# What should my daughter call my cousin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209 "2006-08-25T15:35:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/21 "2006-08-25T18:56:20Z")
Thanks to all. I think she probably signed the card “Jane, Rick, and Lisa.” (their daughter, one year younger than my daughter). I think I’ll tell her to go with “Dear Jane, Rick, and Lisa.” ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/22 "2006-08-25T19:07:58Z")
[QUOTE=Who\_me?] Do people actually use “Cousin Jane” in real life? [/QUOTE] :raiseshand: Yes … some people do. My paternal grandmother’s neice was Cousin Cecille to both my parents and me, even though she was a good 40+ years older than us kids. My mother’s cousin’s ex-husband’s wife\* is called Cousin Vicki by everyone in my immediate family, though she is unrelated to us by both blood and marriage. Again, she is old enough to be the mother of me and all my siblings. The culture I grew up in would be that of New Orleans, with a _soupçon_ of Cajun influence from my father’s side – not rural “good ol’ boy” Southern at all. \*_(picture Dark Helmet saying that and you’ve got the right idea 😉 )_ ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/23 "2006-08-25T19:26:59Z")
Oddly, I agree with almost all of the varying opinions in this thread. I grew up calling all much older cousins “Aunt” or “Uncle” first name. For the offspring of first cousins that were closer in age or much younger, I used “second cousin” and I still believe that is a superior term to first cousin once removed even though I forced myself to use the latter. The vast majority of people seem to have no idea what it means however so saying it tends to be a genealogy conversation starter. I still use “Cousin” first name for my first cousins in conversation with anyone else. “Aunt” and “Uncle” can also be older close family friends and “Miss” or “Mr” first name is reserved for adult friends or parents of friends. I am quite possibly one of the most Southern people in the U.S. in terms of genealogy so I came by this honestly. I think this whole system is much superior to standard English which has flaws in these areas. The fact that many of these things are similar in England and Ireland make sense because that is where most Southern heritage is from. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/24 "2006-08-25T20:20:15Z")
Being an Indian-American like **Anaamika** , I’m all for “aunt.” In fact, I prefer that my friends’ children refer to me as “uncle” rather than by my name. It just seems wrong to me for a person in a younger generation to call an elder by name. In the Indian system, you use the same mode of address for all people of the same generation. So all your parents’ first cousins, second cousins, etc., and, indeed, their friends, are addressed as if they were your parents’ siblings. To expand on Anaamika’s comments about precision in Indian relationships, I’ll use the Bengali terms – Dada - elder brother Didi - elder sister Bhai - younger brother Bon - younger sister Baba - father Ma - mother Thakurda - father’s father Thakurma - father’s mother Dadamoshai/Dadu - mother’s father Didima/Dida - mother’s mother Jethamoshai/Jethu - father’s elder brother Jethima/Jethi - his wife Jetuto Dada - their son (if elder to you) Jetuto Didi - their daughter (if elder to you) Jetuto Bhai - their son (if younger than you) Jetuto Bon - their daughter (if younger than you) Kaka - father’s younger brother Kakima - his wife Khurtuto Dada - their son (elder) Khurtuto Didi - their daughter (elder) Khurtuto Bhai - their son (younger) Khurtuto Bon - their daughter (younger) Pishima/Pishi - father’s sister Pishemoshai/Pisho - her husband Pistuto Dada - their son (elder) Pistuto Didi - their daughter (elder) Pistuto Bhai - their son (younger) Pistuto Bon - their daughter (younger) Mama - mother’s brother Mamima/Mami - his wife Mamato Dada - their son (elder) Mamato Didi - their daughter (elder) Mamato Bhai - their son (younger) Mamato Bon - their daughter (younger) Mashima/Mashi - mother’s sister Meshomoshai/Mesho - her husband Mastuto Dada - their son (elder) Mastuto Didi - their daughter (elder) Mastuto Bhai - their son (younger) Mastuto Bon - their daughter (younger) And you can combine these terms to specify more distant cousins. For example, your “khurtuto-khurtuto dada” would be your elder male cousin who is the son of your your father’s younger male first cousin who is the son of his father’s younger brother. In English, you’d only be able to get as specific as “second cousin.” ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/25 "2006-08-25T23:30:39Z")
My cousin’s children refer to me as “Aunt” but I’m from the same tradition as ascenray and Anaamika so YMMV on whether or not your cousin appreciates that title. At most I’ll let them get away with a “Tai-yee” (older sister). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/26 "2006-08-25T23:54:55Z")
