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I always think it is honorable to pass on a "family" name or a name that was originally a name of an ancestor or surname of a family line.

Recurring names in a family tree are a wonderful thing. My father's given name is "Willis" and my grandmother and grandfather couldn't remember how they came up with the name, and they attached no consequence to the choice, other than they liked it. Yet, when we traced our family tree (my dad's dad's side), the name came up time and time again through the generations, all the way back to the 1500's (I think that was the timeframe) when the first of the family landed in South Carolina.

They must have known on some level, whether they realized it or not.

I think that is terrific, as it signifies a respect and admiration of one's forebears. One does not have to live in the past (one should always make their own mark), but it is great that you chose a name that is SIGNIFICANT to you and the family you are obviously so proud of.

You are so right, as it is a special thing to give a child, a sense of their own personal history within a family. I have a middle name (Thomas) that was used in our family in a direct line (my grandfather broke the chain as he was named Ernest...gulp...but his brother was named Thomas) from 1803 to myself. '

I always wonder why people thought it was awful to name their kids with the applellation "Jr., III, IV" as it is almost dynastical, almost serenely royal and gives one a sense of lineal background.