Name love, when is it okay?

trickeytricky · February 2012

I know a lot of people stay away from names that have already been used in your family, or social circle. Naming a kid after someone is one thing, but when is it okay to just use a name because you love it when you already know someone close to you with that name?

Point being, I adore (and always have) the name ALEX for a boy. However, I have a cousin named Alex. He and I were extremely close growing up, not so much now.

Wanting to use the name has nothing to do with him, just that I like the name.

Aside from hearing, "We already have an Alex," over and over and over from family, is there a reason I shouldn't put it in the running?

bbetson · February 2012

I think it's totally okay if it is your cousin. At least in my family, we don't see or talk about cousins too often. If it was a sibling or nephew, I might consider not using it, but I wouldn't think twice about using a cousins name.

naylon511 · February 2012

I think that's fine. My sister used my brother's first name and she just kind of "asked" him if it was OK. My sister and brother both have the same name as other cousins. It happens.

MsEmilyAnn · February 2012

No, that's not a big deal at all. I actually wouldn't even consider not using the name because a cousin had it. I say go right ahead, there would be nothing holding me back in that situation.

Jennrs · February 2012

Gaw, I LOVE the name Alex too. But, like you, I have a cousin named Alex and I can't seem to get past that.

Beside the fact that I can't get over it, I don't see any reason not to use the name if you are comfortable with it.

swimmerette00 · February 2012

I say if you like the name, go for it!

If this baby was a boy we were going to use Andrew, even though I have a cousin with the same name. We figured that since our baby would have a different last name and it's not a cousin I see all the time, it wouldn't be an issue.

star678 · February 2012

I think it's definitely fine in your case since you are fine with it. I also love the name Alex a lot.

In my case, I have strained relationships with my cousins (match.com story, anyone?) and thus I feel using one of their names would be just starting off on a bad foot. For instance, I love the names Julia, Juliana, and Juliet, but I have a cousin named Julie and I just can't do it. If you don't have that negativity surrounding your situation, I say you're in the clear to use a great classic name like Alex!

JNicMTek · March 2012

If it's a cousin you don't see all the time, then I don't see a problem. My cousin named his son Jake, although my brother already had a son named Jake. One lives in NH the other in FL (soon Alaska), so they haven't seen each other in years. I don't think the name is off limits at that point.

And of couse I love the name Alex (boy or girl)

ColleenS629 · March 2012

We had a similar thing with Andrew... not a cousin but a close family friend... my parents' best friends have a son named Andrew (I don't know if anyone remembers this story but this was my mom's friend that was IF and thought she could never have children. When I was a few years old I asked her why she didn't tell us she was having a baby. She told me she couldn't have babies and I insisted that she was having a baby... turns out she was pg with her Andrew). DH actually suggested Andrew and Austin which are both of their sons names.. I couldn't use both but I was okay with using one because of the situation. We were having babies that week and only had agreed on Ryan.

Loveofjoe11 · March 2012

Put it in the running. If you love a name, you should consider it.

Name love, when is it okay?

Re: Name love, when is it okay?

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