someone stole my baby name!!

Mariah - posted on 01/07/2013

I've read the treads on "Stolen Names" I couldn't help but to think how bizarre to think that people have ownership on a name. Whether it is a name made up from someone's creativity or borrowed from a different source, it is really no body's business what anyone names their child. We live in a world where we are going to cross paths with someone who shares the same name. If someone close to you is naming their child similar to yours is really not tacky or strange. Close or not, it is a person's right to name their child whatever they choose. I do believe only in certain circumstances that people should only think twice when it comes to naming their baby after their child. For instance, I had a friend who passed away in car accident with her unborn son; she was in her 3rd trimester. In a situation like this, there is just sincere common sense to not to name your child after a tragedy that would only be a reminder of what could have been, it is a painful lost. I have two boys and didn't come up with their names on my own but named them after religious resources. I actually received a text message by a long time friend who asked me not to name my son the same name as her son because I was her close friend and because that was her son's name. She ordered me to find another name. Since we were not as close as we were in our youth and our sons were going to be at least 15 years apart I decided that she crossed a boundary by ordering me to be on a search for another one. I made a personal choice to sever that friendship because she was being unreasonable and conditional. I've had relatives who have named their sons after one of my boys, I count it as an honor and feel that their names are meaningful and significant. I don't have any problem with it, there is just more to life than being upset over petty stuff. If you create a name and don't want anyone to copy your creativity, then copyright it and make it your business, otherwise some parents need to get over themselves and occupy themselves with something that really matters.

Jean - posted on 01/22/2012

my son and my nephew are both joshuas

my half brothers son is 13 months older than my boy 7 and 6 respectivly but we had not seen each other in 20 years after his mum moving the family away and so lossing contact then my sister in law found us through facebook and we found that we both had boys with the same name we are now very much back in contact and the boys having the same name isnt a problem we just call out big joshua and little joshua

but i do think it was bad taste of her to steal your name but if your not friends dont let it bother you and its possible your boy will have others in school with the same name anyway

Melissa - posted on 01/01/2012

One of my friends took a name from me, but to be fair I told her she could because we where sure we where having a girl.

Denikka - posted on 12/31/2011

My hubby's name is Caleb XD and one of his (VERY) close friends is also Caleb. Oh the jokes that go (one pokes the other in the shoulder, another friend tells Caleb to *stop touching himself* oh yea....the immature fun XD)



I chose really unique names for my kids. Torin is my son, and Linnaea is my daughter. I also have names picked out for my next child/children (boy and girl names)

I think it's fine to name a child after someone (if they're living, it's generally polite to ask) but when someone has a name already picked out, ESPECIALLY those in a situation where the 2 kids are going to be on close contact, it's pretty rude to steal a name.

I know I'd be pretty upset if someone used my kids names. I specifically chose them so that they would be unique and not have anyone around them with the same name. Luckily, most people around me prefer more mainstream names, so I hope I'm not in any danger of having a name stealer in my near future :P

Rose - posted on 12/31/2011

I can't believe she did that? That is tacky and is seriously sad! If anyone stole my baby name I would be super sad and a little angry! Instead of Caleb you could name him Matthew
or something really unique!!!

April - posted on 11/06/2011

I can totally understand why that would irk you, maybe she did really like it once you said it, maybe she would have stumbled upon the same name at some point any way and decided she liked it. It's a big world out there and lots of people named Caleb. I know you posted this almost 2 years ago so hope your pregnancy went fine.



For those of you on FB, I created a group after discovering that there are not any really good groups for providing support, ideas, tips etc. in a closed environment for pregnant or new moms to share ideas and ask questions so I created one. Ask to join the group and I will get your request approved and then you can add other friends that can benefit from the group. We are having lots of fun and sharing lots of great info!



http://on.fb.me/babybeat

Laura - posted on 10/22/2011

At the very worst its annoying. But really, is this person going to be part of your daily life? My daughter's name is Alissa, almost unheard of at the time, but there have been a couple of others in our extended circle that loved the name so much they just had to use it. My Alissa is quite flattered by the whole thing.

