31-year-old Carolyn Cousin and her 32-year-old fiancé, Cameron Butts Sr., have six children with shockingly similar first names. What started as a simple decision for their firstborn has grown into a family tradition that has generated mixed reactions on social media.
The couple named the children Camryn, 9; Cameron Jr., 7; Camreon, 6; Carmyn, 4; Cam’Ron, 2; and Camarion, 7 months. Cousin stated that after naming their first two children, they recognized they had established a unique and creative naming pattern that symbolized unity.
“Honestly, my fiancé and I both agreed on our first child’s name. He always wanted to name his daughter Camryn, [which is] the girl version of his name Cameron,” Cousin explained to People. “Then we had a boy a year later and named him Cameron Jr. and honestly it really started a thing naming two kids the same name. So, we started playing around with the letter and ran with it.”
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The couple’s story went viral after Cousin shared a TikTok video in July, breaking down the subtle differences between each of their children’s names. The video quickly gained traction, racking up over 420,000 views and more than 2,700 comments. In it, Cousin proudly noted how each name was unique but still carried the “Cam” connection that ties the names together.
For Cousin, it’s the harmony among the names that makes the tradition so meaningful. “The similarities, of course,” she said. “Some of their names are very common, and some are different, but they all align with each other.”
The proud mom revealed that her children adore the tradition too.
“The three oldest are at the same school, and when they’re called for pickup, they call them ‘the Cams,'” she shared. “[Despite] all the backlash we got on social media, our kids think it’s pretty cool.”
The family’s online fame has brought in a lot of fans, but it’s also sparked some criticism. Some netizens have wondered if giving six kids such similar names is really practical, but Cousin is undeterred.
“I’ve gotten some bad reactions and also some people that share similar stories, and I tell them all: ‘These are my children,'” she remarked. “I have tough skin, so the bad comments don’t move me at all.”
Cousin stands firmly by her and Butts’ choices, emphasizing the love and intention behind each name. “For six children that I carried for nine months long and birthed [five out of six] naturally, I deserve to name them exactly what I wanted,” she said. “[Their] Dad and I took turns naming them, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Despite what outsiders may think, Cousin insists that their home life is anything but confusing. With each child having a unique identity and nickname, the family functions smoothly. “There is actually never any confusion,” she said. “They all, of course, have nicknames, but if we call them by their first name, they know exactly who we called.”
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Beyond the viral fame, the couple’s story is one of love, creativity, and unity. The naming tradition serves as a symbol of their shared identity — not just as a family, but as partners who see beauty in continuity.
Cousin hopes her kids will one day create their own traditions, built on love, just like she and her fiancé have.
“Honestly, people don’t see that my fiancé’s name and mine are not too far off from each other,” she stated. “The idea of you and your partner putting together names using letters from the two is a beautiful thing.”
She added, “I pray that my daughters and sons find someone in the future that loves them just that much to have a child with and come up with unique names as well.”
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