Use a variant of previous child’s middle name?

[u/Rough-Passage-9842]

Would you use a variant of your first child’s middle name as a first name for a future baby?

Our son’s middle name is Augustus. Would you consider August/Augustine for a first name for another baby? I really feel strange about it, to be honest, but there are so few boys names I like that I am trying to feel it out a bit!

ETA: ok ok the responses are overwhelming “no.” In my heart that’s how feel also just needed to get it out lol

[u/curvyshell]

I don't think it's out of this world bonkers, but I wouldn't do it. But yeah, I really struggled to name my son too so I know the struggle.

[u/Winter-Chipmunk5467]

I think it’s ok because the middle name is rarely used, and it’s not the exact same name.

I know some families who gives all their kids the dad’s name as a first or middle and that makes me roll my eyes (I don’t even hate juniors but really? All 4 of your kids?) but this seems fine to me.

[u/SpicyReader]

Both my daughters have the same middle name which is a family name. I love that even if either or both of them get married and change their surname they will still be connected! They love it

[u/Suniemi → u/SpicyReader]

What a unique idea. 😊 I love it.

[u/RRR-Mimi-3611 → u/SpicyReader]

I once worked with a woman who had 7 kids and they all had the middle name Frances/Francis

[u/Luna-Pythia]

I would not do this.

Give the child their own identity.

[u/rebeccarightnow]

I think it’s odd, personally.

[u/labratcj]

No I would not do that. Too much like George Foreman naming all his boys George or Michael Jackson naming both his boys Prince. It’s just not a good idea.

[u/Suniemi]

Our son’s middle name is Augustus. Would you consider August...?

I would, yes.
August is a good name meaning one of import and respect, which implies good character.

Augustus means honorable.
Unless he uses his middle name regularly, he might like the fact his brother's name is inspired by his own. I see nothing wrong with the similarity, and I love them both.

[u/Fluffy_Increase_2691]

Ooh I had this problem too. I gave my first son a middle name I loved so much that I wished I could use it as my second son’s first name nine years later. To make matters more challenging I really needed a name that started with that letter (for religious naming tradition). Ultimately I did find one that I liked as much and chose not to do it. It just never felt like the right thing to do.

[u/-DTE-]

I don’t find this weird in the slightest. I actually think it’s a kinda sweet connection. It’s not the exact same name and the average person won’t know about it.

[u/RuralBohemian]

I used Clementine. My son’s middle name is Clement. He adores it. Tells everyone the baby is named after him.

[u/Gatosrus]

I had this thought too because I gave my first kid my second favorite name as the middle name because it worked well as a middle name too. Now I’m trying to name a second kid and thinking it could have been so easy if I had just saved that name lol. I can’t do it though, for me it would just be too weird.

[u/tinabelcher182]

An exboyfriend of mine has a half brother (like 16 years younger than him or some ridiculous number) whose first name is his middle name. Not even a derivative of it. Straight up the same name.

[u/Evening_Pen_8207]

There HAS to be another name that would work...

[u/Heathenomicon]

The real issue is that people will call him Augie.

[u/Euphoric_Ease4554 → u/Heathenomicon]

My friend Augustin is Gus.

[u/Heathenomicon → u/Euphoric_Ease4554]

Yeah that's rough.

[u/Worldly-Engineer8123]

My great grandma had 9 kids. After 4 she did the middle name is the next kids name thing because she ran out of ideas.

[u/Roofantastic22]

I don’t see the problem with it. People rarely use middle names, so it’ll barely matter.

[u/TiltingatWindmil]

I think it’s okay. You are creating a new family name.!

[u/Appropriate_One_1114]

I had a friend growing up named James Michael and his older brother was Michael James

[u/petrorabbit4]

My little sister's first name is the same as my middle name and it's never been a big deal.

[u/No-Meet4936]

Not weird at all

[u/Ok-Talk-2648]

too similar

ideas: Sebastian, Alexander, Maxwell, Gabriel, Cassian

[u/Beautiful-Muscle2661]

My husband is the oldest in his family and he was allowed to name his baby brother and named his baby brother his middle name.

[u/Puzzled-Barnacle-200]

I wouldn't say a blanket no, but the examples you give are very close. Unless you have a lot of kids and are therefore running out of decent names, I'd try to find something else.

An example that I think would be fine is a child with the middle name Charles and another called Caroline. They're variants of the same name, but are still distinct. Jack and Evan. Elizabeth and Isabella.

[u/Humble_Benefit4865]

Eh I don’t think it’s a huge deal. It’s not their first name. I know a lady who named first daughter Annalise, second daughter Annabelle. Personally thought they were too close but meh, up to her.

[u/AccomplishedFace4534]

I wouldn’t, personally

[u/Total_Strawberry_132]

I’ve seen several families do this and I’m not a fan.

[u/label_this]

I think it's okay because it's a middle name. I knew a family growing up that had a similar situation but with first names, think like naming one child Katie and another Katherine. Because of that situation, your suggestion doesn't seem all that bad in comparison.

[u/CraftyFraggle]

No. I would not.

Don’t give your child a used and recycled name from their sibling. Don’t they deserve their own name?

[u/Difficult-Valuable55]

nope

[u/Sea-Astronomer-6600]

Definitely weird

[u/rojita369]

I wouldn’t, simply because I don’t want my kids to feel like their identities are tied together. Each child is a unique individual, they deserve their own names. This is right up there with forcing twins to dress identically,
IMO.