Tracy - posted on 09/08/2011

22 years ago we were going to name our son Caleb.We eneded up with Colten.Both those names are very popular in the rodeo world which we are involved with.

Monica - posted on 08/25/2011

That's super rude!!!

Chrisina - posted on 08/25/2011

It happens alot more than u think. I had the same experience with one of my family members. not only did she steal my baby girl name, she used it in her second daughters name also! now that's tacky!

Tarniah - posted on 08/21/2011

I love the name Caleb, I am pregnant and I have chosen a name the same as one of my friends sons. His mother is taking it as a compliment as she loves the name Mason aswell. Truth is, there is probably thousands of Caleb's out there in the world and it is a gorgeous name. Chances of your sons being bff's in 10 or 15 years from now is fairly remote. Try not to let it get to you... Stick with your choice!! I regret changing my mind to suit others with my older kids. This time, I chose a name that I like and I think you should too xx

Caren - posted on 08/16/2011

If it makes you feel any better, at least it was someone you knew....I went through pages and pages online for hours even days finding an unusual name for my daughter that wasnt horrible. She was born October 18th 2010....Arabella....A few months later, donald trumps daughter has her baby girl and names her....yup you got it....Arabella! I thought for sure I had found a name that no one had heard or thought of....guess you're never really safe when it caomes to baby names though, there will always be a mom out there trying to be just as diferent as you.

Callie - posted on 07/19/2011

This is completely in bad taste!! I'd had a baby name picked out for so long that i loved for a boy or girl and when my cousin had her baby boy she took that name that i'd choosen. Not cool...not cool!

Laci - posted on 06/16/2011

Yeh I hate people that do that...It's so annoying...I never said what I was going to name my little man because its sort of unique and I didn't want anybody stealing it...I also wasn't %100 for sure until I saw him though too...Im sorry that happened to you

Samone - posted on 05/30/2011

I think its tacky too. I would not tell anyone the baby name who isn't family.

Veronica - posted on 05/29/2011

Don't even worry about it. Is this "student" going to be in your life even 5 years from now? Who are they and why do you care? It just proves you picked a likeable name. Enjoy!

Magan - posted on 05/26/2011

I totally think it is tacky too.....My husband however thinks it is flattering when people name their kids the same things. HIs family almost everyone has a boy named named after his father. SO that is 4 out of 7. I am trying to keep my baby names a secret.....becasue I have like 6 friends who were all expecting too ( some have had their babies, but there are still a few preggers) and I am the lsat one due.

Dawn - posted on 05/14/2011

unfortunatly people will do that.. i havent had it happen to me luckly. but i have used a friends name...but i asked her first and she said it was ok. my youngest girls middle name is what her first daughters name was( she was born still born saddly) . like the name though :)

Hannah- - posted on 05/12/2011

Me and my aunty were pregnant at the same time and I liked the name Emily-Rose, well I found out I was having a boy and she ended up having a girl which she at first called Emily-Rose and so I put her off by saying about a character in film we had watched and so she picked her 2nd choice, now i'm pregnant again but I don't want to use the name Emily this time!
The names I have chosen for this baby are really unusual and unique and I would be gutted if someone stole them!

Ciera - posted on 05/07/2011

That is a REALLY popular name right now! I know 5 different Caleb's all born in the last year and one more due in June. Maybe she DID just like it. Most likely your kids will not grow up together so it doesn't really matter. If you are wanting a name that not many people have though, I would go with a different one. Otherwise, you might as well get used to a LOT of people naming their sons Caleb bc it is growing in popularity still!

Amanda - posted on 05/06/2011

I wouldn't be that worried about it, from your post she is a classmate not a sister or a best friend. After the class is over you don't have to have contact with her anymore. It was definitely distasteful though.

Catherine - posted on 05/06/2011

I agree with Jayde. What's the issue? Is this girl was family or a close friend, then you have every right to be upset, but it sounds like she's just another student in your class. Are you good friends? Are you likely to even see her once your studies are done? Take it as a compliment that she liked the name, and move on.

