My sister kind of stole my baby name :(

[Captainchaos8]

I told my sister a few months back that I really liked the name Judah for a boy. We were both expecting boys but she was dead set on calling her baby boy River so I thought I was on safe ground telling her my choice. Anyway she just came out of hospital and announced out tof the blu that her baby was to be Jude. I am completely gobsmacked and quite upset to be honest but I'm not prepared to cause a massive fuss and a fall out over a name. Anyway just wanted some advice, would you still call your baby Judah if your sister had named their baby Jude? Or do you all think I should just bow out graciously and go with my second choice which is Josiah or my hubby's first choice which is Theodore/Theo/Teddy?

Your alternatives are much nicer, I would honestly go with one of them anyway.

But I'm just on to say I know how you feel. Me and SIL were both pregnant at the same time, she was due first. I've got two boys so my 'girls choice' of name was pretty set in stone from those pregnancies, I had loved the name forever. Anyway, SIL has her baby girl and lo and behold, gives her practically the same name - sort of Georgie/Georgina kind of thing, so not the exact same name but close enough that we couldn't use ours. There is a back story to our relationship, of course, but suffice to say we are not close.

Anyway I was gutted but back to the drawing board, didn't even mention it because what's the point? We picked a new name. My daughter is nearly two and is so completely her name that I can't imagine her being called the other name, I'm so glad we ended up calling her what we did, it's perfect.

So pick a new name and I promise that your child will become that name,

@TatianaBis

I prefer Josiah to Judah. The dim is Joe not Josie which is dim for Josephine.

Theodore is a bore as there are so many of them.

I think kids will make and use any "dim" that they want.

@Awrite

Please call your baby Josiah - it's beautiful.

In the West Wing, President Bartlett was Josiah. Jeb, for short.

I think he was actually Jed rather than Jeb. I think Jed is nicer anwyay

Sure, but Josie has never been a dim of Josiah so they’re very unlikely to use that.

All you have to say is ‘Josiah, Jo for short’.

.

Love Theo! Josiah is nice too, to be honest I prefer your second choices. As you said let her have her name and get on with it, and enjoy your lovely family instead.

I think kids will make and use any "dim" that they want.

And it's unlikely be "Josie." The S sounds are different for a start.

I do think baby brain takes over sometimes and I'm sure she didn't think it thru beyond thinking its a name she likes.

didn't Judus betray Jesus

Josiah and Theo/Theodore are wonderful names - I love them!. Also love Joe/Joseph. Those names have a cool vibe to them.

Probably not worth falling out with your sister over this- you'll need each others support with the babies and generally as time goes by. Cousins growing up together can have a lovely special bond.

Good luck with the baby OP 👶.

Thankyou all so much for your lovely, kind supportive replies, it has lifted my heart today. 💕

To me Jude and Judah have completely different vibe about them - I don't like either of them that much TBH but mu opinion isn't important. I think the names could exist alongside each other - no problem - a nice similarity if anything. Maybe there are actually other tensions between the two of you and this is just one way in which it has come to the surface - I'd try not to have a fall out over it - you can say it perhaps put you off using Judah - look ahead and imagine how nice it will be for your kids to know each other, play together and for the pair of you to go out on days together. There are other great names mentioned here - Theo is very likeable.

I know a family where the cousins are Leo and Leon
Nobody batted an eyelid at it
Go for the name you want
(I did raise a brow at siblings Noah and Nora-they where a bit too samey)

Josiah is beautiful and memorable!

Theo is overused imo.

Judah is IMO awful. Sounds so harsh.

Tell her you were kicking it around as a name but really didn't get good feedback after asking all your friends. (And a million mumsnetters).

Go for something like Josiah or Gabriel they're much much nicer.

'Hi Sis congratulations! God I feel a bit weird though - PLEASE tell me you genuinely love Jude and you didn't just get the idea from our fake name? We only said Judah so that we could keep our real choices secret! So don't worry that there might be two 'Judes' around. I'll be singing Hey Jude all day now haha! It's a nice name though so all good I hope? Lots of love x'

Love Theodore Joseph! Theo or Teddy for a nickname, both are lovely.

Come school days, Judah will be changed to Judas or Judy, Josiah to Josie.

Judah will be changed to Judas or Judy, Josiah to Josie.

I disagree. Judah will probably become Jude and Josiah Joe or Jos.

Personally I don't like Teddy

Josiah is lovely.

It feels like every one and their uncles are called Theodore lately. I mean that's only really a testament to how many people think it's a very lovely name but Josiah has got that unique factor to it.

Are you pregnant OP?

Ah sorry just re read and saw you said you are expecting a boy!

Josiah is such a beautiful name! Her narcissism has done you a favour, jokes on her! I'm sorry you have to deal with that though, it sounds like you have technique to deal with her down though. Enjoy your baby with inevitable lovely name

I love Josiah or Theodore.

But you sister is horrible to do that. Remember never to mention any other name that you might use in the future or pretend you like some horrific names and see if she steals that one too

I think if it was a friend I would let it go. But if it was my sister I would definitely say something. Leave it a couple of days and just say "I can't pretend I'm not upset you have used our baby name. You knew our son was going to be called Judah."

It's a very shitty thing to do.

Your other names are lovely.

Sorry, just read your update op. Good for you!
Shame on her for being stuck with a name that wasn't her favourite just to get one up on you.
Don't tell her what your baby will be called.

@Skeumorph

'Hi Sis congratulations! God I feel a bit weird though - PLEASE tell me you genuinely love Jude and you didn't just get the idea from our fake name? We only said Judah so that we could keep our real choices secret! So don't worry that there might be two 'Judes' around. I'll be singing Hey Jude all day now haha! It's a nice name though so all good I hope? Lots of love x'

Please do this OP. Then when she asks, say you aren't revealing names until the birth. Hopefully she'll have registered hers by then.

Teddy is my favourite name