Names with numerical suffixes, what's the Highest name ordinal suffix you know of.

I believe that it’s customary to change the suffix when an elder passes away. For example, if a family has Sr., Jr., and III, I think that everyone moves up a notch when grandpa dies. Jr. becomes Sr, and III becomes Jr. The suffixes are used to help distinguish among living people.

If this is done, there’s not much opportunity to get beyond IV or V. The older generations would be gone.

George Foreman has 5 male children, all named after him. George Edward Foreman II through VI.

@Smitha and @Seek_Kolinahr He also has a daughter named Georgetta.

In my own family (husband’s side), there are two male ‘the thirds’ (they aren’t passing on the numbers as an elder dies). There is also a female ‘junior’! Outside of that, my first thought was of George Foreman, too.

@augustlan I wonder if the suffix-switch is an old custom that’s no longer feasible. Isn’t the suffix part of one’s full, legal name? If yes, “junior” would need to change his name through probate court, and update all of his records and documents, when “senior” passes away.

Of people I personally know, I have one friend who is a “IV”. My father is a Jr., and my his dad has been dead for almost 30 years now, so it doesn’t change.

I know a Robert Walter T****** VI who has a son called Bobby, I can’t imagine that he is not
the VII.

Where I live (North Carolina) the place is full of guys called Trey

SRM

@SadieMartinPaul That’s what Miss Manners says about it, but who the Hell listens to her anymore? In our family’s case, Sr., Jr. and III were all living at the same time. When my dad passed away, I didn’t rush out to change all my IDs. One by one, as they came up for renewal, I dropped the Jr. but I did not assert Sr. My grandson retained the III. That’s just fine with me. Personally, I think Miss Manners and the crew that insist on constant name changes are a bunch of ninnies.

@Smitha That’s got to be close to a record. Would Miss Manners have all of them drop their name by 1 number for clarity’s sake when their father dies? Ridiculous.

@augustlan It’s interesting that there were and still are lots of royal ladies who retain their numbers. In royalty, though, there are no Juniors. Imagine Queen Elizabeth, Jr. Silly.

@amujinx I expect my grandson will retain his III and probably name a son the IV. I’m fine with that.

@srmorgan So far, that’s the high water mark.

I have a cousin who’d been named “John Smith, III.” Our grandfather, “Senior,” died a long time ago, and “Junior” passed away a few years ago.

I noticed that my cousin is no longer using a suffix, just his name, so I asked him about that.

He got married during August 2013. The marriage license required each spouse to provide a full name before and after the wedding. (This is standard, and it’s the reason why a newlywed can have an easy surname change without going to probate court.) Now that my cousin’s the only “John Smith” in the family, he decided to make things simpler and drop the suffix.