Tammy - posted on 05/06/2011

We had that happen to us too. Our name for our second child was picked out even before our first was born. After our first was born, who we named Axel, we told a family member that we had already decided on our second name if we had a boy, which was going to be Lincoln Jason. Lo and behold, she got pregnant and named her son Lincoln Jai. I was pretty upset but got over it after awhile. I'm pregnant with baby #2 and now the shoe is on the other foot, I told a close friend we had decided on the name Ella for a girl, and she told me she has had that name picked out for when she gets pregnant for ages. I know how disappointing it is, but it wasnt intentional and its a name that both myself and my husband love.

Denise - posted on 05/02/2011

CALEB MAY BECOME ANOTHER JENNIFER AND JASON THING WHERE IT GOT REALL POPULAR HOW ABOUT CARSTEN ? morgan? ISSAC??? my neices girlfriend took her girl choice of a name of morgan rose fortunately she had two boys....

Chrissie - posted on 04/29/2011

Well, good for you for naming her baby lol
I see why you are mad but atleast she's the thief not you =]

Sabrina Nicole - posted on 04/29/2011

im not sure if id get upset i ever met another boy with my son's name, unless a close friend or family member took it. his name is traditionally a last name, so i think im allright. like everyone has said, dont worry about it, name his what you want to name him or you will always wish for something else. i love my son's name because its so crazy. he has a last name first name and a first name last name. and the same initial as my grandfather who passed away while i was pregnant. make it your own, because he will be :)

Cyndel - posted on 04/28/2011

Um personally I don't think 'name stealing' is a big deal. Unless it is within a close family, I would be frustrated if my brother named his son Gabriel too. You probably won't see her after you graduate, so it really doesn't matter. Only if it were a situation where you were going to see each other in a family or social situation all the time for the rest of your lives should it be an issue. If they love the name there is no reason why they should be denied using it if you most likely won't be seeing each other after graduation, or even after this semester.

Autumn - posted on 04/25/2011

I personally wouldnt care if I were you. I mean if she did pick that name because you mentioned it, let her, that just shows you that she really liked it and that you apparently have good taste for people wanting to name there child that! Honestly, after school are you gonna know this girl? Is she gonna be in your everyday life? If your answers are no then I wouldnt let it bother you. Now when it comes to the lying, that is a little immature that she did that. If she liked your name and picked it because of you then she should at least admit it and even maybe say thank you! However people will be immature, you know that she didnt come up with it on her own and thats all that matters. Besides I'm sure that you will run into other little calebs and that shouldnt bother you either. Dont let it bother you and keep your head held up high knowing that you have good taste even enough for someone to try to steal :) GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATS!

Char - posted on 04/18/2011

Naming a baby can be a tough decision. Think of it this way... Maybe you actually helped her. It took me months to settle on a name for my daughter. When I did I shared it with other mothers from the circle community and was lucky enough to help another mom. Now both our daughters share the same unique name with different spellings.

Perhaps you can now work on creative spellings for Caleb. This time just don't let her in on your secret.

Brittany - posted on 04/17/2011

You know what, this happened to me too. I had my son in october 09. my neighbor across the street was pregnant. came over to see my son, elijah. asked what his name was and I told her. a couple of months later she had her baby. her grandmother came over to let me know. i was devestated and i might add, PISSED, when she told me that she named him ELIJAH! I could believe it. but its ok there will never be a Elijah like mine.

Lindsey - posted on 04/16/2011

Aw thats horrible, I totally understand where you're coming from. I mean when ppl in class now ask what name you have chosen & you say Caleb...well I hate to say it but YEAH...ppl look at you differently & think you stole the name or you're a copy-cat!! UGH! Well if it makes you feel a little bit better, I have a s similar story. I use to have a best friend for my whole life, we had gotten pregnant at the same time basically & both had our children...but at my daughters 1st bday I remember having discussed other baby names for the future, she knew Jaiden for a boy but not for a girl, and I had Bella chosen for a girl but not a boys name. Well, almost 2 more yrs go by...we both end up pregnant again but she is 5 mths and im 2...we were no longer friends at this point but still hung around the same group of friends and snooped each others fb and stuff like that (lol). I ended up having an eptopic pregnancy and losing my baby, while she had a little girl & named her Bella!!!!! She denies ever discussing or knowing that was my name...but I have made it clear to everyone over 3 yrs including my family, my daughter, bf, friends...lol everyone..Bella was my next daughters name =( Now i am 4 mths pregnant and Im still upset and hurt by the fact because I still really want that name =(

