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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:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

YanknChristmasCrackers · 09/12/2009 13:41

George was nixed immediately due to it being our hamster's name (though he's about to drop dead any day now).

Jack was dropped due to being too popular and the name of my former dog (still alive and living in the U.S.).

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 09/12/2009 13:50

I have two boys who, as my name says, have dog's names.

These weren't my pets, although I did want to name DS2 after my cat.

theagedparent · 09/12/2009 13:57

I gave our cats name to my first dd and called the cat something else.

alittlebitshy · 09/12/2009 13:59

My parents did the same as theagedparent. Called me thet cat's name and changed her name to Tigger. poor cat. Still, rather her than me being called Tigger.

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 09/12/2009 14:06

I wanted to do that. Use my cat's name for DS2 and rename the cat. Cat was Harry. I was thinking Barry. Or Larry.

jessia · 09/12/2009 14:07

In fact, our dogs are both named after people. DD[og]1 is Frida, after Frida Kahlo, because when she turned up at our door (stray) we had just seen the film and she has really heavy eyebrows just like Selma Hayek.
And DD[og]2 is actually named after DD[aughter]2 - sort of. When she (puppy) was born, I was pregnant with DD2 and wanted to call her Poppy. But my DH is not a native English speaker and we live abroad, and he said Poppy would remind him of "puppy", so yep, the puppy got named Poppy and the baby Pola (which, I later found out, is also a name in Arabic, meaning... Poppy). Got that?

Skidoo · 09/12/2009 14:21

An old friend was convinced he was named after the family dog. I always tried to convince him that really the dog had been named in anticipation of the child, but now I'm not so sure...

nickelbabe · 09/12/2009 14:49

my chickens are Jessica, Erica, Tina, Rita and Pamela.

I love the names Jessica and Erica for a child, but the others are a bit old-fashioned.

The cats are Johann and Sebastian. like sebastian, but not Johann (but Joanne might be okay for a girl)

op, it does depend on how weird it sounds as a human name! if it's fluffy, then no, but jessie or kitty then it's okay.

frazzledoldbag · 09/12/2009 15:13

A friend of mine named her son after her horse. Which was maybe a little odd?

GentleOtter · 09/12/2009 16:01

Our dd and goat share the same name and birthday.

All our brown hens are called Elizabeth. It makes life easier.

thell · 09/12/2009 16:12

at all the little Elizabeths!

chegirlwithbellson · 09/12/2009 16:15

I call the pets names I would like to call my children but think hmmm better not.

So current dogs are called Atticus and Hero. One day I will have a Bathsheba.

Wouldnt call one of my kids Giro, however much I adored my dog (and I did )

Atticus and DS3 will be having a joint 1st and 2nd birthday party this year though

ohnelly · 09/12/2009 16:17

Oh yes its ok depending on the name of course. Our dog is called Meg & I really liked the name Megan for a girl, but im having a boy anyway so I dont have that dilemma! But if you dont have the pet anymore then its fine I think

mrsvwoolf · 09/12/2009 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 09/12/2009 16:47

My family had a dog named Jake years and years ago I barely remember him. My DS is called Jake and my Grandma still goes on about it being a dogs name.

Our dog is called Blaise it could work...

daisy99divine · 09/12/2009 16:53

When I was all pregnanty and hormonal the only boys name I liked was the name we had given our puppy.... but I resisted the conflict - they are just too close to have the same name so DS had to have something else!

I don't think the hamster's name (Skitter) was ever on the list though

poguemahone · 09/12/2009 16:54

I'm pg now and love the name Felix for a boy. It's a family name, and I never really thought it odd. But now, when I mention it as a possible name, I hear about a lot of cats called Felix.

CommonNortherner · 09/12/2009 17:45

Is it Indiana?

florence2511 · 09/12/2009 18:36

My DD is Tilly (Matilda) and the amount of people I know who have had a cat/dog called Tilly is staggering. But do I care - no I don't as I love the name.

I also love Bertie for a boy. Bertie was a treasured cat for my DH and the name of the in-laws neighbours cat!!

Buddleja · 09/12/2009 18:52

I have to admit that I do know someone who has called her two boys Felix and Bruno and I giggle internally each time I hear the names

I on the other hand wouldn't name my child after any of my past pets because a sample of their names (the pets' not my childrens) is Stoopid, Swim, Chequers and Rasputin.

They just wouldn't go with the surname

maamalady · 09/12/2009 18:56

Poguemahone - it's not just a cats name, it's cat food name Hubby has a cousin called Felix, poor child. Every time the cat food advert comes on the telly we go "awwww, Felix" and giggle like naughty children. I have visions of him being taken apart at school in the next few years...

I wouldn't name children after my cats (though Sadie is quite a person name really), but I would be seriously tempted by naming after the car, which is an old Mini, called Doris. I'm not sure I could actually bring myself to do it though! Suppose it's a good thing I'm not pregnant, really, poor children would have no hope.

kirriemummy · 09/12/2009 19:09

Hi all...

I spent the first 6 months of pregnancy wanting to call the baby Indiana - I can't say if that was hormones or not, but my sister and mother looked so horrified when I confided in them that I changed my mind! Our dog is called Holly and I did love that too, but given that my due date is 21 December, and the dog is likely to be jealous enough of a new baby we decided Holly as a name would be a bit much. I've learned my lesson now, though, and am not divulging to anyone what we have decided on in case they put us off it again!

PS - I love Pola and Frida- gorgeous names with great stories behind them!

crankytwanky · 09/12/2009 19:29

Budleja !

I love Rex too RnB.

My cats were called Basil and Tansy, and I love both these names. Family would think it though.
DH's dog was called Rocky, which I don't mind either.

I know of someone with a child called Loki, which was one of my dogs names, and I have a wee smile to myself when I hear it.

My hamster was called Bollocks, so that wouldn't do at all.

EdgarAleNPie · 09/12/2009 19:38

i am named after a great dane GSD cross that belonged to a prostitute.

i think naming kids after pets is fine.

ChilloHippi · 09/12/2009 19:42

My DS's middle name is the name of a dog that I had many years ago. (It's Jacob, btw, not Woofy or something!!!)

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