Reusing a middle name for a second child

[mrsmamaleone]

What is the opinion on using one child's middle name as another's first name? For example, my first-born is called Mary Margaret but we rarely refer to her as both, 96% of the time she's simply Mary. We're expecting our second daughter now and we were originally going to call her Molly but I asked everyone here what they thought and it ended up getting vetoed. We decided to go with Jane Alice but now we're not sure. Simply put, I'm in love with Margaret and that extended to my love of it's nickname "Molly". My husband is also equally into the name, not surprising, since our first daughter's middle is Margaret.

I know some people do it and it works, like Eva Mendez and Ryan Gosling with daughters Esmerelda Amada and Amada Lee.

Is it bad form or should we go for it? She'll be here in a couple weeks according to the docs, but if she's anything like my older daughter we'll be meeting her sooner.

I feel that each child deserves its own names. There are so many names to choose from!

I think that would be mean and unfair to both children, almost like you couldn't be bothered to think of a name. Sure that isn't true but they will think so

Strangely, my eldest child’s first name is my youngest child’s middle name. Not in the same language, but the same meaning nonetheless. I found it strange but it is a meaningful name to my husband. And actually most people don’t know because most families don’t go round reciting everyone’s full names all the time

We did it, first child David john and his brother is John Michael (not real names )

Never bothered either of the boys.
Dd has no middle name, couldn’t find one we liked.

Use the name you love.

Isn't Molly a NN for Mary? That's what I've always known it as. Margaret diminutives would be Meg, Peggy or maybe Madge.

I think it's a bit mean to give a child their older sibling's middle name - feels unfair on both, like taking something special from one to give sloppy seconds to the other. But Margaret is a really classy name.

If you love Molly just use that you should really just go with what you like. Whatever name you choose some people will dislike it what what it is worth I wouldn't share a name but some people do and really it's your choice. I think Jane Alice is also lovely

I wouldn't. To me it feels like second best as opposed to the right name for dd2

It may not be an issue for your dds in the future, but why risk it?

If I were the second child in this situation, I’d hate it. It’s possible that your child won’t mind but the sense of “second best” that it could cause isn’t something I would risk, and I’m very laid back about loads of other stuff. It’s a choice that risks hurting both your daughters, so why would you make it? Your alternative choice is lovely. Your second daughter will (presumably?) share a surname with her sibling. Her forenames should be hers alone. She’s an individual, she should have her own name.

Best wishes.

Kate and William did it: Prince George Alexander Louis's little brother is Prince Louis.

everyone has made very good points but I can't help feeling this child will feel like second-hand goods so we're gonna go with something else. But probably not Jane Alice. We something as musical and classical as Mary Margaret (but maybe not alliterative.)

What about names such as:- Charlotte, Alexandra, Tabitha, Cassandra, Emmeline, Eliza, Elizabeth, Josephine, Bethany, Annabelle, Isobel, Arabella, Penelope, Pandora, Clarissa, Esme, Esmeralda, Elenor, Francesca, Francine, Henrietta, Harriet, Maisie, Edith, Ethel, Norah, Imogen, etc? I think some of these are nicer than Margaret (sorry!).

Kate and William did it: Prince George Alexander Louis's little brother is Prince Louis.

That doesn't make it right. Louis may well feel resentful that he didn't get his 'own' special name.

I wouldn't risk it. There's thousands of names to choose from!

Have you thought of using Margaret for her second name too - then you could use it as her 'used' name but she could change it if she wanted to

If those are the actual names, I'd also be concerned that Molly is a diminutive of Mary.
So both girls would effectively have the same name in either situation.
What about Polly?

I think they deserve their own individual names personally. Harry Kane’s DD’s both have the same middle name and it’s Jane. Jane Kane. I just don’t understand .

No.

I thought Molly was a nn for Mary, not Margaret.

I thought Molly was a nn for Mary, not Margaret.

I think it's most commonly for Mary but definitely can be Margaret as in Milly-Molly-Mandy who was Millicent Margaret Amanda

Molly (and Polly as pp raised it) are both nns for Mary, so calling the child Margaret won't get you Molly. And I certainly wouldn't use Molly if you already have a Mary.
You can re-use Margaret but I think it much better to come up with a name you love that doesn't involve re-using a name. You probably need to keep looking I think. You mentioned medieval names in your other thread - why not explore lists of medieval names?
Some medieval populars: Agnes, Amabel, Annabel, Beatrice, Cecily, Christiana, Edith, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Ellen, Gillian, Helen, Idony, Isabel, Isolde, Juliana, Katherine, Lettice, Lucy, Margery, Marion, Matilda, Millicent, Rose, Sarah, Susan, Sybil.

I know someone who did this. In fact, their last child has no original name as the their middle name was also a middle name of a previous child as well as their first name!

Molly is traditionally a diminutive of Mary. It's not a diminutive of Margaret. Having two children called Mary & Molly really is a bit daft.

I'm not keen on reusing a middle name either. I can understand two siblings having the same middle name, but not using an older child's middle name as the first name for a younger sibling.

Molly is traditionally a diminutive of Mary. It's not a diminutive of Margaret.

It is also a diminuitive of Margaret

Molly(also spelledMolliorMollie) is a diminutive of the English feminine nameMary. It may less commonly be used as a diminutive for popular feminine names that begin with M, such as Margaret,

I know of two sisters, I've changed the names but for example, the older sister is Amelia Lily Eva Grace Surname and the younger sister is Lily Eva Grace Surname. That definitely struck me as odd

My 2 sisters have same MN it's really no big deal.