Calling baby masculine form of my own name?

[Purpletopaz42]

So I have a name, which has a masculine and feminine form so for example Henry and Henrietta. Well my grandad was called Henry, I am named Henrietta after him but I'm pregnant with a boy and I'd like to call him Henry, after my grandad, who has since passed but I don't know if people will just think I've named the baby after myself or if it will get confusing, thoughts? Thank you

If you were in the US, it'd be fine. I know a mum Linda, daughter Melinda over there. The number of Henry Jones III etc is a common thing.
Here...I know a mum Hannah and daughter Joanna and thought, hmmm. But then again who gives a hoot if people do raise an eyebrow a bit. Henry is lovely.

You just say it's a family name or he's named after your DGF?

There are those of us who do it in private because you don't insult children.

Nice. But it's not about inability to generate names, it's about preference.

I think it's fine.
But my dad, his dad and his dad were all Michael (or variants of as nicknames!), so I don't think it's odd really.

There’s a ridiculous number of Michael’s amongst my cousins. Plus one uncle, and my great-grandfather. Plus various other names reused in the family, but Michael is the big one.

I agree with this. Personally I'd keep it for a middle name if it's as obvious as Henry/Henrietta. As pp said though, something like John and Joanna would be fine as they are different enough to not make the connection.

So I'd vote no to Paul and Paula, Frances and Francis, Eric and Erica.
But yes to Alexander and Sandrine, Charles and Caroline, Ian and Siobhan.

I stand corrected. @Sarahcoggles and @Reugny .

Op apparently some pathetic people will talk behind your back.

I guess you have to decide if you give a shit about the opinion of adults who literally bitch about a child's name behind their parent's back like kids in the school yard

I disagree that "men do it all the fucking time and no one calls them narcissists". Weird AF whichever way round it is. My brother has my dad's name as his middle name and I even find that odd tbh (my dad is the least narcissistic person you could meet so I don't understand why they did it, but I'm too polite to ask 😂).

I’d assume it was a family name
men name kids after themselves all the time
go for it I think

Imagine the name being yelled around the house, up and down the stairs etc.

Will there be any confusion as to who is being summoned?

I don’t see why not. Men do it all the time.

Although when I was at primary school I knew two brothers with the same first name! Which I thought was a bit crazy. But I think a mum Henrietta and son Henry or Stephanie/Steven or Michelle/Michael is fine.

Like… who? Who would talk about this behind someone’s back?

‘Oh, do you know Stephanie? Yeah, Stephanie from finance… well she’s named her new baby Steven, apparently her grandpa’s name, a family name. Yeah, that’s the gossip sorted for this weekend! Juicy.’

I’ve got way better things to say behind people’s back. If that was my mate’s gossip I’d think she was dull.

@Kanaloa brilliant and spot on! 😂

OP if you want to use the name then use it. The posters who are shocked and horrified by the idea of naming a child after a relative really need to find something a bit more controversial to get their knickers in a twist about

I know someone that did this, in this case the DD was given the feminine version of Dad’s name and my first thought was that it was narcissistic. Obviously wouldn’t say anything to them, but honestly that was my initial reaction!

MotherOfCatBoy · Yesterday 18:19
I have a similar combination and did exactly that (for different reasons) and no one batted an eyelid. Do what’s right for you

@MotherOfCatBoy but do you honestly think that people tell you out loud if they think you have made a weird decision? Of course they don’t. For every 100 people who think you made the wrong choice only 1 will tell you that, and they will do it very obliquely.

I know a family where the parents are Paul and Christine and the kids (well they’re adults too now) are Paula and Christopher.

I find it odd and narcissistic too.

I wouldn't necessarily 'talk behind your back' but I would certainly think it to myself.

Henry is lovely, as is Henrietta. Go for it. Don’t be out off by other PPs. Plenty of children back in the day had their parents exact names and I don’t think that was seen as narcissism… my auntie (oldest child) had her mum’s name, my uncle (the middle child) had their dads name and then my mum as the youngest had a different name 😆 but very similar sounding to sister and mum so they had quite a confusing household I’d imagine x

I wouldn’t, personally.

I remember going to a baby group a long time ago, and meeting a woman called. Anna whose baby was Annabel. People said to her “Oh, that’s…sweet.”

When she left, everyone was like “She really named her baby after herself. Wow. Gosh.”

Not bitching, as a pp said, but it was certainly commented on, and not really in a positive way.

That says more about them than the mum though.

Personally OP I would do it, if you really want say "Henry - it's a family name" to anyone you think might judge you but tbh id just ignore them naming your child is very personal.

Fine - I would just assume it was a family name

Plenty of children back in the day had their parents exact names and I don’t think that was seen as narcissism

It was certainly seen as unoriginal!

My family do this, except to extremes, all the eldest sons have the same first name so since it’s passed down via the male name, and so is the surname, they all have exactly the same name. They mostly go by middle names but I always think it’s been taken a bit too far.

If it’s a special thing in just your line though- absolutely. If anyone does ask just say it’s a family name/tradition, because after all it is!