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Baby names

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

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Original poster

1st cousins with same name

46 replies

Rosie5060 · 17/01/2017 09:44

Me and my partner are expecting our first baby. The only name we both love for our baby boy is George.

Here comes the BUT! My partner has a nephew called Georgie who is nearly 3.

George had always been on my shortlist..I didn't even think about it when his brother named his boy Georgie as we weren't thinking about starting a family at the time.

My partner mentioned to his brother that I loved George and he didn't seem at all bothered about it.

They are close brothers, live locally and we see the boys 2-3 times a month.

I'm really torn between a name I love and the practicalities of having cousins with very nearly the same name. Would really appreciate outside opinions, has anyone had a similar situation in their family?

OP posts:

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namechange7711 · 17/01/2017 10:09

If they are going to have the same surname, you live locally and see each other often, I think it's too close, sorry. Your nephew might be Georgie now, but it's likely he'll morph into George when he gets older.

I think you need to look for something else.

What do you like about George? Is it the "J" sound, in which case how about Jago, Joshua, Jamie, Jude? Or is it the traditional vibe in which case how about Henry, Percy, William, Albert?

00100001 · 17/01/2017 10:22

Just call your child whatever you want. It works in families where the parents is named the same as the child... so I fail to see why it would be a huge issue for cousins.

00100001 · 17/01/2017 10:23

Some families even give kids very similar names (e.g George and Georgina)

NewtScamandersNaughtyNiffler · 17/01/2017 10:25

I wouldn't personally although I know families where cousins have the same names and there are no issues.

In fact I wouldn't use a name that has been used on the same generation at all. For eg one of my favourite girls names is Sophia. My cousins dd is called Sophia and even though we never see them it would feel weird to me to use that name.

Cakingbad · 17/01/2017 10:25

You need to check with Georgie's mum too. She might not be so cool about it as his dad.

GobblersKnob · 17/01/2017 10:25

Cannot see why it would be even a tiny problem, a name is for life go with your gut :)

DavidPuddy · 17/01/2017 10:27

I don't think it's a problem. Lots of cousins share first names, particularly common if it is a family name. There is in fact an Agatha Christie book that hinges on that as a plot device...

Yoarchie · 17/01/2017 10:36

My db asked my permission to use the name of my ds for his new baby. I said fine. As it happened the baby came out as a dd so the cousins didn't end up with the same name. I think it's fine. Both my kids think it's sweet for a baby to have the same name as them. In fact dd is named the same as her 2nd cousin.

Original poster

Rosie5060 · 17/01/2017 10:37

The nephew is actually named Georgie, it's not a nick name for George. I love both the J sound and the classic name.

I feel so unoriginal for calling him George but still can't part with the name.

No his mum may not be but parents are now separated so don't think we will have that opportunity.

Both of us have male dominated families so a lot of the classic boys names are taken which doesn't help

OP posts:

JellyWitch · 17/01/2017 10:39

Just ask them whether they mind. Your George will need a nickname though.

My brother didn't use their preferred name for my niece as it was too close to my newborn daughter's name. I wouldn't have minded in the slightest and we have no intention of using the closest shortening anyway so it wouldn't have been confusing.

strawberrypenguin · 17/01/2017 10:41

I wouldn't but then it pissed me off when SIL used my sons middle name as the first name for my nephew. There are loads of lovely names pick a different one

babyblabber · 17/01/2017 11:27

Ah here using a middle name as a first name is nothing to get worked up about! How often do you use the middle name?!!!

But OP I would defo pick something different. It's not just that they're cousins, they're also close in age AND will see each other a good bit. And with the same surname?!!

ItsNiceItsDifferentItsUnusual · 17/01/2017 11:30

I wouldn't do it - sorry. You're within your rights to, if you wanted, though.

mum2bejen · 17/01/2017 11:32

Personally I wouldn't use the same or similar first name, especially if you are likely to see them often. I love the name Daniel, but my cousin called her boy Daniel, so it wouldn't feel right if we do too.

Three of us have used forms of my Grandfather's name as middle names in honour of him though (Charles/Charlie/Charlotte) so maybe you could keep George as a middle name and choose a different first name?

strawberrypenguin · 17/01/2017 11:33

I did have other issues with SIL at the time blabber but I still think they could have found something else. It's not like we'd used all the boys names in the world!

MrsJayy · 17/01/2017 11:35

Our family have a male family name my late granddad name I have an uncle and 2 cousins with it although 1 cousin calls himself something slightly different. If you like the name then use it

Bin85 · 17/01/2017 11:36

James?

WingMirrorSpider · 17/01/2017 11:38

Both me and my sibling share our names with cousins on opposite sides of the family. I also share an aunt's name. We were all quite close growing up and it's no big deal really.

However we're quite a big family with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. If it's just the two boys as cousins that's somehow different I think.

LaLaLouise · 17/01/2017 11:42

I wouldn't - find another name that's not going to cause confusion and possible upset. There are lots of other lovely names out there!

MrsJayy · 17/01/2017 11:45

Yes our family is huge so it might be different if there is only 2 cousins Georgie and George a few years apart. My cousin's have 20 years between them

TheWoollybacksWife · 17/01/2017 11:47

I've got the same name as two of my cousins - one on each side of the family. It's a name that doesn't even have any shortened versions so we are all known by the full name. It's been fine - we are all known as name surname in the family though.

sleepachu · 17/01/2017 11:50

My first cousin (who's only a few years younger than my mum) liked my first name so much she asked if she could use it for her daughter who was born a year after me. My mum didn't mind at all and we both love having the same name. She naturally gets called an obvious nickname that for some reason has never stuck on me, so no confusion.

DelphiniumBlue · 17/01/2017 11:52

We have 2 nephews woith the same name (first cousins) and it is not ban issue, but there is big age gap, and they don't live near each other.

I did think it was a bit weird to give them the same name, but it has made very little difference to anything. But I wouldn't do it where they are close geographically and in age.
Mybest friend called her DS a name I'd always loved, and I didn't use it for my eldest, who was only a few years younger, but did use it for DS3 many years later. Could you choose a different name for this baby but use your current choice for a younger one in afew years time?

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 17/01/2017 11:53

I wouldn't do it. It's weird to me.

woods4thetrees · 17/01/2017 12:13

We named my DS Harry after his grandad Harry who is now know as "Grandad Harry" My DS cousin is called "Harriet" after the same man. Everyone refers to her as "Harri". My new partner has 2 DS, one of whom is also called Harry. We refer to their middle names to differentiate. It's as much of a problem as you make it really. I wouldn't let it put me off if you really love only that name.

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