how they have turned out I don't regret not changing their names.

[Wordsaremything]

I just don't get this business about having another child in the same class with the same name - so what? At my prep school, 10% of the class had the same 'classic' name as me. 'Twas never a problem!

Since it's the fist boy in so many years, can't you even consider calling it after a relative?

Avery is just awful. Tweet tweet!

[everdene]

Is it pronounced like Savoury or Carvery?

I'd have pronounced it the first way but the girl called Avery in Pitch Perfect is the second way.

It does remind me of birds and I think is quite American but if you like it, don't worry about your friend and her baby.

[everdene]

Is it pronounced like Savoury or Carvery?

I'd have pronounced it the first way but the girl called Avery in Pitch Perfect is the second way.

It does remind me of birds and I think is quite American but if you like it, don't worry about your friend and her baby.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

Avery reminds me of American Dad and the guy from Making a Murderer, which is still pretty widely talked about. I don't think I'd name my son after it for that reason - especially as it looks like he'll get a retrial and there will be second and third series'.

I've never heard anyone called Reuben being called Poobin or Pubes... Is it just your friend that changed your mind?

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

MNHQ has or did have a Rowan 🙂

[SpidersFromMars]

Rohan's the best of the ones mentioned on this page I think.

[3catsandcounting]

Amory? Think it's Scottish.
Love Rowan!

[hardheadedwoman]

Aren't they adhesive labels?

[stareatthetvscreen]

i quite like ivory tbh

[SissySpacekAteMyHamster]

I like Rohan

[regularbutpanickingabit]

What about Arlo?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'd find another name. Don't like Avery anyway though, sorry.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

LOVE Rowan - dd2 would have been it, had she been ds.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

Avery makes me think of mail merge hell.

[Cherylene]

For anyone of an age when all the shopping wasn't done at supermarkets,

Avery = shop scales.

Stood many an hour waiting to be served at the greengrocers watching them.