Lately, I’ve started crushing on the name [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_u]Grey[/name_u] again. This is a name that has always been in my top 20 and held the top spot for a while, but I wasn’t sure if I liked it with my future last name. My last name will begin with an “M” so I kind of always push it aside, because I don’t know if I want my future daughter to have an MM name.
However, FI and I just found out that his brother is naming his daughter [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] (Mad-uh-lyn) and expressly plan on calling her “[name_f]Maddy[/name_f].” Now I feel even more sad.
Are [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] too similar for cousins? A couple important things to note:
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]'s parents only ever plan on calling her [name_f]Maddy[/name_f]
FI and I would never call our daughter anything other than [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and if a nickname ever came about, I’ve always been partial to [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] or [name_f]Tilda[/name_f], so we’d never call her [name_u]Matty[/name_u].
These cousins possibly aren’t going to grow up together. As is, we rarely see FI’s brother and [name_m]SIL[/name_m], and FI have a five year plan to move away (which may not happen, but we’re working towards it). So the cousins may not see each other.
FI has another nephew from a different brother/[name_m]SIL[/name_m] whose name is [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], that goes by “[name_u]Paddy[/name_u]”, so it doesn’t seem the family necessarily minds a little overlap.
So, is [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] too similar to [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]?
I don’t think it’s too close at all. Especially if they don’t see each other very often and you are going to call her [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], anyway (which will most likely become one of the nicknames you mentioned, simply because they’re more intuitive).
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is a gorgeous name and you should definitely consider it unless your own M surname bothers you too much.
I think it’s completely fine. Sure, they will share the first two letters of their names, but the sounds are quite different. I’d say it’s no big deal, especially if they aren’t around each other all the time. My son [name_m]Konrad[/name_m] has a cousin named Crosley that we are close with, which has some of the same sounds. Sometimes it trips people up, but it’s never been an issue.
No [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] & [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] are not too close for cousins at all.
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_u]Grey[/name_u] is a gorgeous combination and I would defiantly use it despite having a cousin called [name_f]Madeline[/name_f].
Given your circumstances - that you don’t see them that often, that you don’t intend to use the nickname [name_u]Mattie[/name_u], that there’s already a [name_u]Paddy[/name_u] and that’s not stopping them from loving [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] - I think you using [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is totally, totally OK.
Definitely not, especially if they’re going to have different nicknames.
BTW, my husband and his cousin are the same age, share a last name, are both named [name_m]Matthew[/name_m]. DH goes by his middle name, so it’s not a big deal, bu I thought it was interesting nonetheless. Your situation would be even less bizarre than theirs.
Thanks everyone! I feel so much better after reading everyone’s responses! The MM still bothers me slightly, but I’ve slowly been falling back in love with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f].
#2 makes me say that it is fine. I was thinking that as long as they are not called [name_f]Maddie[/name_f]/[name_u]Mattie[/name_u] and you say they won’t both be.
Personally, I love [name_f]Tilda[/name_f]. Not really a fan of [name_f]Matilda[/name_f].
HTH
