# If you have "half" or "step" siblings, how do you refer to them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653 "2016-06-06T13:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/41 "2016-07-01T18:27:15Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > My ex husband’s grandparents on his mum’s side had three children, the second was born 10 years after his mother and the third 25 years later. Ex husband’s younger uncle was born the same year as him. So, if I’m reading this correctly. . . Three children, from the same mother, over a span of 35 years? While mathematically possible, it definitely pushes the limits of credibility. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/42 "2016-07-02T14:53:59Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > So, if I’m reading this correctly. . . > > Three children, from the same mother, over a span of 35 years? While mathematically possible, it definitely pushes the limits of credibility. Looks like I wrote it incorrectly… 1st child, 2nd child 10 years later and third child 25 years\* after the first.\*. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/43 "2016-07-03T02:54:24Z")
I have two half brothers, both born before me and my sisters. #1 I only found out about as an adult, and met a few times but had no real relationship with him. He is since deceased and I have had no contact with his immediate family. #2 I have never met and, since my father gave up parental rights to him so that his mother’s new husband could adopt him, I don’t think I will ever be able to trace him. I would like to, though. As a consequence, I have little or no reason to refer to either of them. At one point I technically had two stepsisters and a stepbrother, but I had nothing to do with them. Since my father divorced their mother, I consider the whole episode done and buried. I have no reason to reference them at all. I doubt I could recognize them in a line up. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/44 "2016-07-04T06:16:16Z")
I have 3 sisters and 1 brother with a different father. They are my brother and sisters period. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/45 "2016-07-04T10:35:05Z")
I worked with a guy who’s half-sister married his half-brother… I don’t know how they introduced themselves, but I’m fairly sure it wasn’t “sister/brother” or “step sister/brother”… ---
**Author:** ![MareIt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@MareIt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MareIt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/46 "2016-07-05T02:23:30Z")
I often state that I am an only child with 3 brothers - one of each kind. Half, step and full. I am the youngest, but they aren’t so much older than me (7-14 years) that the age difference is the only reason that I consider myself an only child. Between custody agreements, a virtual run away and an out of state move, I didn’t live with any of my siblings for more than a total of 5 years out of 18 years. In fact, when my full brother came to work on my house a few years ago, the 10 days he spent at my house was the longest period of time that I shared a house with him since I was 12. (no need to discuss that he has moved in with me and I’ve now spent way more time with him than I ever did in the prior 36+ years) ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653/47 "2016-07-05T16:54:44Z")
I have three stepsisters and a stepbrother. When my dad married their mom, I was 15 living with my mother and they were adults except the youngest who was in college. So I never lived with them. They were “the kids of that woman who my dad married” and have always been and will ever be step-siblings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-half-or-step-siblings-how-do-you-refer-to-them/756653.md?page=2)