Lindsey - posted on 04/16/2011

Aw thats horrible, I totally understand where you're coming from. I mean when ppl in class now ask what name you have chosen & you say Caleb...well I hate to say it but YEAH...ppl look at you differently & think you stole the name or you're a copy-cat!! UGH! Well if it makes you feel a little bit better, I have a s similar story. I use to have a best friend for my whole life, we had gotten pregnant at the same time basically & both had our children...but at my daughters 1st bday I remember having discussed other baby names for the future, she knew Jaiden for a boy but not for a girl, and I had Bella chosen for a girl but not a boys name. Well, almost 2 more yrs go by...we both end up pregnant again but she is 5 mths and im 2...we were no longer friends at this point but still hung around the same group of friends and snooped each others fb and stuff like that (lol). I ended up having an eptopic pregnancy and losing my baby, while she had a little girl & named her Bella!!!!! She denies ever discussing or knowing that was my name...but I have made it clear to everyone over 3 yrs including my family, my daughter, bf, friends...lol everyone..Bella was my next daughters name =( Now i am 4 mths pregnant and Im still upset and hurt by the fact because I still really want that name =(

Emilie - posted on 01/11/2011

all i say is, if u want ure son's name 2 be Caleb then name him Caleb, i have chosen my daughters name and cudnt care less if friends or so called friends steal it. Aslong as another family member doesnt!!!!!!! =) She doesnt need 2 be apart of your life, and your Caleb will be just as special.

Susan - posted on 01/08/2011

Sorry if this sounds bitchy but who cares? If you like the name use it. Its not like you guys are family or anything. There are plenty of people out in the world with the same name. Yes it is distastful for her to lie about not getting the idea from you but its not like you cant use it too. My son is named Damian and this chick i know choose the same name after my son was born but im not gonna sit there and get mad about it because a name is a name. Unless is family or a close friend who you are gonna be around all the time. I wouldnt get too mad over the little stuff.

Danielle - posted on 01/07/2011

Since she's not family or a close friend I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, I have been in a situation like that. My friend told me what she wanted to name her children when I was preg with my first (she wasn't preg). I told her our names were Ronnie Ray for boy and Emma Lee for girl. A few days later I found out she was upset w/me because I "stole" her girl name (she had told ME Sydney). I was very upset and told my husband and sorority sisters about it. Husband and I agreed it'd be best to change our girl name pick but couldn't find anything else we both liked-he liked Mallory Ann but I honestly didn't lol and we considered Taylor (more on that later) Well, our first is a boy so it turned out ok :-P. One of my sorority sisters later asked if she could use the name Emma and I said yes lol. Now that we are preg agn w/ a girl my husband and I decided on Abigail Lee (he brought up Mallory again lol). My friend was preg (her first) and (again) made a big deal about our name when I (eventually) told her...but she had a boy. When she started to fuss I (nicely) informed her that I'm not changing our baby's name unless she had a little girl (we knew she was having a boy but her hubby kept it a secret from her so she didn't know lol). She seemed happy with that...It's kinda like my hubby n I liked Taylor but my SIL was preg w/ a girl when I was preg w/ our son and she used the name (I had never discussed it w/her). When I jokingly told her she stole our name she replied "Too bad I had a girl first" lol. Like I said, since she's not fam or a close friend I wouldn't worry too much about it and take it as a compliment :-)

Brooke - posted on 01/04/2011

oh well, You are both going to have different children. If she goes through with calling him this then don't let that stop you.
Its just like your best friend buying the same wedding dress as you... at the end of the day you are going to look different from one another.. so why isn't this the same?
I know this girl who had her first at 15, she called him tyler when she heard that my fiance's cousin was calling her baby tyler. The same girl was pregnant with her second (a girl) when I had my daughter, We called her Hailey and this girl came to see me at the hospital and told us we stole her name, I hardly even spoke to this girl lol. I had told her that it was a choice between isabella (bella) or Hailey, She has had her third now and called her annabella.. calls her bella for short lol.
But that won't stop me from calling our next baby bella if we have another girl this time lol.. I dont find it annoying, I think its just ammusing that some people have to find drama..

