DS has same name as cat, should we change it?

[horsechesnut]

Hi all, a little bit of advice is needed. We registered the birth of our beautiful son yesterday after 6 weeks of deliberation. We decided to give a name we both absolutely love but which also happens to be the same name as our cat.

Whilst I still love the name, as soon as we got home yesterday, I started to have major doubts purely and simply becuse of the cat. We had thought it wouldn't be a problem but it just seems very odd calling our son then calling the cat by the same name. I hadn't really anticipated exactly how it would be in practice and I guess I now feel our son deserves his own name that hasn't already belonged to a cat!

So, less than 24 hours later, we're considering amending the birth certificate. This would be sad as you can't just change the whole thing but the original name stays and you just add the new name at the bottom. I feel as if the poor boy has only just got his certificate and it's already ruined!

We've talked about changing the cat's name but I think I would still feel DS's name would be the cats as the cat has had that name for years!

A ridiculous situation I know but if anyone has any advice or opinion it would be much appreciated. Thanks

Just change the cats name!

if you love it for your DS then keep it.

Change the cats name.

The cat will be dead soon!

If it's your favourite boys name them keep it for your DS and change the cat. Unless the name is Sooty or Stripe or something similar.

Why did you use your fav boys name for your cat anyway? Did you never think you may want it for a son?

I

Change the cats name.

Change the cat's name.

If you changed the cat's name, would be ba happy keeping the name for your son? Or is the name too associated with your cat?

Hi Mayanna, that's what I was trying to say -rather badly! - even if we changed the cat's name - our son's name may be too associated with the cat. Also, I wonder if I could get used to calling the cat something else without thinking 'the cat formerly known as'!

Why did you call your cat your favourite boys name?

And I disagree that you will look at your DS and think of the cat. Your baby is just a week or so old, within a few months you won't even be able to imagine another little boy with the name as it will just be your DS if that makes sense.

Couldn't you give the cat a different version of the name?

Is the name Tom? If so, call your DS Thomas as by the time you shorten to Tom, hairy Tom will be deaded (as my 3yr old says)

Hi Brogan, it didn't occur to me to not give the cat that name at the time as we weren't planning to start a family at that time.

I think that if you've had a pet for a long time then you will certainly associate his/her name with it. Personally, I would never consider naming my children a name that already belongs to one of our pets (because it is THEIR name to my ears).

Is there another name you love equally for your son?

Just call the cat puss.

could you refer to your son as a shortened version of the cat's name? Or use your son's middle name?

Personally, I'd change the cat's name

Mayanna, that is why animals should be given animal names and not be called things like Suzy or William. They should have traditional names like Rover and Buttons or funky names like Bonanza or Bilbo. Or names unlikely to be used for baby such as Cedric or Cecil.

My next door neighbour had a dog called Paddy. We seriously considered calling DS, Patrick with NN Paddy. The dog didn't put me off but then it wasn't mine.

careful Brogan, we don't know that the OP hasn't called her son 'Buttons'!

Is it Felix? I bet it is.

Hmmm, I not sure.

Do you have anohter name you could use for your DS. Does the cats name suit him?

Actually, I think you should give your DS a new name.

My cat is called Jack, and we love the name, but we could never have called DS1 Jack. And I couldn't call DD Alice, even though I adore the name, because my childhood cat was called Alice.

They are both called Oscar, aren't they?

What's his name? Claude? Claus?

William?

Boris?

Oliver?

I'm really curious too now

James?

James the cat, and James the boy.

If it is James, then Just leave it. James is a great name, and teh cat will jsut have to get used to it.