Is this bad? DH cousin has same name....

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2007
Is this bad? DH cousin has same name....
14
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 10:02am

So my dh has a cousin named Jacob. He lives out of state, and we maybe see him once a year. He has never lived in the same state as my dh, so they're not very close. Well, the problem is that sometimes people call him Jake....Not often, but sometimes. To be honest, I've only known him as Jacob, but of course some people shorten it for Jake. Well Jake is mine and dh's #1 name for our son due this October. Do you think it's weird/bad if we use Jake? I don't think so at all.....I mean, this cousin is a distant relationship...We never seem him!

What do you think? Thanks for your feedback! :)

Bethany
EDD 10/27/07 with Baby #1

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2007
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 10:15am
I know personally I would not use one of my cousin's names and they all live out of state...the reasons for that are i would not want to AND my grandma would be disappointed to have a grandkid and great-grandkid with the same name (unless it was a junior)...but that is just me and my family...
I'd say if it does not bother you dh (and it won't bother his grandparents) then go for it!
Good Luck!
Jaime ~ Mom to Brennan Patrick and Molly Catherine Image and video hosting by TinyPic
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 12:38pm
Not at all. You should definitely use it especially if it's both of your #1 names. I think any names are game if it's not a cousin to the baby. And, even then depending on the situation (family name, husbands with same names, both happened to like the same name)I would also say it's ok.
That in mind, go for it, without a doubt!
Hope
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2006
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 1:14pm
I would never use Jacob OR a
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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2007
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 1:14pm
I don't think it's at all wrong. One of our top picks was something that DH's cousin's 10 year old kid is named (who we also see about once a year). If you like it, then you like it!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 2:35pm

I would use it. First - Jacob (usually nn Jake) is the #1 name in the country right now so it is not like you are naming your son after this cousin. There are a million Jacob/Jakes running around. It would maybe be different if cousins name was something more unusual then it would seem like you were naming your kid after him.

Second - a cousin to your husband whom you hardly ever see is not to me a close enough relationship to worry about it. If it was a cousin to the baby I would avoid it or if it was your DH brother or something then maybe too.

If you start looking at all the people you know with a given name and crossing those names off your list because of distant relationships you would end up with nothing!

So go with Jake if you want to!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 3:41pm

I dont think it's awful... however i WOULD advise against using it for other reasons--

1) I find Jake very nicknamey. If you do it, I would do Jacob nn Jake to give him more options.

2) It is SO common. As you can see- you are ALREADY running into other Jake's and he isn't even born yet! Due to the crazy popularity, it has really made the name boring for me.

-Nikki
http://dreamasifyouwillliveforever.blogspot.com


                             
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2007
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 4:38pm
I think that you are WAY over-thinking this! If you love the name Jacob/Jake, you should use it! I wouldn't care if my husband's cousin Jake lived next door to us or even in the same house with us - realistically speaking, no one with sense is going to confuse the two. Also, no one with sense is going to assume you named your Jake after the other Jake unless you tell them you did so. After all, you're not particularly close with this cousin, plus: Jacob is one of the most popular boys' names in the country right now. Anyway, use the name you love!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-09-2007
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 12:12pm

I have to agree with everyone when it comes to the overall popularity.. it's the #1 name.

That said, I think it depends on the size of your family. If 1st cousins names were out, on my side of the family alone, we would be out 42 names. (10 on my dad's side, and yes, I have 32 first cousins on my mom's side (she's one of 9 kids)) So, there's bound to be some overlap now that we're all starting to have kids. That's different than if there are 6 cousins.

But at the end of the day, you'll look at the little guy and say hmm.. I think he's a Jacob. Or he's not! :)

gavin.gif mini pooper from tara picture by caulyne
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2003
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 3:24pm
Jacob William was my and DH's choice for the boy both my pregnancies despite the fact that there are a number of Jake's in DH's family as well as our friends named their second son Jacob as well. It would not bother me in the least to give my child the name similar to someone else. If it was the name I loved - and I do and it's my grandfather's name so I don't care - I would name my child whatever DH and I wanted. Does it make sense?
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2007
Sat, 07-14-2007 - 10:02pm
I think you would be just fine using Jake! Even if the cousin lived in town. Our family has 2 Roses because it was a family name and they both wanted it! Think long term!!
Good luck!

       

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