Is it weird to name a child after a dead pet??

[ElisaMay]

My DH wants to name our DD after his childhood dog Billie!! I said that that was crazy but the more I think about it it becomes less strange. My sister was named after our Great Grandmother and my Dad after his father. Is it weird??

I get that not everyone would mind being named after a pet, but since there’s absolutely no way to know at this stage whether your child would think it’s sweet or be devastated by it, why would you take the risk?

My DH wants to name our DD after his childhood dog Billie!! I said that that was crazy but the more I think about it it becomes less strange. My sister was named after our Great Grandmother and my Dad after his father. Is it weird??

Not at all weird! It's very admirable to honour our ancestors. But I am concerned about your husband's language - his "childhood dog" sounds speciesist and redolent of slavery. I would not have a child with this person until he has sorted himself out.

I don’t think it’s weird at all I think it’s sweet! Surprised how many people think it’s weird. If the name was Rover then obviously yes it would be stupid but it works because it’s a human name. The dog was obviously much loved and I think it’s a cute story. I can’t imagine feeling aggrieved if u found out I was named after a pet

If I found out, that was meant to say

Isn't Bindi Irwin named after her father's favourite female crocodile? She seems lovely. And it hasn't hurt her.

Bindi means little girl or little spear.

I don't think it's that weird. But that's coming from the biggest animal lover in the world who loves her dog/cat more than most people 😂 Like others have said, at least she wasn't called Fido or Fluffy.

We had a cat the same name as my eldest, it was when I was very small and didn’t really cross my mind when we picked his name.

Being named after a person is a bit different to being named after a pet.

No. Just no.

If it's more or less coincidental - I.e. the dog was just inspiration and you both like the name enough to use it anyway, and don't go round telling everyone she's 'named after the dog' then fine.

I wouldn’t but I also dislike the name anyway so I may feel differently if it was a name I liked.

I did, named DS after my first dog
Having said that I think it was more a case of we chose DS name for a variety of reasons but it being the same as the name of my first dog didn’t put me off. I didn’t actually choose the dogs name myself and he died many years before DS arrived so I’m not sure if I could say DS is named after the dog - he just happens to be named the same as him

I named my first after my cat I was young and I loved that cat cat was still alive at the time and lived another seven years dying age 20 my child is now 17 and loves the name but leaves out the cat bit and says it's after a singer.

@OohKittens, I'm sure you did love that cat. But it's still not a child. Giving them the same name would indicate to me (as a possibly insecure child) that you loved the cat as much as you loved me. And I would hate that.

I think it's fine.

I was told that I was named after a dog. I was also told I was named after an angelic little girl my parents met on holiday. I prefer the dog story

@EmmapausalBitch

Was a bit worried you were going to say the Ddog was called Buster or Rover!

I wouldn't have liked being named after any of my parents deceased pets.

As a dog lover I would say go for it. However, my husband vetoed a name because it was an old family cat’s name. I personally don’t get the issue

Can't see the issue with this. He loved his dog, she meant a lot to him. He's now having a daughter who will also mean a lot to him. I think it would be better as a middle name though, give her her own name and Billie in the middle. She'll probably love the story of how she's named after her dads beloved dog.

I think it’s odd. But I know several
People who have done it!

I lose my patience at the truck loads of guff that is on mumsnet surrounding the naming kids

Just call your kid a name you like no fucking angst

Who cares if it "flows" or sounds similar to a cousins name or is the dogs name or rhymes with Bolivia

Just name your kids a nice name and get over it

You could do it and just not tell anyone if you're worried about anyones opinion. I personally don't think its weird, however if the dogs name was lucky or sparky I might think different lol

Do you like the name Billie? If not then it doesn’t really matter

It's not a case of worrying about other people's opinions, it's thinking about your child. They are the ONLY person who matters in this. And while some children wouldn't care, and some might really like the idea of being named after a pet, some would be really upset by it. So why would you take that chance?

He loved his dog, she meant a lot to him. He's now having a daughter who will also mean a lot to him

THIS. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT.

Because his daughter ought to mean a LOT more to him than the dog. Children are not pets. Pets are not children.

I think it’s a nice name . Regardless of the fact it came from a pet.