Everyone naming baby the same as ours!

[Bubble92]

So we recently had a baby boy. We thought long and hard about his name and eventually chose one which is fairly common but there were no others of that name in either of our families across several generations. Let's pretend it was Thomas Jack.
A year later my husband's cousin had a baby and called him Thomas. Now, my husband's extended family is quite close and although they live quite far away we see them quite a bit. I was privately miffed but I'm a reasonable person (i hope!) and obviously don't own the name and it is fairly common so I didn't say anything.
Fast forward to now..another cousin has had a baby boy and called him Thomas Jack. First and middle names the same as our son. Like what? There are other boys names out there! I know it's a great name 😂 but seriously. I'm not going to say anything because I know they are entitled to choose any name, but I do think it's weird.
Now there will be three Thomas's similar ages at family get togethers. I do feel a bit upset about it tbh. Would you be upset?

Wouldn't bother me. The names are common and the kids are second cousins.

It’s a bit odd but I suppose it depends how close you are with cousins.

They might like being the TJ club as they’re quite close in age!

My DH's brother called his son the same name , there's quite an age gap between them but FFS , they lived in the same area at the time and saw each other often & when my DH asked him why he chose the same name as his son, he was like "really, I forgot about that" 🙄

Yeah it’s weird. Does the other Thomas Jack have the same surname? If so, that’s even more strange.

Don't pick a common name then? We picked American surnames for our 3 children, go bold or be like me at school where there were 5 of us in class called Claire.

What's an 'American' surname?

I would guess they mean a surname-turned-first name like Carter, Jackson, Huxley, Harper etc. That style of first name is more common in America than Britain so some people think of them as American names.

Okay, thanks @BertieBotts that makes more sense - an English surname used as an American first name then.

I don't think somebody should avoid a name they love because a cousin used it. Especially if it's a common name.

I think I'd have to express happiness when you meet the new cousins and thank their parents for naming their boy after your son,Thomas. Call big Thomas over to meet them!
Is their a common ancestor who was called the chosen name?

Yep that is the one, love all the names you wrote down. They are right up my street.

I think it's a bit strange tbh. We have discounted all names that are in our immediate family - including cousins we don't even see very often.

Yes! Nothing you can do about it so embrace it.

I think it’s a bit weird too. I also disagree about common names. Nowadays there are lots of Jacksons- and the many different spellings, Hunters, Arlos etc.

The children are second and third cousins. I really couldn’t bring myself to care about this for as much as half a second.

I’d feel the same as you - especially the one choosing the same first and middle names! I guess it’s done now and you can’t say anything without rocking the apple cart…