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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Is it weird to use a family pet's name for a baby??

70 replies

BettyButterknife · 08/12/2009 19:06

One of our cats had a great name which would work as a nn for one of the names on our list.

But is that too weird? Cat in question died about 10 years ago - would only really be friends from school that would make the connection

OP posts:

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HinnyPet · 08/12/2009 19:12

ummm... just marking place....I grew up with my dog, she lived til she was 22 and it was the most heart wrenching saddest moment of my life when she died. I miss her every day.

My DD is named after her, but then again she has a very popular name. Only my best and oldest mates know about my DD's name origin and after discussions in the past and them taking the piss, they now do not mention it any more.

They can think I'm weird, I don't care !!

Smithagain · 08/12/2009 19:16

I know a boy who is named after the pet dog. Causes a few smirks when people find out, but no-one really dwells on it! And he really suits the name.

pollydianasmummy · 08/12/2009 19:20

My daughter is the same name as our shetland pony from childhood. She isn't exactly named after it - I like the name and it happens to be the same as the pony.

A lot of our favourite names which were on our baby list happen to be the same as old pets

Bertie - Charolais bull
Beth - Sheepdog
Veronica - stray cat
Archie - stray cat

allaboutme · 08/12/2009 19:23

i couldnt... but then my childhood pets were called snoopy, delboy, po and foxy

MarioandLuigi · 08/12/2009 19:48

I wanted to call DD Sophie, but couldnt because it is the name of my Nana's dog (who is still alive), it just seemed to wierd.

When I was younger my parents had some friends who had pet rats called Morse and Lewis and then they named thier DS2 Lewis. It gave me and my sister the giggles.

Acanthus · 08/12/2009 21:00

My DB called his DS the same name as our parents' dead dog. We've all got used to it now.

weaselbudge · 08/12/2009 21:25

I think it's fine. It's inevitable that you would choose/like the same names as past pets (especially if you were responsible for choosing their names - unless your taste has changed a lot since!). We have DS named the same as one dog (recently died) and next DS is going to be named the same as another (still alive!).

bellissima · 09/12/2009 11:06

Our cat was Jenny - like the gumby cat in Old Possum. And I love the name Jenny.

Not quite so sure I would go for Rex or Fido though.

Original poster

BettyButterknife · 09/12/2009 11:48

Ha! I love the name Rex

OP posts:

mumof2rugrats · 09/12/2009 12:06

my dd2 has the same name as my childhood pet dog spelt different and only family knew the pet as i live in a different town now i didnt chose her name dp did and it was only chose 2 days before she was born and she was2 weeks late
i like the name oliver but i had a cat with that name
i dont like garfield for a child though

Firky · 09/12/2009 12:17

My daughter has an old friends cats name ,while my sons second name comes from my childhood cat.

I dont think its weird.

TinselianAstra · 09/12/2009 12:17

If said pet is alive (and likely to last more than a couple of years) then it's weird.

Pet that hs been dead 10 years? Should be fine. People outside your family probably won't even remember.

Iklboo · 09/12/2009 12:19

I wouldn't have named DS after the family cat we has when I was growing up. My mother named the poor thing Lickie Wah Wah

ShinyAndNew · 09/12/2009 12:19

My nephew is named after my cat. The cat is still alive, but unfortunately, after dd2 was born the cat had had enough and turned to religion. He now lives with the priest in the local vicarage.

hattee · 09/12/2009 12:38

I know someone who called their DS the same name as their cat, thinking that the cat, who was already old, wouldn't be around too much longer. The cat lived or years and became known as 'Joe the cat'. Her DS became known as 'Joe the boy' at home and was even known to even introduce himself that way on occasions

As your cat died many years ago, I really don't think it matters. If you like the name, go for it and don't worry about what other people might think. I don't even remember my friends' pets' names from 10 years ago

exexpat · 09/12/2009 12:44

Not weird at all (depending on the name, obviously). My sister's DD has the same name as our family dog who died about 20 years ago. But then the dog was called a very human name, which our parents had in mind in case they'd had another daughter....

(btw I love the idea of shinyandnew's religious cat, but what if he has a crisis of faith - would you take him back?)

AnAngelWithin · 09/12/2009 12:59

i had a friend who had a dog called 'thomas' for years before him and his wife had a baby boy. Who they called.....you guessed it....Thomas...the dog was renamed...er ....DOG

YouKnowNothingoftheCrunch · 09/12/2009 13:09

I (accidentally and only realised in hindsight) named my first child after a horse and my second after a cow

The reason you give a pet a name is usually because you love that name, so let's face it your taste won't be that different when you're looking at children's names.

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 09/12/2009 13:12

I've wondered about this - sadly my DO hates the name Toby.

Flower3545 · 09/12/2009 13:13

DD1 gave her puppy the same name as my late dad, he died before she was born so she never knew him but she knew his name IYSWIM.

I am used to the idea now but have to admit to a face when she told me what she was calling her pet.

RnB · 09/12/2009 13:16

If you like the name use it! I wouldn't think it's weird at all.

And I have a Rex, it s cool name, I tell you

wearthefoxhat · 09/12/2009 13:17

An old school friend was named after her fathers beloved pet when he was a boy.

It was a pig.

Luckily, the pig had a normal name, it wasn't called Squealy or Pinky or anything like that

chocolaterabbit · 09/12/2009 13:23

my favourite cat ever was Thomas. Guess DS' name! I'm not sure DH knew why i liked it!

RnB · 09/12/2009 13:27

lol at Pinky!

slimyak · 09/12/2009 13:33

DP put the name Dylan on our list but I vito'd it as my Mum's dog is Dylan and has a few years left in him yet.

I think if you won't have conflicting requests
E.g Dylan get down. Dylan come and get your bum changed etc.
you should be fine.
Our family has a habit of giving pets very human names, we've had a Tom, Jason, Sam, Charlie and Dylan in recent years. It's just a name but I'd think of it as taken if a living pet has it - would you call your DS Dylan if you nephew was called Dylan?
I have bitten my tongue a couple of times when people have told me their child's name 'oh we used to have a dog...'

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