Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

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

Flip

Original poster

Same first initial

22 replies

EmbarrassingMama · 22/04/2021 12:37

Hello! Pregnant with our second and just found out we're having a girl this time. Our son has a name beginning with 'S' and we've settled on a girls name also beginning with 'S'.

The names are very different, one is two syllables and the other three, and my husband and I don't have 'S' initials.

Would this put you off? Does it seem like we're trying to find a theme?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 22/04/2021 12:42

My friend's daughters both have the same initial so say they are called Sarah and Sally, when she names their wellies or anything she has to include their middle initial as otherwise there is confusion.

I just think it is nice when a child has their own letter. Maybe I am biased because I shared my initial with a sibling but the same sex so even our mail was addressed to Ms O Doom. Yes, but which Ms O Doom?

My two sons also had their initials on their bedroom doors when we moved as they were little and liked having that.

FizzyApricot · 22/04/2021 12:45

It will get confusing if they get post sent to Miss S XYZ. Seems like a little thing and if post continues to get replaced by email it will be fine, but I have same initial as my mum and it annoyed me when she kept accidentally opening my post, and that's with us having different titles.

Cotswoldmama · 22/04/2021 12:47

I think it's fine, it's their name and they're individuals, I probably wouldn't notice unless their were far more than two kids with the same initial. I knew a family with a Justin, Jeremy, Jonathan, Jemma and Jiselle. I think it's quite sweet that they share an initial.

romdowa · 22/04/2021 12:51

My self and my brother have the Same first name initial. Weirdly so do me and my oh😂 I know loads of families where they match names. A family near me growing up , all the kids had names that ended in a.

hadwebutworldenoughandtime · 22/04/2021 12:55

My two DDs have the same initial and it hasn't caused a problem so far (DD1 is 13). It has even helped a bit as soon as DD2 was born I started labelling all clothes Initial Surname so no renaming to be done when DD2 grows into her sister's clothes! I imagine this is not as helpful with a son and a daughter. If things do get confusing in the future it will really only be for a relatively short time before one or the other moves out. Their names start with different sounds as well - think Charlotte and Catherine so it's not as obvious when we are talking to them.

3JsMa · 22/04/2021 13:12

My 3 DSs have the same initials as I do,but different middle names,never had a problem.

Original poster

EmbarrassingMama · 22/04/2021 14:24

Thanks everyone! I was worried this might immediately be shot down, but it sounds like most of you wouldn't really notice it. I'll be mindful of post (if that still exists in 12 years!). :)

OP posts:

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 22/04/2021 14:47

I share an initial with my brother and it's fine (and saved my parents money on name tapes for school uniforms ) . Post was never a problem as it always had Mr or Miss as well as the initial and surname (or our full names). I wouldn't have wanted to share an initial with my sister though, as I could see that being more of a hassle with mail.

RuthW · 22/04/2021 15:22

I had the same initial as my dad. It's a pain and I wouldn't do it

Original poster

EmbarrassingMama · 22/04/2021 15:26

I did too @RuthW but I can't ever remember it being an issue. What was annoying about it?

OP posts:

Synchrony · 22/04/2021 17:09

I have the same initial as my sibling. It was annoying only because we also have the same middle initial. If only the middle names had started with different letters as I always got mail to A. B. Smith and that would have been enough to distinguish us!

RuthW · 22/04/2021 19:15

@EmbarrassingMama

I did too *@RuthW* but I can't ever remember it being an issue. What was annoying about it?

Lots of mix ups with post. He used to open mine and vice versa when the were just addressed to R Surname

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 22/04/2021 19:34

The other issue apart from post (which probably will matter less if they're a boy and a girl than it would if they were both boys or both girls) is whether or not you're planning to have other children, and whether that would tie you to the letter S, as a third child might feel left out having a different initial.

Calmyertits · 22/04/2021 19:50

Ds And dd are both double 'M's. We didn't plan it that way and wasn't intentional. Although I feel like if we had a 3rd we'd have to do it on purpose!

PlainJane1000 · 22/04/2021 21:26

I have the same first and middle initial aas my brother, I do think my parents could have found a different middle name for me but honestly it really hasn't affected my life. Lots of people mention the post and on occasion yes there was some post that arrived without Miss or Mr to provide clarity but how much post do people even get these days? How long are the siblings under the same roof getting unexpected post that hasn't been fully labelled compared to a lifetime of that name?

RedactedTaeFeck · 22/04/2021 21:29

I have two (now adult) sons with the same initial. It's only once ever been an issue with mail. They both set up an ISA account and the first letters arrived with just first initial and surnames but the company altered this when requested.

Virtually everything is online now anyway or any mail includes their full first name and/or their middle initial.

Aprilshowersandhail · 22/04/2021 21:31

I know a very well off family who deliberately gave their dc the same initials so they can pass down ridiculously expensive private school uniform!

Twinkie01 · 22/04/2021 21:35

Mark Martin and Michelle. I always think same initials give a whiff of Pauline Fowler.

RedactedTaeFeck · 22/04/2021 21:44

@Aprilshowersandhail

I know a very well off family who deliberately gave their dc the same initials so they can pass down ridiculously expensive private school uniform!

We just picked names we liked so it was a coincidence. I would definitely have thought more about making a difference if we'd had a third DC. What i did for hand downs was to put DS1s first and last with a gap in the middle and when I passed it on i just popped DS2s initial in the space

JellyTeapot · 22/04/2021 21:50

If it's just the children I don't think it's a problem. If it's all of you it could be a bit cringy.

I know a family like this, they've ended up using a bit of a unique spelling to make everyone start with the same letter though, ie parents are Carol and Callum, children are Catherine, Cuthbert and Cevin (obviously not their real names!)

AbstractHeart · 22/04/2021 21:51

I think it's fine as long as the names are very different. I know someone who named her kids Joshua and Joseph - those are far too similar!

HeronLanyon · 22/04/2021 21:59

I had same initial as my late mum. Only ever a problem after her death sorting everything out (companies kept thinking they were talking to her after I explained and then have my details - not helpful - quite funny really I guess - now).
Two of
My siblings have same initial. The second named wished they had their own initial when young. Not for any practical reason.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread