Two sons same name

[Bloopbleep]

I'm not going to give too much detail but a neighbour has just told me both his sons are called (I'm name changing them) Bob Smith. He was married twice so first Bob is son to first wife and he's ten years older than second Bob son to the second wife. Both are alive and in contact.

Is this not a bit strange and unfair to the kids (now grown men)? I can't imagine growing up as Bob1 and feeling replaced completely by Bob2

[SanityClause]

Henry VIII did this loads. He had quite a few sons called Henry.

[GinIsIn]

George Foreman has 4 or 5 sons and they are all called George Foreman....

[tessiegirl]

Errrr....Sanity - Henry VIII only had one son called Henry....

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I was going to comment about George Foreman. How unoriginal!

I have heard of it before, although the kids had same first name they used their middle names.

Really quite odd though.

[GoldPlatedBacon]

I know a couple of Muslim families where each of the sons are Muhammad but they use their middle names day to day.

I suppose if it's something like William and one is known as Billy and the other is Liam that's not so odd but two sons using exactly the same name is odd imo.

[SpeakNoWords]

According to Wikipedia Henry VIII had two stillborn sons called Henry and one that died aged about 2 months, plus an acknowledged illegitimate son called Henry. It's not really the same situation as the OP as described where two living sons share the same name.

Are they known by their second names or by nicknames? I know of one family where the sons have the same first name but are known by their middle names, it's a family tradition.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I think the surname Henry arrived through the illigitimate children of King Henry Sanity although not sure if it was VIII

[LearningHowToFly]

Very strange!
Sanity Henry VIII only had one legitimate son, Edward. Quite common for monarchs to name their heir after themselves, or for heir to take their father's name on their coronation. Very unusual for even monarchs to give multiple children the same name though. This is different, but if it works for them...

[Haffdonga]

If Henry VIII had had lots of sons a lot of heads would have stayed connected to a lot of bodies and the whole history of our country would have been different.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

OMG - It has never ever ever occurred to me that Liam could be short for William.

[FiveFullFathoms]

Henry VIII had one legitimate son called Edward tessie. He also had an illegitimate son called Henry whom he acknowledged and made Duke of Richmond. Historians speculate that he fathered several other illegitimate offspring, including Henry Cary, who was born to Anne Boleyn's sister.

[ThePartyArtist]

Me neither! And I know brothers called Billy and Liam!

[DeathStare]

I know someone with the same name as his half-brother. Maybe your neighbour is his dad.

[MrsJayy]

I know somebody who has given their children basically the same name think Will and Bill or Elizabeth/Beth its odd and im not sure if they noticed or not. But Bob and Bob is just weird.

[Iamcheeseman]

Liam. William. How have I never realised this before?
Mind blown!

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I don't think Liam is short for William.

Like Nathan isnt short for Jonathan

[Julius02]

I know someone who has 2 sons with the same names, just in a different order. Eg. James Edward and Edward James.....

[SanityClause]

Henry VIII had at least 4 sons called Henry. There were two born to Catherine of Aragon who died in infancy, there was Henry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond, and he had a son called Henry with Mary Boleyn, who was acknowledged by her husband, but was obviously Henry's child.

There could well have been more.

[BalloonSlayer]

the Duke of Richmond's name was Henry Fitzroy.

Fitz meaning "illegitimate son of" and Roy meaning "King."

See what he did there?

All surnames beginning Fitz (eg Fitzgerald) reference an illegitimate birth.

It was very common for people at court to name their children after the King and Queen so it is not too significant for there to be that many Henries around.

Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr were both named after the Queen -Katherine of Aragon was Queen when they were born.

[MrsJayy]

Liam is an off shoot of William.

[StuffandBother]

Me! I have a step sister called 'stuff' very odd especially advice never met her!

[StuffandBother]

Sorry, not step sister - half sister

[aurorie11]

My god-daughter's father called his son from a later marriage the male version of her name (same nickname), she was very upset about it

[BalloonSlayer]

I don't think Henry Carey was "obviously" Henry's child. The historical accounts I have read say that the evidence just isn't there (mainly that Henry was very generous to his illegitimate DCs and gave them titles etc but he didn't to Henry Carey)

[MrsMac2014]

MrsJayy
Away, is Liam not an Irish name, nothing to do with William?