Naming your second child

[TwinkleStars15]

We called our first daughter after her Dad’s Nana. Her Dad was extremely close to his Nana and she died a few years before our daughter was born. It was a complete coincidence that it was my favourite girls name! So worked perfectly.

Problem being, I’m pregnant again and none of the other names in the family are appealing! We have a name we like for both a boy and a girl but neither having a family connection. Am I overthinking things? I’d hate for our second child to think the first was named after family but he/she wasn’t We could give them a middle name with a family connection, but honestly they are not great options ha (I’m talking Tessa, Anne, Joyce, Ernest, John, Keith etc, sorry if these are your children’s names, I’m just not keen!)

Nope I don’t think it’s a problem. I didn’t like any family names for DS and now expecting DD and there’s plenty of family names I could choose.

I suppose the only thought is how would your family feel about it? (I could imagine my DF being put out that I’d chosen a different family name for DD but nothing for DS IYSWIM)

My DC is named after family. If we have another there won’t be a family connection. It hasn’t even occurred to me. Go with the name you like.

Any middle names you could use for your DC's middle name?

Or you first name as a middle name, same for your DH if it's a boy?

Tess and Annie could be slight variations that might be nice?

But I do think you’re overthinking it a bit. My names are not family names but my brother’s are and it has never been something I’ve even thought about, certainly not something I’m jealous of. I like my names.

Don't over think it. I was named after family, next two siblings only had middle name but not first name. It has never been mentioned that my first name is after family and theirs weren't.

It doesn’t matter. You don’t need to limit yourselves.
But I do actually think the relative names you mentioned are really nice on the whole. Keith is the only one that seems dated. Though I do know a 20-year-old Keith.

"We could give them a middle name with a family connection"

Do that. Absolutely nothing wrong with Anne or John as a middle name. (DS's middle name is John, after family.)

Just pick a first name you both like. And maybe use a middle name from your side of the family, since DC1 was named after someone from your partner's family.