Can I Give My Daughters the "Same" Name?
Filed under: Baby Names
My 2-year-old daughter's name is Elizabeth. Since Isabella is the Spanish version of the name Elizabeth, should I not name my new baby Isabella? The two names sound and look completely different to me, but will this create a lifelong problem for my two daughters?
- Isabella Lover
Don't we all create lifelong problems for our children? Luckily, choosing the names Elizabeth and Isabella ranks low on the scale of Ways To Give Your Kids Complexes. I'd say it comes in just above making them wait until high school to get their ears pierced.
That's not to say I'd recommend it. I've weighed in against other close sibling pairings, like naming John's little brother Jack. Sibling rivalry can be a powerful thing, and discovering that you and your sister have variations of the same name could strike some uncomfortable chords. With so many names in the world, why risk it?
On the other hand, as you point out, Elizabeth and Isabella look and sound very different. And unlike John and Jack, neither is a nickname of the other. You can also give the girls some extra personal space with distinctive nicknames like Liza and Bella, rather than Lizzie and Izzie. So while the pair wouldn't be my first (or second) choice, I doubt that your daughters will suffer identity crises.
Part of parenting is giving your children positive emotional tools to negotiate the world. I think it's a good sign that you're already considering the potential implications of your name choice. Tackle this head on. Make it clear that you chose each name because it was beautiful and you loved it on its own, but don't try to hide the connection. Call it a secret bond for your daughters to share.
That positive attitude will be important in facing down another challenge, too: Name-knowledgeable busybodies pointing out to you that your daughters "have the same name." Don't rise to the bait and get defensive. Respond with your warmest smile, and explain that the names are simply lovely relations. "They started with the same roots but grew into two complete individuals -- just as siblings do!"











ReaderComments (Page 3 of 4)
11-01-2010 @ 12:35PM
GoodTV said...Go for it. I would be wierd if you named them both Isabella or both Elizabeth. Who cares if they both mean Elizabeth. You are not calling them that. I think its an issue if you make it one. The kids will not know the difference nor will most people. The people who do and say something are not people you should care about anyway.
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11-01-2010 @ 12:35PM
Wolffgirl said...They are your children name them whatever YOU want within reason. I think Elizabeth & Isabella are beautiful names for daughters. I have fraternal twins, Christopher & Christyn. It has never been a problem for them or us. He is called Christopher (he doesn't like Chris) and she is called Christyn (she doesn't like any variation and will tell people). And I personally don't care what anyone thinks about it. That's aprt of society's problem....people care too much what others think....
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11-01-2010 @ 12:45PM
Jimmy said...I remember seeing that George Forman named all his boys George and I thought that was the stupidest thing to do. That would be a confusing mess and give them no individuality. Dumb! Dumb! Dum Dumb!
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11-01-2010 @ 12:51PM
JEB BUCKINGHAM said...I can't help but think of those three guys from the "Newhart" show,...."Hi, I'm Daryl, and this is my brother,Larry. And this is my other brother, Larry". How confusing is that?
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11-01-2010 @ 1:02PM
Sheila said...The two names together are fine, the bigger problem is that the name Isabella or its variations are annoying overused. There are millions of names out there, lets get away from Isabella/Madison/Emily, etc. etc.
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11-01-2010 @ 1:18PM
Susan said...You can even give them the same first name, just give them a different middle name and call one of them by their first name and the other one by their middle name.
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11-01-2010 @ 1:36PM
Diana said...Sounds like the Kardashians...
Anyway - I work in a hospital and there is a mom who comes in with her two sons, Eddy and Eddie. This is the CRAZIEST thing I have ever seen or heard of. Speaking of an identity crisis...luckily, she has the common sense to call Eddie, the 8-year-old, by his middle name, Leon. Crazier thing - Eddy is a baby -- she had plenty of time to think - LET ME NOT NAME MY TWO SONS THE SAME EXACT NAME. You don't even pronounce Eddie and Eddy differently - what a crazy, stupid mom.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:12PM
Ali said...My husbands brothers names where Larry, Gary, and Jerry. My husbands name is Tim! Why? Because his twins' name was Tom!
