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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Siblings with the same initials

50 replies

cattaxi · 28/09/2019 23:07

Just that really. Is it weird?
We are about to have ds 2. Ds 1 has a set of 4 initials (2 middle names) - for example CFTP.
We were planning of using the same 2 middle names for ds 2, but now we’ve narrowed our list down and our favourite first name also begins with the same initial.
Is that weird?
Will it cause problems with the post? Will we even still be getting post in a few years?

Dh and I are going around in circles over this. Should we just use the names we love - or should we chose another first or middle name! Help?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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daisypond · 29/09/2019 08:45

My first choice name for my second daughter started with the same letter as her sister. I picked something else. And do not let your 4 year old pick the name. That’s insulting for the second child.

Wannabegreenfingers · 29/09/2019 08:48

I had the same initials as my mum and once I was old enough to get post when still living at home (bank statements, credit cards, that sort of thing) it became an issue. I wouldn't give my children the same initials.

MissHenty · 29/09/2019 09:39

I really really wouldn’t worry about the post @cattaxi

Post is being phased out. My bank no longer sends bank statements. I no longer get phone bills. Even my doctors is now online and I get blood results online.

Can you imagine telling your child in ten years you were worried about “the post”?! I bet they’ll laugh their head off or say “what’s that”

Original poster

cattaxi · 29/09/2019 12:41

Thanks everyone! Some really interesting points to think about.

@milveycrohn that’s the kind of thing siblings will never forgive or forget, isn’t it! And something we really want to avoid. We just can’t work out if post will be as much if a thing in the future.

OP posts:

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 29/09/2019 13:45

It causes confusion on flights as well.

We go on holiday with the in laws.

Dh and FIL have the same “first” name (that neither of them use!) The airline calls them Mr J A Smith and Mr J B Smith. Just to make it even more complicated FIL actually is Mr J A Smith but dh is not Mr J B Smith.

It took forever to confirm that they use JA and JB in a “J1” and “J2” way and that they hadn’t got dh’s middle initial wrong.

And then the airline hasn’t told all of its staff so we have to deal with them querying it as well.

Every Bloody Time.

WaxOnFeckOff · 29/09/2019 13:50

Genuine question pp, why does it matter for flights? We never book seats together and are randomly allocated seats, we often swap about depending on where they are in the plane so I rarely sit in my actual allocated seat. No one has ever queried anything or cared where we sit. DH and I have same first initial. DSs also share same first initial but different from ours. I'm also pretty sure that boarding passes have our full name on.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 29/09/2019 14:23

I don’t know. It’s not about seats. I think you can’t have two people with the same name on the same booking without it causing problems.

So it wouldn’t be a problem for you and your husband (Mr J Smith and Mrs J Smith) although I am surprised you don’t have the same issue with your sons.

Maybe it is a TUI thing (we flew with TUI both times) but we only have a title, an initial and a surname on our boarding cards.

WaxOnFeckOff · 29/09/2019 18:37

I've never flown with TUI but with loads of other airlines and never had an issue at all. Maybe it's because your FIL and DH have the same name rather than just the same initial?

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 29/09/2019 18:44

Maybe it's because your FIL and DH have the same name rather than just the same initial?

Ahh - maybe. Ok - Op - forget the flights thing. As long as you don’t call both kids “Charlie” you probably won’t have a problem with flights.

WaxOnFeckOff · 29/09/2019 18:59

Mum I actually know a family who called both their sons William (after their dad). The first one was known by his middle name and the other was known as Billy. A bit bizarre.

Original poster

cattaxi · 29/09/2019 19:42

The flight thing makes sense if they have the same name I suppose.
DS would probably quite like it, but I don’t think we’ll go for that option!
@waxonfeckoff each to their own (plenty of people not liking our matching middle names on here!) but the same first name is definitely a bit bizarre. Imagine having 3 William jones’ under the same roof!

OP posts:

WaxOnFeckOff · 29/09/2019 19:53

Yep, I'm very live and let live myself, but that was a bit weird. It just reminds me of George Foreman. He has many children but I think 5 of them are called George and one is called Georgette or similar :o

Original poster

cattaxi · 29/09/2019 19:59

@waxonfeckoff - that is really funny! And I thought we were having problems choosing - they must’ve been really struggling 😂

OP posts:

WaxOnFeckOff · 29/09/2019 20:07

I cant say too much. It wasn't until I was ordering in the little wooden letters to spell out DSs names on their bedroom doors that I realised that the four letters in DS2s name are the same as 4 of the 5 letters of DS1s name, just in a different order. I blame DH really as if we'd gone with the usual spelling of DS2s name then there wouldn't be the same crossover and they wouldn't share an initial. But since I got the name, he got to choose the spelling.

Original poster

cattaxi · 29/09/2019 21:48

@WaxOnFeckOff it makes sense if you like the way the letters sound. And it doesn’t matter anyway.
No closer to resolving our dilemma. Hopefully something will feel right when he arrives!

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Twolittlebears · 30/09/2019 00:22

Mine are young - 5 & 2. Bank statements not a problem so far as they are DD and DS so are Miss and Master.

Twolittlebears · 30/09/2019 00:27

Also all bank statements are addressed to me for some reason so had to learn account numbers for each anyway!

Aprillygirl · 30/09/2019 00:45

You are planning on giving your second son the same middle names as your first. Why on earth would you do that?

AverageMummy · 30/09/2019 07:00

It isn’t an issue as such but will be a bit sad for the kids to not have their own special identities. Children love learning to write their name & spell out their initials. My son was really upset when he heard us suggest a first name of the same initial & I have friends who’ve had the same with their kids. So we ruled it out in order to let them have their own identities.
I’m confused why there are no other names you like?

Bloomburger · 30/09/2019 07:10

I can't help but think of Pauline Fowler in her hideous cardigan and tabard when I hear women say their children's names and they all start with the same letter.

Windygate · 30/09/2019 07:34

DSis and I have the same initial it's caused no end of problems with mail, banking and legal documents. Also caused issues at school with teachers getting us mixed up.

Dollywilde · 30/09/2019 07:43

@Bloomburger interestingly I was going to say that OP should think about whether she’d plan a third as I think it’d be a bit unfair not to match with the initial too? So having James, Joshua and Michael - would Michael feel a bit excluded ?

Original poster

cattaxi · 30/09/2019 10:52

@AverageMummy interesting take. I’m confident enough in our parenting that I know our sons will feel special and unique -regardless of sharing an initial - with each other and millions more!

@Bloomburger Pauline Fowler must be my new style icon 😂

@Dollywilde 3rd child will not be an issue! But, in a parallel universe where it was, I wouldn’t leave them out!

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JaffaCakeGal · 30/09/2019 13:45

My DF has the same initial as me, and when his name is shortened the same initial as my DSis - he was always opening our mail when we lived there! I said even back then that I would never use the same initials if I had kids.

HannahC86 · 01/10/2019 00:06

I think if you love both the names, you wont care even if there is some confusion later. Its like when people pick a name that has the potential to be mispronounced or misspelt - it only bothers you if you werent completely sold on the name in the first place, if you are, you correct people and move on without giving it a second thought. At least thats my experience.

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