Post # 1
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1295 posts
Bumble bee
Does your family have any name traditions that you hope to carry on with your own children?
For example, in my family it’s traditional that the first name is a chosen name that need not have any family history while middle names are almost exclusively family-related names. Whether it be ancestoral family names or given names of older relatives, the name of every single sibling/cousin of mine follows this name “rule”. Currently only a few of my generation have had kids but the few that have have kept this tradition.
The other tradition is that on my maternal side, the eldest son always names his eldest son “Passed-down-name New-Name Last-Name” and the son goes by “New Name”. E.g. John Henry goes by Henry and names his eldest son John Charles, who goes by Charles. I’m sure it started with a male relative who actually went by John, but I have no idea how many generations back that was! So far the string of sons is yet to be broken. I’m neither child to an eldest son on that line nor the eldest son (obviously…being female) so won’t take up that naming tradition but I do kind of hope my cousin does if he has a son as I like it as a family tradition.
Anybody else have a family tradition with naming?
Post # 2
Member
551 posts
Busy bee
My paternal line keeps the name Charles as a middle so my brother is T Charles, my dad is S Charles, grandad is R Charles, his father was P Charles, though his father was Charles P but before him for several generations it was First-Name Charles.
Thats my brother’s tradition to uphold, though if he doesn’t have a son… I might include Charles as a sons name.
DH’s family has middle names after the parents names… but I’m not sure I want to give any potential daughters my name…
Post # 3
Member
84 posts
Worker bee
My family doesn’t have any traditions, but the tradition in my husband’s family would be to use one of our grandparent’s first names as baby’s middle name.
Post # 4
Member
6436 posts
Bee Keeper
TravelingBride31 : Mine was a family name, but only one member in the family had it, and it was my grandfather’s mother’s name and we chose it to honor his side. And my daughter middle named honored everyone on one side of the family that had the same middle name. I don’t think we’ll do that with any future children though. with how diverse our family names have become I’m sure I’d choose a family name already in existence for someone living, so I think we’d choose a very unqiue name for that very reason.
Post # 5
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2134 posts
Buzzing bee
My family doesn’t have a name tradition but my husband’s family does. His mom’s side carry on the name Kathryn. For example, his grandma’s name was Kathryn so his mom’s middle name is Kathryn. DH’s sister is Kathryn and so on.
Post # 6
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1009 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: The Retreat at Bradley\'s Pond
The middle name thing is also a southern attribute I’ve seen… both my husband and I have males in our families who go strictly by their middle name. Heck, most guests were shocked to find out that my husbands name he goes by was his middle on the wedding invitation! 🙂
Most of the immediate family members on his side are P’s and J’s and all of the guys have biblical first names… Patricia, Peter, John, Paul… and Jeremiah. I kinda like the idea of keeping the monograms similar and so does he. I was raised part Jewish and know that you generally name a child for a deceased relative or at least pick an initial to honor that family member.
My mom and I have the same middle name and I forget who it came from… so for a daughter’s name I like anything that has Lynn already in it (like Evelynn, Jacklyn).
If we had a boy we’re looking at Jackson Phillip, James Preston, J. Pierce.
I also helped with an ancestry project for both families recently and came up with a slew of cool names! That’s always a fun way to see traditions.
Post # 7
Member
478 posts
Helper bee
TravelingBride31 : My father’s family does the same thing with boys, pass down the dad’s middle name as the first and then call themselves by their middle name. John Edward (called Edward), Edward Thomas (called Thomas), Thomas Charles (called Charles), etc. until my uncle married into a Jewish family. Because they don’t name children after living relatives it fractured the chain a bit.
Post # 8
Member
1595 posts
Bumble bee
TravelingBride31 : My FIs dad’s side is the same with the Passed down name as first name, New name as middle name, and goes by the middle name – but the first name has been the same for 3 generations, ours will be the 4th if we use it. I want to use it, because it’s actually my dad’s first name as well! My dad goes by his middle name as well, so it works out perfectly (Dad and Fiance have same first name, but both go by their middle name, if that doesn’t make sense!) A few other people on my dad’s side go by their middle name (2 of my uncles and 1 aunt on his side).
Lee is also a family middle name on my dad’s side – it’s my sister’s middle name. Everyone always wonders why her middle name isn’t spelled “Leigh”, and that’s why! I’d like to possibly use it as a middle name for our future children.
Post # 9
Member
1350 posts
Bumble bee
In my Fiance family he & his dad have the same name, if we have a son we’ll name him the same thing but he will go by his middle name (a more modern version of my grandfathers name) as I’m not a big fan of the name =X
Post # 10
Member
246 posts
Helper bee
I’m not sure it will be carried on, but for the past few generations on my mother’s side, first sons have been named after their mother in a way. Ex.My grandmother’s name was Aureliana, and my uncle is Aureliano. My mother’s name was Gianna, and my name is Gianni.
Post # 11
Member
716 posts
Busy bee
My FI’s traditions are the MN Ann for a girl and the name David (first or middle name, doesn’t matter) for a boy.
It was his sister’s tradition to uphold, giving her daughter the MN Ann.
But it’s his to have the name David in there for his son. So our future son will have MN David (not first, it’s not my favorite). This works nicely though since my brother’s MN is also David, as is my FI’s.
On my side, the guys use the name William. So one of my brothers will likely pass it on as a MN if they have a son. If they don’t, I may consider incorporating it.
As for girls on my side, there is only one tradition which started with my grandmother naming my mom afte her husband (my mom’s dad). So, my mom is Ricki (named after Richard). So, when my mom had me, I was named after my dad (Steven). I’m Stevie. Unfortunately I won’t be participating in this tradition, my FI’s name does not shorten to a name I would ever consider. My MN is Lee, though, so I plan on giving my daughter a unisex MN that starts wil “L”. 🙂
Post # 12
Member
1661 posts
Bumble bee
On both sides, first born son gets dad’s name as middle name.
Post # 13
Member
2655 posts
Sugar bee
My family and FI’s family seem to have the same tradition, which is fortunate lol – the first name is generally a name that the parents like, but the middle name is the name of someone the parents want to honour (9 times out of 10, a close relative). Every now and then, a first name will also be to honour someone too. My Fiance and I plan to continue this tradition with our own children.
Post # 14
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9526 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
If i was a boy I would have been named Alfred, thank God I am a girl. I am suposed to name my son Alfred Scott, not going to happen.
Post # 15
Member
2146 posts
Buzzing bee
in our family people either have only 1 name or have 2 but go by the second one… almost everyone has a short name, mostly 4 or 5 letters
example:
Alex Smith = Alex Smith
but
Alex John Smith = John Smith
fiances family all only have 1 name
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