Charley

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Thoughts on Charley? My cousin has a daughter called Charlie (short for Charlotte), so I want to avoid using the same spelling because I don't want anyone to think that I've copied her child's name.

For a boy or a girl? Would it just be Charley or would it be short for anything?

Will your child be a boy or a girl? Will it be short for Charlotte or Charles or just 'Charley'?

How often do you see your cousin? If you have family lunches together every weekend and live on the same street it'd be a big no, If it's just for christenings weddings and funerals, then that's fine. I think the Charley spelling is fine.

I echo PP to ask how often you see your cousin.

Regardless, it will still be odd that the grandparents will have two grand children with effectively the same name. You can spell it differently but it's the same phonetic name. Millions of other names to choose from out there - why are you going this route?

Just pick a different name.

Your cousin is going to be irritated that you copied her name. Other people will think the same. The silly spelling won't change that.

What are the chances of your kids and cousins kids actually knowing each other in the future as I would be tempted just to go with Charlie with the correct spelling.

My DS wouldn't know my cousins kids from Adam.

I literally couldn't tell you the names of any of my cousins once removed.

It is the same name…

Pick a different name. There are many names.

I think it's fine to use the same name as long as you're not super close. Even if you are close you can get away with it if there is a big age gap between the kids I think.

I wouldn't go with a silly spelling to differentiate because it's still the same name. The spelling isn't going to make any difference day to day e.g. if you're hanging out together and you call them.

Use the most popular spelling, Charlie.
if you are close to your cousin, look for another name. If you're not use it.

Several of my cousins used the same name. The children are second cousins and have different surnames.

I know someone with two GC called Charlie. She calls the girl Charlie and the boy CharlieBoy so there is no confusion.

Choose something different, there’s literally thousands you can choose from.

I disagree with PP. Names (especially common ones) cannot be owned, and nobody is obligated to not use a name (or change the spelling) that they've liked for a long time just because someone that they know (or are related to) has children first and uses it before they get a chance to. It's not copying if you didn't get the idea/inspiration from her. I would just go with the Charlie spelling, if that is what you like.

I really like the name Charlie for a boy but not for a girl but I agree that nobody owns a name although I believe some try to. Does it really matter?
I don't care that three of my cousins have a son called Jack - it looks a bit unimaginative but it's a nice name.

Strongly agree!! I have an acquaintance who is certain that I named my child after a celebrity. In reality, my child was not named after this celebrity. I gave my child a name that had been on my list for years and was not inspired by anyone. There's a difference between actively choosing a name because of someone else and just happening to choose the same name. If there's no prior pattern of copying or jealousy, it seems slightly self-absorbed to assume that someone intentionally copied your child's name.

The spelling 'Charley' is not 'silly', it's existed a long, long time. Just not the most usual spelling.

I wouldn't use it though, as you already have a 'Charlie' in the extended family, and it sounds exactly the same, obviously.

Unless you never see each other?

Like my first cousin and my niece each have a son with the same name, but they live in different areas, have met each other once or twice years ago at big family events and probably wouldn't recognise each other if they bumped into each other in the street.

It’s her cousin’s child. So grandparents won’t have grandchildren with the same name. The children will be second cousins. That’s enough distance to have the same name. I have numerous first cousins with the same first name, i don’t even know the names of most of my second cousins!

If the OP's grand-parents are alive they'll have two great-grand-children called Charlie.

Charley is ok for a girl but not a boy.

The opposite. Charley Farley and Charley the cat were definitely male.

For hundreds of years Charles has had nick names of Charley and Chas.

I would call your son Charles and use the nick name Charley so as not to be mixed up with your niece, Charlotte, who is known as Charlie. Then in written cards etc. they are identified.

Go with Charli, then you can tell your cousin it's a tribute to Charli XCX!

Charles / Charlie completely fine.

The unusual spelling is going to cause your child a lifetime of issues while they try to correct it. (I speak as someone with a foreign spelling of a common name in the uk.) if you want Charlie go for Charlie. How likely is it your dc will go to the same school as your cousin’s dc or spend lots of time with their cousin as a teen /young adult? Will you be causing your dc headaches to try to solve a problem that won’t exist in 5 years?!

Why not go Charlene and shorten to Charley?

If baby is a boy go Charles