So our dear friends named their daughter [name]Harriet[/name]; she is now almost 2yo. They live overseas and most likely will for the rest of their lives. We don’t have many mutual friends.
We are pregnant with our second daughter and love the name [name]Hattie[/name], but want to give her a full name rather than a nickname as her given name, and the only one that gets to [name]Hattie[/name] that we like is… [name]Harriet[/name].
If we plan to always call her [name]Hattie[/name], would it be acceptable to use [name]Harriet[/name]? Or would you hate us forever if you were our friends? Also, how would you go about asking for their blessing in using that name? Any one have any experience in this?
If you really want to use it, explain your situation to your friend! If she’s really your friend, and lives across the world, what skin is it off her back if you use the same name? I could see it being a bit more uncomfortable if you saw each other all the time and knew all the same people, but your situation is unique. If she is really your friend, she will understand.
As an alternative, what about [name]Henrietta[/name]? You could definitely do [name]Hattie[/name] from [name]Henrietta[/name]. ([name]Henrietta[/name] is at the top of my own list, so I’m a big fan!)
I would use it. Tell your friends in advance that you love the name they picked and no other name feels right for your baby other than [name]Harriet[/name]. At the end of the day they do not own the name and they are down the road where they could claim that 2 children with the same name could be confusing etc (which I’ve never understood - what about school teachers with students with the same name?). I think given the distance especially that they will understand, and personally I would be flattered.
BTW, I love [name]Harriet[/name] and [name]Hattie[/name]!!
[name]Agatha[/name] could be a clever way to get to [name]Hattie[/name] [name]IMO[/name] ^^
Other than that, I don’t think it would be too much of a problem to use [name]Harriet[/name].
I love [name]Henrietta[/name], but [name]Harriet[/name] is not a name I ever managed to warm up to. [name]Hester[/name] could be called [name]Hattie[/name] as well.
I don’t see it as a problem. I would just let my friend know of my intentions beforehand. That way she wasn’t stuck in the dark. I think if I was in your friends position and the name choice was hidden from me I would be more mad than honored we share the same taste in names.
I would call or email the friend and let them know you are thinking using [name]Harriet[/name] now rathr than let them find out after the fact and have that weird moment of ‘oh [name]Harriet[/name] like our [name]Harriet[/name]’ I think it’s better to put it out there & let them know beforehand. Most people. Want their child to have a somewhat unique name and [name]Harriet[/name] is not top 10 so let them be prepared. Obviously these girls won’t be in the same school so it’s not a huge deal really.