Wow, in my family, from the time I could talk, I just called older cousins (my parents’ cousins, that is) by their first names, and now their kids do the same. After all, we’re family. ---
**Author:** ![jimbeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jimbeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbeam)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/27 "2006-08-26T00:03:19Z")
I didn’t read everyone’s responses, but didn’t you say your daughter’s graduation? She’s an adult right? Then “Dear Jane” should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/28 "2006-08-26T00:26:18Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] Hmm. I think it should be Aunt Jane. But that could just be my culture. We don’t really have a word for cousin in Hindi. [/QUOTE] I also thought it would be Aunt Janet (of course not a close aunt). Also, in Mexican culture, she would be an Aunt in Second Degree, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/29 "2006-08-26T00:42:35Z")
The only “first cousin once removed” I ever really knew growing up was my mom’s cousin David. As a kid I always addressed him as “Uncle David” Last time I saw him was at his mother’s (my great-aunt) funeral, when I was 36 or 37. I just called him David then. I suppose there could also be some confusion with my own first cousins. My aunt is a few years younger than my dad. But where my dad was 18 when he married my mom and 21 when I was born, my aunt didn’t even get married until she was 35. She didn’t have her first child until a couple years after that. The result is that my first cousins are 20 and 18, and I’m 40. While we’re technically of the same generation within the family, we’re socially of different generations. But we just call each other by first names. Maybe I should see if I can get them to start calling me “Uncle”. Naaaah 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/30 "2006-08-26T01:09:06Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Assumming it is your first cousin: “Dear First Cousin Once Removed Jane” is accurate.QUOTE] Actually, if she’s your first cousin, then she’s your daughter’s second cousin once removed. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/31 "2006-08-26T01:46:14Z")
Fine, **acsenray** , my turn! 😃 Hindi terms - Bheya- elder brothers Didi - elder sister Younger siblings get called by their first name. Sometimes they are affectionally referred to as “Chotu” (small one) (for boys) or “Muniya” (little one) (for girls). Pitaji formally, Papa informally - father Mataji formally, Mama informally - mother Dada- father’s father Dadi- father’s mother Nana - mother’s father Nani - mother’s mother Thau - father’s elder brother Thai - his wife Chacha- father’s younger brother Chachi- his wife Bua - father’s sister Foofer\* - her husband, and yes that is a hell of a weird word to say. Mama - mother’s brother Mami - his wife Massi - mother’s sister Massar\*- her husband Jhet - husband’s elder brother Jhetani - his wife Duor - husband’s younger brother Durani - his wife the sets of parents of a married couple call each other Samdhi and Samdhan Your wife’s sisters are called your Saaliyan plural, Saali singular. Your brother’s (and cousin’s) wife is called Bhabi. Your sister’s (and cousin’s) husband is called Jijaji. See? I can identify almost all my family members quickly. Oh, and **Guin** , in my culture, we never refer to elders by name. All the elder Indian men & women in the community are known as Auntie and Uncle, and to this day when I meet someone of my parents’ age I respectfully put my hands together and say, Namaste Auntie/Uncle. All of your cousins are known by (name) Bheya/Didi if they are older and just name if younger. \*The starred 'r’s are the hard r’s in Hindi. I have no idea how to depict them. They are heavily rolled on the tongue. An interesting fact - saala/saali is also used as an insult. Lit., it means “I’m sleeping qith your sister”. Colloquially, it’s taken to mean “Sister-fucker”, kind of like “mother-fucker” here. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/32 "2006-08-26T05:03:06Z")
I refer to my cousins as “Aunt So-and-So” to my seven year old son just for ease of use and because, hey, you can always use more aunts and uncles. My girlfriend, who is from Peru, was tickled to hear me do so because she says that that’s the norm down there. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/33 "2006-08-26T05:03:58Z")
For the record…I used to work with my first cousins and our moms’ cousins at the same place. I refer to my mom’s cousins as my cousins, and always refer to them as “Cousin Ralph” and “Cousin George” and I am always “Cousin Jess.” So I call my first cousin’s and my mom’s cousins “cousin.” We find it to be a bonding thing. If you don’t call Jane “Cousin Jane” then “Dear Jane” is just fine. “Cousin Jane” would seem weird to her if she never hears it. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/34 "2006-08-28T19:01:45Z")
