Naming Babies

[Fusion5]

We were having a discussion tonight in the Fusion household with friends about naming babies after a family member and most of all dead family members.

I am against this and think all babies should have their own identities and names and not be for instance, John Jnr or John Snr etc etc.

[maggiebee]

I have mixed feelings about this - there are 4 generations of Andrews in my family (husband's side). However, none of my grandchilden are named after any family member.

[BlackadderV]

We'd have been hard up for Kings of England in the 18/19C then, Georges I, II, III, IV &c.

[Stephen_G]

I agree with you, Fusion. I told my Mother that if I'd been given my Father's name (It was John - nothing wrong with it) as a child, I would have changed it at the first opportunity.

Slightly different, but my Sister has a Husband and two Kids (Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law) with the same initial - imagine the post through the letterbox, e.g. 3 J. Bloggs!

[Fusion5]

I think this naming after family members does come from royalty through the ages. It was the done thing years ago.

[Gavmacp]

Where my inlaws come from it was custom to call the first baby after their grandfather. But what happens is if you say John they haven't got a clue who you are talking about. So then they have to add their job or place they stay to make it clear.

[Barsel]

None of my Grandchildren were named after a family member but they all have middle names that are either their parents or other relatives.

[pastafreak]

My sister was named after our mother,my brother was named after our father.
I wasn't named after anyone...and used to feel left out.

[marval]

I have the same middle name as both my mother and grandmother had. I don't mind but if I would have had children they would have had different names.

[BlackadderV]

The problem is solved by having two names. My father had the same name as his father, Walter (old-fashioned I know). He wanted to give me that name as my middle name but my mother would not allow it as she hated it, so I was given my father's middle name as my middle name.

[Mamyalynne]

2 of my Grandsons have my late husband's name as their middle name - the 3rd is named after my grandfather.

[bednobs]

my first baby had the name of her paternal great Grandma (deceased) as a middle name, My second child had the name of his paternal great grandfather (deceased) as a first name. I myself have the name of my paternal Great Grandma as a middle name, and my husband has his father's first name as a middle name and has a nephew with the same name. It doesn't feel weird to me, and there really is no confusion

[Fusion5]

Don't you think though it's about pleasing others i.e naming baby after dead grandad to please nana.

The baby is a new life, their life not to live up to somebody else name.

[bednobs]

no i don't

[Mamyalynne]

Their parents decided it,no one else.

[BlackadderV]

My late younger brother was named Stephen. Struggling for a middle name someone suggested Clive. My mother was much taken with the idea and he was always known as Clive. When he was in his mid-teens he decided that Clive sounded far too poncey, so called himself Steve. Only my parents and close family friends were allowed to call him Clive after that, otherwise he would just not answer.

[Fusion5]

It's really interesting on all the different views.

This discussion came about tonight as a friend of ours, daughter had her first baby yesterday and has named him after her husband's dead grandad. The trouble is she has now changed her mind but they have already told the nana and don't want to upset her.

[Ouzel]

Mr O's first name was his father's and he had a 'non-family' middle name.

His brother had his grandfather's first name and a 'non-family' middle name.

They both preferred to be known by their middle name.

[BlackadderV]

Add a middle name.

[Barsel]

Not always Fusion5, I think parents choose names for all sorts of different reasons and I don't think they would choose a name they didn't like just to please someone else. x

[Fusion5]

When I had my first child my Mum wanted me to name her Barbara, if a girl after my late Aunt. I flatly refused, much to my Mum's horror.

Luckily it was a boy. Lol lol