Would you use this name?

[alexandrasmum]

Love the name Isabella for DD2. However my niece is called Isobel. Would you use it?

I agree with dizzydixies - I don't see how your sis can be upset by Bella..even if the full names are similar. Thanks for the welcome!!

Alexandra and Isabella sound good together.

Do you have other choices. Chances are that, when you see her for the first time, Idabella might not seem right.

beanieb - there will be an 8 year age gap. To be honest, I don't feel like the bigger the gap the less it matters. I just wonder if it would be nice for them both to have completely different names. Harry and Olivia, Oliver and Harriet - now that should have been a definite no!!

depends how close you are as a family too i think

beanieb - we don't have any other choices. Any suggestions anyone? Maybe that would help us decide. I do feel like a 4 syllable name would sound nice with Alexandra. I know it doesn't matter but I think that's why Isabella goes well with it.

I love the name Isobella.

Given my very small close-knit family, if one of them had a child called Isobel then no I wouldn't use it.

Given that you'd only see this Isobel about twice a year, and the 8 year age gap, I don't think that it's a problem.

Cecelia
Cordelia
Amelia
Penelope
Clementine
Olivia
Isadora

any of these?

dinkymum - we are close in hearts but not in miles. We have never ever had a family disagreement and I don't want to create one. I'm trying to think how I'd feel if it were the other way round, say if my sister and bil had an Alexa or Alexia, as we have an Alexandra. I don't know the answer to that.

dizzydixies - lovely names but there isn't one that's saying 'pick me'!

I would ask you sister but make sure you have another name in reserve in case she does mind. I know what you mean about not causing an issue but unless your sis is highly strung I am sure she won't be upset if you just say "we are thinking of using Isabella for DD2 - we will prob shorten it to Bella, but do you think her cousin Isobel(Izzy) will mind?"

If you don't you will end up discussing it over dinner in the distant future and she will tell you she wouldn't have minded and you will kick youself!!

Thanks alibean, it's true she can't be offended if I ask. Just wonder how I'd feel if I sensed that she does mind.

No, sorry i wouldn't do it. There are plenty of other lovely names to choose from.

other names:
Letitia (ok, I know that's only 3 syllables)
Persephone
Alicia
Annabella
Corisande/a

I wouldn't do it.

My sister and I both have younger cousins (from different families) with the same first names as us and tbh growing up we were always a little bit put out about it. Not that our mothers were, but we were. And the cousins probably felt the same way!

Thanks so much for all the honest replies. It's about 50% say yes and 50% say no. That does make me doubt using it to be honest.

pania - I hadn't thought too much about how the cousins would feel about having a similar name, only how my sister and bil would feel, so that's a good point there. The cousins may hate it!

thumbwitch - thanks for the suggestions. I do like Annabella and we could use the same nn, Bella. Will suggest that to DH later.

I wouldn't do it. My ex was called Jonathon and his 1st cousin was John. Their family is huge, so it might seem OK for two similar and very common names to be used but in practice it was very wierd.

No, we loved Elliot but steered clear as Sister had an ellis 4 months before due date

found another name we loved and its just easier

my dad's brother and cousin both called their two children the same names. there haven't been any problems but one lot live in canada so not meeting too often.

It's up to you of course, but I'd pick something different. Annabella? Allegra.

Similarly named cousins may not be a huge problem for YOU as you always know who you're talking about, but there is a set of grandparents who might have two granddaughters, one Isobel and one Isabella. I think for their sakes you shouldn't do it.

Just read your most recent post. Annabella really steers around the problem.

liffey - yes there would be one set of grandparents in our family whose granddaughters would be Isobel and Isabella. They call all their grandchildren by their full names so there would be no calling them Izzy and Bella by them. That's another thing that I hadn't considered.

I think all factors added up are pointing to a definite no to using Isabella.

Can't wait for DH to get home from work to see what he thinks of the name Annabella. I really do like it. However I just realised that would mean both daughters have the same first initial. Does anyone think that the two sisters would mind?

Gosh it was so easy to name DD1.

It's a lot of As, Alexandra and Annabella, but at the same time, they go together very well.

I'd hate if MY two children grew up and then both had children with extremely similar names, eg Ellie and Ella, so I'm seeing it from grandparents' pov. NO idea why! My children are small!

We (DH) have decided not go to with Isabella. I do feel a sense of sadness to let the name go as I love it and I know some of you will still say USE IT. To be honest, I don't want to have a conversation with my sister about names and we are going to choose another. DH likes Annabella too, although still have 10 weeks to decide. Thanks everyone!

Good for you! No point upsetting your sister! Annabella is beautiful, if you do go with that.

glad you have come to a decision, alexandrasmum - don't worry about them having the same initial, my bro and sis are twins and had names starting with the same letter (I know, how original) and it never bothered them. My initial is the same as my DS's as well - hope he doesn't mind when he gets bigger - so long as he doesn't get any dubious post, it shouldn't be a problem!