I would also use the name! Could she have a nn?!. I hope my friend doens't feel like you, we both had a favorite name and I even told her we would be using that name and she said she was fine with it but now I wonder if she's madd at me. I sure hope not. It's unique but sort of common and I just loved the name and it stuck all these years.
Well, I'm not mad at her. I was just a little taken aback when I saw what she had named her baby, because at the time, she did not even tell me that she liked the name. If I had known that we both really liked it, I wouldn't have been so surprised. I also don't like feeling like I can't use it now because it's already been "claimed". Remember, another part of my issue was that this friend has the same last name as us, so that makes it harder for me to just go ahead and use it. If it had been another friend with a different last name, it would be easier for me to just use it anyway. I am now considering finding another name that could be Elle for short.
Here's my take: Use the name anyway. If you only see them once a year what's the big deal with having 2 Elles? FWIW I found out that my cousin's wife wants to use the name Lydia if they have another girl (they're currently expecting). I have LOVED that name for seriously like 6 years. I was slightly upset at first, but like everyone has said, I can't claim a name. When and if I ever have a daughter and that name is still our favorite, we will name her Lydia and there will just be 2 in the family. That is to say, if they even have a girl. Anyone that has a problem with it will just get an ear full from me
Re: "Stolen" girl name dilemma.
Well, I'm not mad at her. I was just a little taken aback when I saw what she had named her baby, because at the time, she did not even tell me that she liked the name. If I had known that we both really liked it, I wouldn't have been so surprised. I also don't like feeling like I can't use it now because it's already been "claimed". Remember, another part of my issue was that this friend has the same last name as us, so that makes it harder for me to just go ahead and use it. If it had been another friend with a different last name, it would be easier for me to just use it anyway. I am now considering finding another name that could be Elle for short.