2 babies within family, similar names

[HmmGrey]

Using replacement names:

I’ve just had a baby and throughout my pregnancy only liked the name “Mia”. Over the duration of my pregnancy, I realised the name was more popular than I would’ve liked so started looking again. I found the name “Ria” after looking long and hard. Hadn’t thought about looking at the name starting with a different letter before. After coming up with nothing else, I thought amazing, it’s meant to be.

I told my sister and that’s when I realised it sounds like the name she has chosen for her baby “Reena” She feels it too similar and that she wouldn’t name her baby “Reena” if I go chose “Ria”

I’m absolutely gutted. I can’t find anything else I like and I’ve searched and searched. I thought I had found the perfect name and I feel like it’s the baby’s name. I don’t want her to have to give up the name she’s chosen.

What do I do?

Thank you all for your comments

I’ve decided to try and look again. I had a long hard think last night and if the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn’t be pleased. Our relationship is too special to risk a potential fallout. I think I was blinded by my love for the name, that I didn’t realise how similar they actually are. It’s a crap situation. The name clicked for me and it’s the first time I’ve called her something other than she. Doubt I’ll find something I love as much but going to give it a good try

I think that is a really sensible idea! If you need any ideas I'm sure we can all help. I really hope you find a name you love and glad that your family relations won't be affected.

If you knew your sister's choice beforehand, maybe subconsciously, that is why it "clicked". Because it sounded familiar.

HmmGrey - I think you’ve made the right decision. Give it to her as a middle name?

I didn’t use my favourite name - which I loved SO MUCH - for my eldest (for various reasons). I thought I’d always be sad about it, and it took me until she was 6 weeks old to find another. But I didn’t feel that sad in the end - it was the new baby hormones. The name I didn’t use feels totally wrong now. I have zero regrets.

Whatever you choose to call your daughter will eventually feel so right that you won’t be able to imagine her called anything else.

It’ll probably be a story you tell her one day: “I nearly called you Ria”. She’ll probably love to hear about it and think it’s funny and unable to imagine herself as a Ria!