Krista - posted on 01/02/2011

It would have been different if she would have used the letter "C" and not the letter "K."

Jayde - posted on 01/01/2011

I don't see a problem with her choosing that name for her son, but what is RUDE is that she tried claiming that she had already picked the name. Pfft, if she wants to choose Caleb she has every right to but seriously why couldn't she just say I love that name, you've got good taste, i think i might add that too my list of names- it would have made the situation a lot nicer for you & a lot less rude on her behalf!

Laura Zoey - posted on 12/30/2010

That's really rude of her, but on the other hand, in 2009 in America 10,837 boys were born who were named Caleb.
So even if she does know you, it's not like you two are family so odds are your son won't run into this other Caleb any more then he will the 10000 some other boys his age also named Caleb.

But, yes, you have every right to be a bit annoyed! It is horribly rude, but like I said it's not like you are family who sees each other lots....

Stefanie - posted on 12/29/2010

This is exactly why I don't tell ANYONE our baby's name unless I KNOW I can trust them. Which means only a very small handful of people know. I still hesitate to tell people my 2nd daughters name (and she is 14 months!) because it is unique and when I do tell it I get a lot of compliments. I like that she is unique and that I can almost guarantee there will not be someone with the same name in her class! I am pg with baby #3 (a BOY!!! after 2 girls) and won't tell his name until he is born either. All of this started for me because our first daughter is Abigail, and although that name is not unheard of by any means, it was not in the top 10 when we named her. But 2 weeks later at church there was a baby 2 pews in front of us, born 3 days after our Abbie, that was named Abigail....so I decided secret is better!

Krista - posted on 12/28/2010

Very tacky!! My baby is Kaleb with a "K." and my best friends sister named her son Kaleb and spelled it the same! UNREAL and very rude. Keep the next baby name a secret! :)

Tracy-Jane - posted on 12/28/2010

a friend of mine named her a baby boy a certain name then not even a year later her brither in law named his son the same thing which is just wierd same first and last name, i think that is just rude

Kaleena - posted on 12/25/2010

we were afraid of this happening with us. so we decided not to tell any friends what we decided to call our baby til shes born. except family.

Susan - posted on 12/24/2010

I agree with Stacy - I see nothing distasteful about it. She picked it because she liked the name as well. Consider imitation the sincerest form of flattery and roll with it.

Kim - posted on 12/24/2010

Yeah thats a really sucky thing to do on her behalf - i never told anyone my names that i had until i had my boys. My first born (now 7) is called Caleb..

Jesi - posted on 12/22/2010

eww why would someone do that.. and yes that is definitely a distasteful thing to do

Aicha - posted on 12/22/2010

yes I have had that happen to me I had a boys name picked out and my husband's brother had a boy and used the name so I am searching for a unique boys name I have until the baby is born to pick out the perfect name now I won't be telling anyone the name until the baby is born

Sherry - posted on 12/22/2010

Meagan, I see that you have had your baby by now, I hope you stayed with the name you love. My son is a Tristan, he just turned 21. Just after I named him that ( it was a relatively obscure name at the time) the movie Legends of the Fall came out and Brad Pitt's character's name was Tristan, the year after my son was filled with Tristans! He is still a unique character and very much his own person! Raise your son to be confident and self worthy and he will own his name!

Amy - posted on 12/22/2010

Yeah, people do that. ALL the time. It IS tacky. That's why I never tell anyone I know what my baby name choices are. My aunt did it to my mom, also. She wanted an Elizabeth, so my aunt named her daughter that 4 months before my sister was born. It is in bad taste. and you know, she may even change it after she sees her son. Or she may be doing it to be a snot. Who knows. As long as she's not family, I see no reason with you keeping it. Not like your kids are likely to run across each other anyway.

Kris - posted on 12/22/2010

My own mother stole my baby name, for my brother Alex! :O