Men: if you are named after your dad, do you like it?

First to answer, not a man. Sorry I am named after my mother, legally “the Second”, on my birth certificate and everything. I come from a family where everybody is named after everybody else and nobody in our family group minds, we kind of get a kick out of it. Large family gatherings can get a bit confusing, but it’s all amusing. To add to the same-nameness, the next generation is also full of the middle names (as first names) of the previous generations. There are only one or two that don’t have somebody else’s name. I’ve always kind of liked it.

Also not a man! My husband is a “Jr.” The only thing he didn’t like was finding something of his dad’s on his own credit report. Luckily, his parents have excellent credit.

I meant to add women are welcome to answer also, but I forgot. I know a few women named after their moms, and of course there is Lucy Arnaz.

@tedibear We had one of my father-in-laws cars show up on my husband’s credit.

@JLeslie – I forgot to mention the funny part! The account was opened before my husband was born. He had good credit even in utero! Doh!

My brother is a “III”, and hates it.

I’ve often been nicknamed “Red” for my hair color. Turns out I’m a sort of honorary “III” myself in that respect. My grandfather and dad (the Sr. and Jr. who preceded my brother) both got that nickname during their lives as well.

@peridot Why does he hate it?

My oldest brother was a junior. Never a problem for him. He was proud of it actually. Another brother named his son after himself with “II” instead of the “junior” after his name. He and his wife also named their daughter after the mother and put the “II” after her name. We all thought that was strange when they first did it for their daughter, but we eventually got over it almost instantly. It didn’t matter to them what we thought anyway.

The tradition in our family for years has been to give the second child the maiden name of the mother. Perhaps as a middle name or first, depending on their preference.

@JLeslie I think because as a “III”, he perceives himself as locked in to a way to be. Not saying that’s actually the case, especially since both Grandpa and Dad are long gone. He’s free to be whatever he wants, but that self-imposed stigma of being in two other shadows bothers him.

@bkcunningham The second child getting the maiden name is interesting.

@peridot Yeah, I guess I can see how a son would feel they need to be like the dad he was named after. My husband is named after his dad, and oddly he is the second born son (I actually know someone else named after their dad who is not the first born son) and he is so much more like his dad than his older brother. Especially the way my husband looks really favors his father.

In my family tradition would be to name after a dead relative. This is actually what Ashkenazi Jews do, name after a dead relative, or at minimum use the first letter of their name, so you can update to a more modern name. So the child does not really know the person they are named for. This is why you almost never find a Jewish man in American who is a Jr., or a II. Meanwhile, I was not named for anyone according to my mom, and she would know, but my middle name actually is the first letter of my mom’s grandmother, so I can say that is my name I guess.

Relevant Anecdote: I met a man last summer named “Trace,” so I thought. I assumed that was how it was spelled, and spent lots of time with Trace and his son Cat. After a few months, I learned that they are actually “Tres” and “Quatre,” and are the third and fourth generations to carry on a family first name. I think that’s really cool!!

Not a guy. If I ever have kids, they will never be named after me or most likely my husband. Why? Because it doesn’t really give them their own identity. Yes, personality matters and contributes to your identity, but so do names. I don’t want my sons friends calling asking for (let’s use Ryan) Ryan and me being confused as to which one they want. I know it’s a bad example, but no Jr’s, no Ryan II’s, nothing!

I was named after my dad, but seeing as though i’ve never seen the fella for many years now, my parents were divorced long ago, the question of liking it or not doesn’t really apply. I do recall both of us would come running when my mum would call our name. Being very young at the time I found that great fun, I think he thought it was irritating though. Still, it’s only a name.

@ducky_dnl My MIL will say, “I was talking to your Ryan…,” meaning my husband not her husband, and I always tell her they are both her Ryans.