I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] the name [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], my partner loves it. There’s just one problem… I use to have a dog named [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], she was a beautiful dog as well.
So here’s my question. Can you/would you use a name that you’ve used for a pet?
My dog now is [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] but I cannot imagine using his name for a child.
I named my first dog [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] as I loved the name so much. He died just before myself and my DH got married. We later called our second son [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] primarily because we both still loved the name. However, I actually quite like that there is that little link to the world’s greatest golden retriever too! 
I think some names are great on pets and children, and there’s nothing really wrong with using the name twice.
But all the names for the pets I’ve had are now stuck in my head as ‘dog names’ or ‘cat names’ (even though some of them would be great names for a human too). I wouldn’t name a child after a pet as personally I think that’s an honour that is best reserved for ancestors of the child or other important people in the parents’ lives.
I think I might be a bit annoyed if I found out my parents named me after a dog or a cat they used to have. My parents actually really did like the name they had given to their dog and were considering it for me, but luckily (imo) they thought of something different. That was not quite the same though as this dog was still alive when I was born!
I personally wouldn’t ever do it. I second all of what @jackal said, but I also would like to add that pets often become thought of as family members. You become attached to them. My beloved dog was given a “people name” and, while I love her name and no longer have the dog, I could never consider using that same name on a human child…the name is forever associated with a furry little companion who got me through some rough times. I’d be hard for me to say the name without thinking of the dog and causing sadness.
On another note, I found out that my dad wanted to name me after a pet of theirs who had recently been given away just before my birth…I hit the roof. Okay, it wasn’t the biggest deal in the world, but who wants to be named after something your parents gave up? Not only that, but my entire family knew about the dog, so there probably would’ve been some teasing going on there. I am so thankful that dad was talked out of that idea!
To me, giving a child the same name a pet had would just be like naming them to honour a family member, though this may be because my grandparents on my mum’s side were poodle breeders and my dad was a dog handler in the army, so they’ve owned dogs with the names of me and my sibling. I wouldn’t rule out [name_u]Max[/name_u] or [name_f]Kira[/name_f] simply because they were my dog when I was younger (though I may hesitate to name a child Kippy or Blackie).
I think that [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] is a lovely name, and I wouldn’t let the dog association put me off.
Yea I think it’s fine. I named my cat [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] years ago because it was one of my favourite names and I absolutely would still consider using it when my cat is no longer around (never would have them coexist). Mind you, I don’t often call my pets by name - usually a childish/silly nickname.
The only person it could bother is you.
I think it really depends how much that name has ‘become’ that pet. For some people, the name is entirely associated with their beloved pet, and the name just doesn’t stand on its own anymore, it can’t be separated, so they can’t imagine using it for a person. While for others, the name can still be a beloved name that IS separate to their pet from the past. Same goes for people. Names either retain their own identity, or sometimes they become entirely ‘that person/people’ we know. I tend to fall on the side of names retaining their own identity, but it does depend on the name sometimes too.
It sounds like [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] is a name you absolutely love, and while it has an association to your pet, your pet is no longer around (I do think this makes quite a difference obviously) so the name has returned to being that beloved name. It doesn’t sound to me like you’re looking to name your child after your old pet, you’re just looking to use the name you love dearly. If I were told I was named specifically after a pet, yes, that might feel pretty weird! But if I were told that the name was just my parents’ most favourite name, once used for a pet also, that would feel a lot more ok [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
So, you can absolutely use it for your child if you love it and it feels right! [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] is a fabulous name. And yes, I am biased, because it’s my name, and it’s served me well as a kid, teen and an adult. 
Why not? Pets are very important to a lot of people, myself included. My dogs have always had weird names though, ones that I go a little crazy with like I wouldn’t for a child.
I guess it just depends on how well you can compartmentalize the name in your head. I don’t think I could do it personally. For me, the association between my pet and the name would be too strong; it’s “their” name.
[name_m]Even[/name_m] if you think of your pet as a family member, they’re obviously different from a human baby. You certainly can use a name you’ve already used for a pet on a child, but can you get over the association between it and your old dog? It would certainly be a rueful moment to call your child’s name and realise you can only think of your dog.
I dont think you should let th dog association bother you but if youre still unsure then use [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] as a nickname for something else