Using a name again.

[poolblue]

Does it matter if you use a name that you'd already used?

So first child is, say, William David James and plan for second boy is James Thomas Peter.

Having a discussion with a friend who thinks it's ok as third names aren't used very much and she really wishes she'd used James as a first name the first child.

Would anyone care and do you think the boys themselves would be bothered when they got older?

Of course, it's fine.

I think that's fine.

It’s fine

It would feel a bit half hearted to me. As if they couldn't be bothered spending too much time thinking of a name so just used recycled one of son no. 1's runner-up names.

I would just think that they were names with an ode to their brother? I think it’s fine!

@Shmippy

It would feel a bit half hearted to me. As if they couldn't be bothered spending too much time thinking of a name so just used recycled one of son no. 1's runner-up names.

I think she really wanted to use the name for the first son but was persuaded by her husband to change the order. She still really likes the name and wants to use it.

Kate Middleton did it for Louis. Personally I’d try to find each child their own names, but I don’t think it’s a massive problem.

It’s fine.

Family names often get reused in different order.

Thanks for all your comments, seems like it's fine!

Ask Kate!

Seriously, I know friends who have had this dilemma and used 1st child's middle name as other child's first. I think it's all how you spin it. My suggestion was 'we liked it so much we named you both it' and it can be a link between them. Another friend named her girls all the same middle name for the same reason - to give them a link.

It's fine.
Will DS3 be Peter?

I think it's fine and not many people will know their middle anyhow.

Yes it is ok
I know some people who used a middle name of their second child as the first name of their third

@FayCarew

It's fine. Will DS3 be Peter?

I've not used the actual names, so no to Peter but I love the name and hope it comes back into fashion soon.

Nobody really remembers middle names anyway

I think it's fine. One of my sons middle names I kind of regret not saving if we have another boy but I loved the name and we may never have another boy!

I don't think it means you can't be bothered to think of new names, just means you love the name!

I think fine. I used my second favourite name as dc's middle as there's no guarantee that I'll have another of the same sex. Would be a shame to waste it! But if I have another dc I'd love it as a first name.

Absolutely fine

We kind of did this with male/female versions

I'm with Shmippy sounds like you couldn't be bothered with the younger child to me.
No, generally most people wouldn't know what their friend's older brother's middle name was, but for the people that do know, I think it sounds like you lacked any enthusiasm for the younger child.

There must be tens of thousands of feasible names, it seems a bit odd that you can't think of a couple that don't involve repeating one of the older sibling's names.

I gave DS a very special family name as a middle name would have been first name if DH would have agreed to it for DS1. Always said he chose DC1 and I choose DC2 name so if DC2 is a DS2 it will be his first name as it is too special not to use

I think it's fine.

I knew sister's who were Joanna Kate Smith and Kate Joanna Smith. I thought it was sweet.

It's fine !!

I know 2x siblings they have the names -

Elanor ffion

Ffion Elanor

I actually have this. My eldest is new name, same name, new name, surname and my youngest is same name, new name, surname (Hope that makes sense!)

It’s a family name I wanted to use, and my youngest is known by a diminutive of the same name, so people may not even realise anyway.

I think it's absolutely fine. I don't think it is lazy. People don't know how many DC they will have and if they will be DS/DD so could use both names they love on the 1st DS just in case they don't have another DS, they low and behold they do so they get to use it again.