Son sharing father's name and so on....

December 16, 2009 | myknowledge

[myknowledge]

Have you ever heard of guys whose names end in Sr., Jr. III, IV, V and so on?

They sure sound aristocratic, but this naming practice of naming sons after their fathers is seemingly predominant in the United States, a country with no royal family.

Would you name your son after his father?

Note that this naming practice exists in Western family names. It is nonexistent in non-Western family names. (e.g. Vietnamese families, sort of like mine, do NOT name sons after fathers because it would be awkward.)

Today, a 'Timothy James Tate V' would be a 1 in 300m chance but maybe a 'Paul Webster III', and have a chance to see a 'Duncan Henry Broughton Jr.' or 'William Robert Coleman Jr.' in your lifetime.

Also, would you want a grandson to have your full name with a III, a great-grandson with a IV, a great-great grandson with a V and so forth? That'd be aristocratically interesting!

[stylin19a]

which makes me wonder how B.Obama is a II? Generally, II is not used (tho it can be)

[freedumb2003]

>>Imagine, “Barack Hussein Usamma Obama White!”<<

Get ready for it.

Now, “Tabatha” seems quite benign...

And “Hillary” will probably never make a comeback. That name is like “Gilligan” and is shelved forever.

[gubamyster]

My father, myself & my first son all share the same name. He was I, I am II, and my son is III. I hope he continues the tradition.

[lack-of-trust]

In my small town, I have noted, with some sadness, the high number of Jr’s on the WWII memorial plaque.

[Lokibob]

I traced my wifes lineage back 19 generations to the year 1292. It lead to a man named John Atte Woode (later became Atwood) and his wife Petronella. I have tried to get one of the kids to name a baby girl “Petronella”, just to close the loop. They are not buying it.

.....Bob

[mamelukesabre]

Randal was rich, the kid will be fine. Also the mother was plenty young enough.

[Huntress]

And “Hillary” will probably never make a comeback.

I bet it will. It will just take fifty or sixty years, until no one (except the very old) remembers her.

[freedumb2003]

>>Randal was rich, the kid will be fine. Also the mother was plenty young enough.<<

That pile of money will be great fun this Christmas. Maybe it can do a version of an MJ song like the Geico wad with the googly-eyes.

[carolina71]

My son is the III as well.

Problem in today’s world is the old world way of dropping the Sr, Jr, III when the eldest dies.

Imagine having to change your name from Elmer Fudd III to Elmer Fudd Jr.
IRS goes nuts, SS refuses the change, Obama says your name is Elmer Mud.

[carolina71]

ooops, the old world way was Henry the VIII and then there was Henry the 18th.

The new world way is drop one and adopt the previous name.

[outofsalt]

Give my love to Auntie freedumb2003!
Your devoted nephew, OOS

[ozaukeemom]

Where I grew up, a Jr had the name of the father, a II carried the name of an uncle or grandparent. My son was named after male relatives on both sides of the family and his middle name is after my Dad.

[BlessedBeGod]

My father was Robert Charles.
His son (my brother), is Robert Allen.
My brother’s son (my nephew) is Robert Matthew.

Same first name to carry on the tradition, but different middle names to avoid the Sr., Jr. III, IV, V, etc.

Same thing on my mother’s side, with my uncle, cousin (his som), and cousin’s son all named Daniel with different middle names.

[gubamyster]

My mother didn’t want me being called Junior, so they went with II.

[myknowledge]

Sounds ‘hereditary’, ain’t it?

[TypeZoNegative]

I was supposed to be named after my grandfather, but my mom wanted a “beautiful” sounding name, so she named me “Alonzo”. I hated it. So when I grew up, I just went by my grandfather’s name, which is also my middle name; Lee.

[Politicalmom]

Well, “Papa Smurf” is unbelievably elegant. :P

(How have you been?)

[taxcontrol]

My family’s naming tradition:

First born Son get his own first name
Takes his dad’s family (last) name
Takes his Mom’s side Grandfather’s first name as his middle name.

Second born Son, the same but takes Dad’s side Grandfather’s first name as his middle name.

Third born Son and subsequent sons are given their own and unique middle name.

Daughters follow the similar pattern for their middle names with taking their Grandmother’s name but from the opposite side of the first Dad side Grandmother then Mom side Grandmother

[freedumb2003]

LOL — good lad.

:)

[youturn]

My mother didn’t want me being called Junior, so they went with II.

LOL. My sister and her husband wanted her son named after his father but was adamant that no one would call him "Junior". To help prevent it, they opted for "II". In the hospital they told her "II" is reserved for naming from another family member, usually an uncle (which she already knew)." She still insisted on "II" so that's what is on his birth certificate. No one has ever called him "Junior".