Too close to use name?

BdblZ

For years, long before I ever even got married, I have always said that if I ever had a little girl I would name her Caroline after my paternal grandmother. I never had the chance to meet my grandmother, so I thought it would be a nice way to honor her & my dad (who adored his mom), along with just really liking the name.

Flash forward to about 5 years ago, my 2nd cousin (1st cousin's daughter) has a daughter of her own, and decides to name the baby Caroline (Which would be her great-grandmother)! We have a very large family, so depending on what kind of family events are going on, we may see each other 5x a year, or can go a few years without seeing each other. Its very sporatic. Most contact is just "liking" each others posts on facebook type stuff.

My question is, would it be weird if we were to use Caroline for a name as well? Is it too close? Does anyone else have a cousin/family member with the same name as you? I know nobody "owns" a name, but I still feeling like I am "stealing/copying" the name from her. I know we can always use Caroline as a middle name, but having no other good ideas or prospects for other girls names, I just keep dwelling on this.

DH says I am just making myself crazy, and we shouldn't worry about a girls name until we know we are having a girl! We've had a boys name picked out for years.

MandMLeona

I don't even know the names of my second cousins' children.  If we see them it's a very large get together and no one would bat an eye at any name repeats.

heathera1979

My dad, uncle, and cousin all have the same name and my brother and another 1st cousin share a first name. It never got confusing...

ashie624

My aunt married a Mark and her brother has a son named Mark. Not that bad. If you love it, use it.

LNic5

I have many people in my family with the same name, it works just fine for us and isn't confusing

MagFranklin13

I'm named after my great grandma, I have a cousin named the exact same name Margaret Mary, both of us go by Maggie as my great grandma did we were born the same year, it's never, ever been an issue. If you love it use it!

Irishcurls

Two of my top boy names right now are the same names as my first cousins. I have a large family, it happens. 

strawberrytree

It's a family name, you don't see each other regularly, and they would presumably have different last names. NBD- use it.

diamondduck13

I voted with your husband. I discovered I didn't really know how I felt about our name choices until we had a confirmed girl. Somehow that reality helped solidify my feelings.

But I agree the relation is distant and infrequent enough I think you're fine with Caroline. Great name.

kayjay10

I would use it.  You don't see each other much, you have a large family so chances are some will use the same names, and Caroline is a pretty popular name.

VineyardMel

I would absolutely use it! Especially as a family name, nobody gets to own it.

jroll2lo

I have 2 cousins that were pregnant at the same time, both loving the name Nicholas for a boy.  One cousin had a boy and the other a girl.  Even though the cousin that had a boy named him Nicholas, the other cousin that had a girl got pregnant the next year with a boy and named him Nicholas, even though it was used by the other cousin.  So we have 2 Nick's that are a year apart.  We used to see them both at family parties (maybe like 4 times a year).  I think the first cousin that used the name was a little upset, but she got over it.  Both Nick's are doing fine and both moms are happy they used the name.

Bottom line: I think it's fine to use the name.  They won't be around each other enough for it to cause any issues and they'll be 5+ years apart.

melody921

I think it would be fine. I would say no if it were a sibling's kid with the same name. But I also think wait until you know it's a girl ;-)

526SadieSadie

I've discounted lots of names because of repetition in my family but my extended family is very close - I'm closer with my 4th cousins than I am with my first cousins.

That being said, I think you're borrowing trouble.  If you find out you're having a girl, worry about it then.