Is it tacky to give your son their fathers name?

[SheWillBeLoved]

Everyone in my family seems to have done this at some point. Same with DP's. He was quite shocked to learn that I didn't automatically assume that the baby would take his name if it were a boy

I'm named after my mum, have a brother named after my dad, and my brothers and sisters except one have done it too. Always the boys taking the fathers name though, never girls taking their mums names. DP is also named after his dad. Seems to be sort of a family tradition but not neccessarily one I feel the need to continue.

Any opinions on this?

[NotADragonOfSoup]

I don't think it's tacky but I do think it shows a lack of imagination. As a middle name it's fine, IMO, but not as a first.

[DragonLowFatSpread]

not tacky.
but not necessary either.
and i personally think it's healthier for children to have their 'own' name.
middle names are for the family names i think.

[noonki]

I always find it strange, as if any boy is expected to be a mini version of their dad and visaversa

and that they are not a person in their own right.

[Tidey]

Never found it tacky, but rather boring and confusing, everyone having to refer to 'Big John', or 'Young John' for example... Personally, I wouldn't do it.

[NotADragonOfSoup]

Or Big Dick and Little Dick [childish snigger]

[SheWillBeLoved]

See these are my thoughts on it. I've always said to my mum "Why did I get your name? Just because i'm the 7th ( ) that's no excuse to not think of a name and just land me with yours!"

I do think it can be nice if the name is nice, but it also does get confusing constantly referring to my sisters kids/partners as 'big' and 'little'

[freakypenguin]

yep - DH's family has the tradition that the first boy has father's name as middle name and we upheld that.

surely it would just be confusing. even if not for you, imagine the difficulty of your descendants attempting to piece together their lives in a 'who do you think you are 22nd century' style.

we get confused because the victorians insisted on doing it. i think we are duty bound to show we have learned from the victorians' mistakes.

[kidcreoleandthecoconuts]

I wouldnt do it.

I know in some cultures its a given. For example in Ireland first born boys are often named after their father.

[Doozle]

I think it's a nice thing to do but if you don't want to, then why should you?

[Tidey]

NotADragonOfSoup

[nappyaddict]

As a middle name fine but I think it's confusing as a first name.

[Takver]

Totally the done thing in Spain, and it does get horribly confusing particularly given the tendency to family businesses (we had friends where grandad Maximo and dad Maximo worked together as electrician and strongly expected child Maximo to join them in the business - try getting the right person on the phone )
Even worse, we also had friends where dad was Antonio, mum Antonia, older child Antonio, uncle who worked with them on the farm also Antonio - I always felt quite sorry for their other child who was called Raquel . . .)
But on the other hand it is nice to stay with family traditions.

[HearMeROaar]

I don't like it. It just seems rather arrogant for a father to name his son after himself (sorry OP's dh)

[SheWillBeLoved]

Oh no HearMeROaar he is quite arrogant, don't apologize

[LynetteScavo]

Confusing.

WE used to live next door to Big Neil and Little Neil. Except Little Neil wasn't that little anymore.

My family have done it with Edward as a middle name for a few generations.

[mazzystartled]

it isn't tacky, unless the father is unaware of his offspring until he hears the name. then it's tacky.

otherwise it just seems inconvenient

[Clary]

I think it can be complicated.

Dh shared an initial with his dad and his dad used to open his post (addressed to Mr W Smith y'see).

You end up with lots of "junior"s and "little"s so I think it's a bit of a pain.

Also it's very unusual to have a name that spans generations like that - I have met a lot of children but I have never come across one called by either my or DH's name.

[SheWillBeLoved]

Oh Clary - incase you thought I meant that my sisters/brothers have named their children after my mum and dad - I meant their children are named after their partners sorry, wasn't very clear!

[nappyaddict]

Clary I know someone who that happened to and their mum opened up their dildo It's all very well coming in plain brown packaging as they said on the website so no one would know who you had ordered from as long as you don't share an initial with your mother!

[nappyaddict]

oops that was meant to be a

[SheWillBeLoved]

And if not - well ignore that last message

[Clary]

shewillbeloved, no, actually your mum and dad (ie children's gps) would perhaps be OK actually, wrt names I mean.

My mother's name is very popular just now in groups of 5yos, as is my dad's (tho I am older than you I am sure).

But for a name to go down the generations - well, many people my age are called Karen, Nicola, Mark, Dave, Andy, Sarah, Tracey, Paul - all fine names but maybe sounding a bit dated in the age of Georgia and Emily, William and Finlay.

lol at dildo story NA!

[lovebeingmum]

well advice on this then please - my other half's name is John Thomas (!!), so is his dad, and his dad etc. It's the tradition for the second son. I've told him not likely if we have another. Am I being mean?!

[Clary]

lol at John Thomas! What are they thinking of?

Actually John kind of fits in with my "never heard for babies" category tho I do know a 4yo John.

Maybe you could go with Thomas and John as second name! Thomas very popular now but that's fine.

[load]

dildo!