Baby name same as pet

[fizzypencils]

We are expecting our first baby in July. I think we must've considered close to every name in existence, we keep going around in circles. A lot of the names we like, but don't love.

The only name we both love is the name of our cat - Hugo. I had initially ruled it out for the reasons below but we can't seem to shake it. Cat Hugo is a house cat and doesn't have many friends, but close family & friends are aware of his name being Hugo. As is he, not that he ever listens. He is only 2 so hopefully will be around a while.

I'm having major regrets about calling Cat Hugo, Hugo and wish we could use it for the baby. When asked for opinions, close family have said it wouldn't bother them, and to either keep Cat Hugo as Hugo or call him something different. I get that he's unlikely to care. If the baby/anyone else suggested that they're named after the cat I'd have no issue in putting them straight that we just loved the name, it's not a case of being named after a cat. I'm more concerned about whether people will find this a really weird/unacceptable thing to do. Part of me feels like it's hard enough to find a name we both love, and we should go for it, and the other part just feels as though we should leave Hugo as the cat and go for one of the other names we reasonably like.

The other names, for info, are:

Max - although we (myself & DP) both had a childhood dog called Max. Both deceased.
George - really like it but not sure it's the one.
Rory - nice but too common where we are
Henry - also nice but I don't love it

Help!🚨

I think it’s odd having a pet the same name as your baby. However given the cat doesn’t respond to it I’d give the cat a different name and call the baby Hugo.

I think if you are gonna do it then you need to change the cats name. I understand why you are considering it if it’s the only name you feel a pull to, but for me personally I wouldn’t be able to disassociate as Hugo (the cat) is already a part of the family. For this reason I would probably have vitoed Max as well.

I would rename the cat :) if you're intent on using the name Hugo, it'll be the easiest thing to do here x maybe name Cat something similar like Ludo etc x

Could you call your baby Whiskers instead?

My sister has a dog called Hugo, and I’ve another friend with a rabbit called Hugo, so to me it’s very much a pet name!! I’d pick a different name, there are so many names out there!

@neverknowinglyunreasonable 😂 well that would certainly be one way to make sure it’s not a top 10 name!

I'd definitely pick a different name.

There's so many names to choose from - have a look at the ons lists of ALL baby names used

It’s really hard to find a name that’s not a pet name in some way or another as most pets nowadays have human names - there’s less Fido and Whiskers and more Dave the Pug, Frank, Stanley, etc

Change the cat’s name, it won’t care!

I would change the cats name to something else starting with H, anybody asks just say that was always his name 😂😂

Happened to us - I loved the name Theo and what named it our cat that was our first pet as a couple. Sadly the cat died. We had a baby a few years later and husband vetoed the name and I hated myself for giving my ever favourite name to a pet. Only thing that makes me feel less upset about it is that Theo has become so very popular that I might have had second thoughts about it

The cat won't care, mine never get called by their actual names anyway. Nickname the cat and give your little boy the name you love.

I actually think you should have cat Hugo and baby Hugo at least for a bit. It would be quite funny and I'd enjoy seeing the confusion.

If he’s not wedded to it, just change it - make it easier by making it something similar, maybe keeping the -o sound. Hero? Pogo?

Honestly I wouldn't do it, I think ppl will always think you named the baby after the car and the child might not appreciate that you couldn't come up for a name for them and used the same name as the cats

what a horrid suggestion to rename your cat. the poor thing is just going to be shoved aside because you've decided you want his name for someone more deserving. if youre that desperate to use the name they can share it. name the baby Hugo II

@mexicanandafewdrinks i don’t think it’s horrid at all, he is certainly not going to be “shoved” anywhere and couldn’t care less what he’s called, as long as he is fed and cuddled (which he is) 😊 his nicknames are much less polite than Hugo, particularly during his witching hour, and he couldn’t give a hoot

Say any two syllable word in the same tone you use when talking to the cat and it’ll think that’s its name! 😂

@Purplecatshopaholic Hero is a very good suggestion - thank you!

Call your baby the name you love. And it's a good story for him when he's older.
Change the cat's name to something similar - or even HugoCat - and he won't notice. Don't worry about what others think - it's your baby.

My friend has a cat named Sammy and a daughter named Samantha and they call her Sammy too, never really been an issue.

😂😂😂 any cat owner knows, the cat does not give a shit what you call it and it also does not give a shit about you. Cats are almost impossible to offend that’s why they are so cool 😎

We named DC 2 after DCat, nobody cared.

Lots of names that you could switch to for the cat - Otto, Oslo, Juno, Leo, Rocco etc.

Cats often get renamed when rescued. I changed my cat's name when I adopted him. If Hugo is the perfect name ( and I love it!) use it for your son.

I have the same name as one of my dogs. She's a rescue so it seemed mean to rename her. It doesn't bother me (or her) that we share a name, most people just think it's an amusing little quirk.

But you can just rename the cat if it really bothers you, he'll get used to it. Call him Pluto or Uno or something, something with a similar sound so he still recognises it.