General Chat

I got my grandmother's name for my middle name and I hate it. I even got teased a bit at school about it. To make it even worse, I was astounded to discover that name is't even on her birth certificate! It was just something she became known by over the years.

Because of this, I refused to give my children any family names.

I like the response my BIL gave his mother when she was pressuring him to use some of the family names. He said "Mother, you had your opportunity with names. You had 6 kids. Now it's my turn to choose what I want!"

Rose

Maggie, that's a coincidence, my son's name is the shortened version of your grandson's name lol

The nearest my generation have to the old naming system is that my middle name is my gran's name , but my first name is after her sister who died aged 4!!
Oh how optmistic were my parents ( I was 6 weeks premature and destined to die!)
Neither of my daughters were given 'family ' names, but my grand daughter has her own (very unusual) first name, followed by her gg grandmother's name and g grandmother's name! My grandson's first name is his grandfather's 'family' name which thankfully (due to mispronounciation of Latin) can be shortened to Guy!!! LOL

There are many problems with 'traditional' naming patterns. Younger daughter's fiance is half Italian, he's named after grandfather's on both sides and hates both his names - a lovely Italian first name that's shortened to Bart and a very old fashioned English second name with a romantic Italian surname. Also means they'd have to name their first daughter after me - and I wouldn't wish that on anyone!!!

My gran started following the traditional Scots naming tradition until she got to my uncle who should have been named Edmund but ended up being named after her favourite Uncle who died on the Titanic, David.

When she had my Mum (different father) she named her after my Grandads Mum who died tragically young. Cordelia.

Me, I was named after my Mum's friends sister. Thank God it wasn't the friend, Brenda. (No offence meant if your name is Brenda I just think it wouldn't suit me)

I'm not sure about traditional naming patterns. If I'd had kids that would mean somewhere I'd have to name one Donald! (My Dad's name)

The Welsh did it too. Either Ap or Ab then the fathers name. Welsh surnames were anglicised for the ease of the English. For example Ap Rhys (son of Rhys) became Preece or Price, Ap John became Upjohn, Jones etc.

Neither of my parents were sure where my Christian name came from, but my two middle names are from aunts on either side of my family.
And my two sons have the Christian names of both their Grandpas as their middle names.
I have also found subsequent children being given the name of a dead sibling, which can be very confusing.

I must say I,ve noticed it has happened in our family without knowing that people from the past are named the names we are still using today

My Brothers middle name is John (after our paternal grandfather); mine is David (after my father); and my nephew is David John (after both grandfathers) so I think the tradition is still about. The sad thing I find researching is the number of children named after a dead sibling. I found three different Williams in
one family in my tree, all dead by the time the other was born

On my Paternal side they used middle names.....took forever to find them and get certs. One daughter has just named hers....didn't know about Family History and named her son after Oh's side.....so smiles for them :-(

My daughter and her cousins have all accidentally got family names from 4 generations back (not that we knew it until I started doing the family tree!!). As my daughter was born on her greatgrandmas birthday she has her g grans names as her middle names. I was named after a song "Louise" and found a CD of Maurice Chevalier singing it in a discount shop a while back and bought it and it's really dreadful! What were they thinking of!! Later found out it was my g g grandma's name as well. Thank god I wasn't a boy though - I would have been called Lance - yuk!

My eldest boy has both his Grandads forenames as middle names. My eldest daughter has my grandmothers name as a middle name. 2nd girls has my mothers name. 3 rd girl has my sisters name. 2nd boy has my paternal uncles name/paternal grandfathers name and his dads name. My 3rd boy has my maternal uncles name; also his godfather.

Their forenames are a mix. Eldest boy is named after his Dad. Daughter I wanted to use her middle name but wasnt allowed so her name was chosen because of its meaning. Daughter 2's name was chosen because of its meaning. Daughter 3 is named after her paternal grandad but the feminine form, obviously!! Sone 2 is named after my maternal Grandfather........wanted eldest boy to have this name but wasnt allowed.....got my way eventually! Youngest was named by son 2 after a friend at school! It works well as its a traditional name anyway and in the family!

There was no sequence to it but I wanted middle names to show a familial connection, I dont know why tho!!

love Theresa

My late daughter's names were from a list I had ready, the Zoe seemed appropriate as it meant life and she was fighting for hers.
My surname is a longish one, 8 letters, so remembering how it annoyed me to have to write Elizabeth before it, I chose a short Christian name for my son and his middle name is Samuel, as I thought if he hated his first name he could always use Sam or Samuel. Both my grandfathers and my son's father were called Alfred but one grandfather was Alfred Samuel, so I thought there was link like that hence chosing Samuel. My son has told me he likes his names as his first name is not one used very much so a bit different and not easy to 'date' as some are.

Lizx

our son share the same name as dad has for his middle name
pure coincidence at the time, but lovely when we realised
and our grandaugther has her middle name the same as mams christian name

My son moans cos his two forenames and surname are 27 letters long! Filling out forms are, apparently, a nighmare..lol

Yes - the same happended to me and the funny thing is that my grandson who is named after my son in laws grandfather is the spit of my dad who died many years ago - it's so strange to suddenly see the likeness and to realise that looks and mannerisms can be show up a long time after - it makes me smile, when he's older I'll tell him your just like your grandad George.

my grandfather was called jack had a son called jack whosadly died young my father was clarence but after his brother died he borrowed his brother jacks name i was called jacqueline after jack my father and eileen my mother firstson has oh name as a middle name number one grandson has my nannas surname as his given name lewis and paul after his father no two grandson isnt named for anyone, but third one has jack as a middle name

This system has given me nothing but problems - my first name is Mary after my Gran and Great gran - but have always been known by my second name......so I go into hospital and they call me Mary......go to the doctors and it is Mary.....dentists - Mary........Tax and NHI - Mary.....

I am NOT Mary.....

I have never found a way around this - do I change my name....what a nightmare......

I am Christine....always Christine.....never ever Mary

Forever......Christine

I am not going to dare mention names I think are horrendous lol. It could be the cherished name of some-one or one of theirs and I don't want to be hung just yet :-)) but the mind boggles at some poor babies being named after some of the 20th century names.

My children all wished they had been called something other than their own names I took such a long time over choosing them too :-(.....all I know is.....I like my name although I would have preferred something a bit grander sounding, like Susannah which was a name quite a few of my Ancestors had......I used to ask who I was named after and no-one seemed to know, or was saying.....only by researching my family historey did it transpire that as early as a Great Grandmother had my name or the fuller version using the shortened Susan mostly.

My Menel was born in Chorlton, Manchester so no help at all *tut*..lol He was Joseph Menel Bateman Knight, talk about pretentious!

Sue x

I dunno, but I'm fairly sure the mennel stuck in that line of the tree (have seen it spelt all kinds of wacky ways though). It's a great name...makes it nice and easy to follow them :-) in fact if I remember right that was the name I used to follow the family. They originated in Derbyshire if that helps? LOL