In the spirit of Cousins Day, it’s only right that we also celebrate the cousins who aren’t really our cousins. Check out this list to see if you have one or a few.

The Frat Cousin

You’ve addressed your dad’s brother as Uncle Jerry since you could talk. However, you didn’t know that when your daddy referred to him as his brother he actually meant his frat brother. You and Uncle Jerry’s kids have been calling each other cousins for years even though you can’t explain to anyone why your fathers don’t have the same mom or dad, but who’s gonna check you?

Blavity

The Best Friend Cousin

We all have that parent whose best friend is now our aunty and their kids are our cousins. Hell, I’m already planning on being addressed as “Aunty Aiah” by my best friend’s children and our children will be cousins too!

Blavity

The Cousin’s Baby Mama/ Wife Cousin

Yep, we got cousins who are married into the family and if they aren’t married in, they’ve been around long enough to the point where it’s become a common law cousinship. Either way, issa cousin. Blavity

Church Cousin

Y’all used to get shushed every Sunday during service because you were too busy using the bible as a prop while playing instead of paying attention to the sermon. You guys have formed a bond ever since and they’re more than your church buddy. They’re your cousin and no one can tell you different.

Blavity

Famous Cousin

Nobody believes that you have a famous cousin until they show up to one of your events. What the people don’t know is that famous cousin really ain’t your blood cousin. To you, family friend and cousin are interchangeable words. Y’all have been knowing each other since childhood and that’s enough to make them a family member.

Blavity

Aunt/Uncle Who’s Younger Cousin

Do you have a sibling who had a child before you came along? As a child, you didn’t want to be addressed as aunty or uncle by your niece/nephew and they refused to address someone younger than them as such. Hence, the birth of the term “cousin.”

Blavity

Happy National Cousins Day! Show your cousins extra love today.

Aiah V, Blavi

Writing since July 2017 · 2 stories contributed