I often see here on nameberry someone saying “I can’t use that name it belongs to old aunt x or cousin’s kid twice removed” etc etc. My question is why not? There are also those who are honouring their mother/father/brother/sister I understand them but why not use a name already in use in the family I just don’t understand especially if you have a large family?? :?
rollo
PS I think it is a great way of saying to cousin x I like you.
I go back and forth with this all the time!
In reality it shouldn’t matter. No one “owns” a name. If you like a name that has already been used within your family and friends you should be able to still use it. However, within our society it is seen as “stealing” a name and is a very sensitive issue that should be dealt with carefully. Sad, but true 
My rule of thumb is, its ok to “reuse” a popular or classic name, but not a unique name or one that isn’t heard very often.
I refuse to use a name that is already in my family or even close to a name that is in my family. why? Because my family is insane and say I used the name [name]Alex[/name] in any part on my children’s names it would instantly be linked to my little sister who has the middle name [name]Alexandra[/name] and then BOOM I have named my child after her and I am automatically obliged to name my future children after my other sibblings… stupid but that is the way it is.
My eldest sister just had a set of twins and named them [name]Sarah[/name] and [name]Matilda[/name]. I know that she named them after literary characters that she grew up reading but everyone else in the family is convinced she named [name]Sarah[/name] after me. Yes my real name is [name]Sarah[/name] but I haven’t been called [name]Sarah[/name] since I was like 4, I have always been [name]Sadie[/name]. There was such a fuss because none of the other names are family names…
Its not mature, but that is how my family is!
BTW most of my family has names that I wouldn’t use anyways so that is not an issue for me!
I’m guessing most people don’t want to be accused of name-thievery. I agree with the pp who said that classic names should be up for grabs, however. I also think family traditions and practices should be taken into account.
I don’t think it’s as much name stealing as it is just feeling uncreative. [name]Say[/name] my cousin just used the name [name]Sam[/name], and then I use it. We’re not close, the kids won’t be together too much etc, but it would kind of make me wonder why I couldn’t bother to pick a name for my son that would be his own - at least within his own family!
Ditto!