I’m from the New Orleans area and in my family, there are lots of cousins of varying degrees and removals. They’re all referred to by their first name, regardless of age difference. But Aunts and Uncles are also generally referred to by their first name. My wife’s family, also from the New Orleans area, but a different suburb calls anyone with more than a few years in age difference Aunt or Uncle. Some of these people aren’t even related. My kids must have 100 Aunts and Uncles, yet I have no siblings and my wife only has one brother. I’ve never heard anyone call someone “Cousin ------”. Around here, “Cuz” is a term of familiarity like “Dude” is used in other places. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/35 "2006-08-28T19:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=jasonh300] Around here, “Cuz” is a term of familiarity like “Dude” is used in other places. [/QUOTE] Didn’t finish that thought. Locals may use “Cuz” because almost everybody in the area’s related somewhere between First and Fifth cousin. On a regular basis, I find out someone I’ve known for years is related to me. ---
**Author:** ![Frelling\_Tralk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Frelling\_Tralk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frelling_Tralk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/36 "2006-08-28T19:31:05Z")
I grew up using titles only in reference to the relation, not when addressing them directly. So when talking to my mom, I would say “Aunt Peggy” but in talking to Peggy herself, I would just address her as “Peggy.” Don’t know how common that is . . . ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/37 "2006-08-28T20:08:57Z")
In my very large extended family, cousins might be referred to in the third person with the title “cousin” (e.g., “Cousin Joe will be visiting over Christmas”), but never addressed as such (so you wouldn’t say “Hi, Cousin Joe”). If there’s more than one relative with a given first name, you refer to them by how they’re connected to the family (so if Cousin Joe, a blood relation, married a woman named Mary, and there was already some other Mary in the family, she’d be “Joe’s Mary”). The titles “Aunt” and “Uncle” are always used (in second and third person) for literal aunts and uncles, and sometimes for other relationships (even first cousins zero times removed, if the age difference is large enough). “Mom”, “Dad”, “Gramma”, and “Grampap” and equivalent titles are used unadorned, or perhaps “Gramma Lastname” if there’s an ambiguity which one is meant (there are other ways of dealing with this ambiguity, as well, but those get complicated). Anyone other than an aunt, uncle, or ancestor is addressed by just first name, even if you hardly ever see them, because after all, they’re still family. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/38 "2006-08-28T20:27:10Z")
[QUOTE=SCAdian] [QUOTE=Shagnasty] Assumming it is your first cousin: “Dear First Cousin Once Removed Jane” is accurate. > [@](#): > > Actually, if she’s your first cousin, then she’s your daughter’s second cousin once removed. [No. (See chart)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_cousin) Second cousin once removed would be the child of your grandparent’s cousin (or the grandchild of your parent’s cousin) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/39 "2006-08-29T04:36:06Z")
[QUOTE=Who\_me?] Do people actually use “Cousin Jane” in real life? [/QUOTE] My family does. But not as a regular form of address. It helps the kids understand relationships when they meet cousins they don’t know well. I have the same name as one of my cousins. It’s easier for the kids to understand what’s going on if they call one of us “Uncle Wombat” and the other “Cousin Wombat.” [QUOTE=Colibri] Cousins of one’s parents’ generation are often referred to informally as aunts and uncles in the US, at least in some subcultures. [/QUOTE] Hmm. Never encountered this. To me, “cousin” is much more appropriate because they are some form of nth cousin m times removed. “Aunt” and “Uncle” have very specific meanings, which do not include one’s parent’s cousins. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209/40 "2006-08-29T04:43:04Z")
In New Zealand, Aunt and Uncle are often used as forms of address for any relative/family friend around the same age as one’s parents. So my parents had a group of friends that I called (and still call) Aunt and Uncle. No relation whatsoever, but I probably saw as much (if not more) of them than my ‘true’ Aunts and Uncles! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-my-daughter-call-my-cousin/370209.md?page=3)