They turned out ok :)
I like different names that our girls can call all their own. Our daughters names are Daliah, Willow, and Clary Sage. Other than not being able to buy a keychain with their name on it they seem pretty happy with their unique names :)
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11-01-2010 @ 2:13PM
Vicki said...Jeez, I wouldn't have known they were the same name in different places. I think its fine to name them that. To me there are more important things to worry about. Both are good, strong pretty names. If you name your second daughter something else there are still people who will comment on that name as well. You can't please some people. If you go with Isabella then be proud of the nice name you picked. If you are proud of it & love it then your daughter will be too. Go with what feels right to you & don't worry about what others say or feel about it. I bet those little girls won't give it any thought at all.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:22PM
CAT said...I am Catherine and my sister is Karen....two versions of the same name....we grew up normal there are no problems two differnet names even if they are technically the same. I think Elizabeth and Isabella are so different it won't matter
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11-01-2010 @ 2:30PM
Kelly said...Elizabeth and Isabella are lovely names and do not sound similar at all in my opinion. Even though they are technically both forms of Elizabeth, I doubt that will be an issue at all unless the parent keeps pointing it out. With forms of Isabella/Bella being so trendy at the moment though, in five years or so the daughter will discover so many other Bellas/Isabellas in her class she may wonder why. It may become an issue having so many Bellas, Isabellas, or Izzys in the class but more so for the teacher, not the children or parents. Currently in my classroom I one little girl named Izabelle and one little girl named Isabelle. One is nicknamed Izzy and the other is Bella. Next school term I already have three Isabelles signed up and two Edwards.
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11-01-2010 @ 3:27PM
Pam said...What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
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11-02-2010 @ 8:10AM
shellyafinney said...I knew someone who had a Julietta and then 10 years later had a Juliana!
Mind you, they were quite a strange family anyway but just as bad were two brothers I know whose wives both gave birth to sons a few weeks apart just a few months after their father died. Stupidly, they both decided to name the little cousins after the deceased man.
Maybe just about understandable if they lived a distance apart but the kids go to the same school!!
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11-12-2010 @ 1:52AM
Chrissy said...This is a concern? Seriously? It's not like she's naming them Elizabeth and Eliza or Isabella and Bella. I highly doubt that most of the population in this country knows that those two names are versions of the same name. I certainly didn't. For as much as most people know or are concerned they are two completely different names.
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11-19-2010 @ 11:05AM
Jamie said...For some reason when people chose to name their kids basically the same name it kind of bothers me. I mean, it's their choice which I respect but I couldn't do it. I know someone who named their kids Heath(boy) and Heather(girl) and also Kyle(boy) and (Kai) girl. I just feel like those are too much alike. However, I'd have to say, I don't think Elizabeth and Isabella are too much alike, but having the same meaning does make it difficult in deciding..
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11-19-2010 @ 11:56AM
Jamie said...For some reason when people chose to name their kids basically the same name it kind of bothers me. I mean, it's their choice which I respect but I couldn't do it. I know someone who named their kids Heath(boy) and Heather(girl) and also Kyle(boy) and (Kai) girl. I just feel like those are too much alike. However, I'd have to say, I don't think Elizabeth and Isabella are too much alike, but having the same meaning does make it difficult in deciding..
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12-03-2010 @ 8:57AM
Was Buf., Now Was. said...I know of sisters Margaret (nicknamed Peggy) and Gretchen, which is the German version of Margaret. The first time I heard about them, I joked how they were the same name. Apparently, their parents didn't know at the time, but it didn't really affect them. I think you're overestimating the intelligence of those around you by thinking people will automatically equate Isabella with Elizabeth. I'd just say don't do it because of the popularity issue.
If you have any issues with a name, you should consider shelving it. My wife and I could not for the life of us agree on a name for our daughter, so we picked the name that was highest on both of our lists, and ended up hating it. After three months, we actually changed her name-- we were willing to go through all the paperwork and the familial eye-rolling because the compromise was just that. Now, a year later, we love our daughter's "real" name. :)
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12-09-2010 @ 7:12PM
Ruby said...A girl I went to school with was named Jillian, a name that is on my list for when I have kids (not because of her, I just like it). She had a sister seven years older named Jean Ellen and a sister ten years younger named Angela. If you experiment with saying these names you discover they are nearly identical in sound - also the three looked like the same person at different ages. It was eerie!
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12-17-2010 @ 1:10PM
carina said...I went to school with three sisters who looked almost identical too, they were Melanie, Tiffany and Stephanie, even though the similarities were just the endings it was weird.
Also I know someone who had twins named Marla and Carla.
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12-20-2010 @ 2:14PM
SHERYL HORNE said...My aunt had ten children, her oldest is names Theresa and her youngest is named Theresa although they have different dads they are still siblings, the oldest sibling married the dad of the younger Theresa and had three children so is the youngest Theresa thier aunt or sister
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