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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
Baby names - when is it okay to be annoyed
if someone "steals" your child's name? And by child I don't mean a fantasy child not yet conceived but already named, but your real life actual child.
So, when do you think you have a right to get upset? When it's your BFF? Your sister? Your cousin you see every 6 years?
Also, do you think it makes a difference if your child has an uncommon name (like my DD's for example).
Thanks for your opinions!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Baby names - when is it okay to be annoyed
Well, if SIL was pregnant and announced tomorrow she was naming her baby "Molly" I would be pretty darn pissed, since they know the name. If a friend or distant acquaintance used it it would not be AS bad, just odd. I mean, I have a good friend with a little girl named Brylee and if I decided to use that, it would be obvious where it came from! Plus, they would most likely grow up together.
Our boy name is Chase, has been since before we knew B was a girl, but who knows if I will ever even have a boy. If a family member used the name I would be upset but really could not do anything about it because we could be destined for girls. Other than that, I have no right to complain.
Alice Jane is uncommon? Am I missing something?
I would be annoyed if it was a sibling. But it also a pain in the butt to have cousins with the same name. I have a nephew named Ryan Micheal and my step-son is named Ryan Michael. We are together all the time! We have had to resort to calling the boys by their last name - so now in the family both boys are just known by their last name.
We made the best of an unfortunate situation - but I would never do this intentionally! Its not fun!
For a cousin, or a BFF - we have cousins that named their kids same names - no big deal in my mind and a BFF - there is no relation and possibly they will not be involved in your life forever - take it as a compliment!
That's what I was thinking.
I know an Alys. Her sister's name is Jone.
So who stole your baby name?
And I know some of you were on the Tri boards with Reese, but didn't she absolutely freak out because a girl on 2nd Tri was using the same name?
aokiedokie
D had an Alice in his Toddler 1 room at daycare.
That being said - I honestly can't think of a single person that I would be annoyed with if they used the same name as us. One of our top girl names was Natalie, and my cousin, that I see once a year if I'm lucky, named her little girl that. I was still going to use it regardless. I love the name, and no one owns a name.
Also, hi!
I will just never ever understand the "YOU STOLE MY NAME!" fights. It's not plagiarism. It's a name, and really, there is no new name under the sun. And Alice, while a lovely name, isn't exactly groundbreaking. It's part of an overall trend toward more old-fashioned Victorianish names like Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, etc.
I agree.
Just cause it isn't used recently, doesn't make it uncommon. Uncommon = unusual = unique. Betsy is a name I hardly hear anymore, yet I wouldn't consider it uncommon, just not popular. This is quoted off of thinkbabynames.com "Alice is a very common first name for women (#51 out of 4276) and also a very common last name for both men and women (#32489 out of 88799). (1990 U.S. Census)"
Funny. I have two kids in my classroom right now named Alice and one named Jane
Please tell me you're joking.
Yeah No...
But, regardless of whether it's popular or uncommon or unique or unusual, or even if it's as popular as Aidan or Emily right now, it doesn't change the fact that it's not something brand new that you have trademarked. It's a name that people have heard before, a name that is familiar, a name that is, regardless of not breaking into the Top 100 yet, is trending upward right now. It is definitely more popular in 2010 than it was in 2000. Blame Johnny Depp's Alice in Wonderland or blame Twilight or blame a renewed interest in what your great-grandparents were named, but it's a cyclical thing and Alice is on its way back.
And I think caring that someone else is naming their kid the same thing you named your kid is just kind of silly. If I had a friend that decided to name her son Joseph, I'd be all "Hey, that's a great name! I love that name so much I named my kid that!" I wouldn't be enacting a Michael Jackson-esque dance-off for the rights.
We know a Esme!
And I'm still not sure how I feel about close friends/family members using the name, not because it's not uber popular but just because it's my DD's name. That's sort of why I asked here - to get some perspective and see if I'm acting silly. I'll be honest, my gut instinct tells me to be annoyed and feel a little territorial over the name. But, I would never in a million years mention anything to the family member!
I just think you'll be wasting a lot of unnecessary energy and thought being annoyed about something that really doesn't matter. I mean, if she likes the name you picked, doesn't that really just underscore what a great name it is?
I don't either. Especially if someone chose to use her middle name, too.
Phantom baby or not, I'd be annoyed if my sister or other immediate family member chose to use a name we had shared or were already using. I wouldn't start WWIII over it, but I would be aggravated.
Hey there
Here's my 2 cents: (if you still want it)
If she told you she wanted to use the name Alice while you were still pg with Alice and made it clear that you were already using the name, I'd be a little PO'd .
But now? Meh. It would irk me a little, but I would let it slide. If the two girls are going to be close growing up with each other, they may think its fun to have the same name, KWIM? And if they won't be close growing up, then it won't matter in the least.
/2 cents
aokiedokie
i think its so dumb when people say "you can't claim a name!!"
i sure as hell can. and i would be petty and bitter if you used it. i would be LIVID if a friend, IRL, used "sawyer" for a girl. bc bottom line - it *isn't* common.
you (general you name stealers) cant think of a different name than one your friend has? really? you love it THAT MUCH? its weird.
From the other side, I'm 100% with you. I would NEVER feel comfortable using a friend's baby's name, even if I see them once a year. No matter how much I love the name.