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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

should we use his family names?

37 replies

TeaBaggy · 06/03/2010 20:34

ok this is a little confusing so please bear with me...my partner and i have been together for 5 years and have decided to start trying...yay! (not the issue)

my partner is david john
his dad is david john (but everyone calls him john)
his grandad is john david
his great grandad is john david/david john...not sure which but you get the idea

my partner wants to keep his family tradition and use these names

i really dont like john (or johnny etc)and i think david as a first name would be too confusing (same initials as they grow older etc)

everytime we start talking about baby names we end up going in circles!

all help/advice appreciated!

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ravenAK · 07/03/2010 01:25

Choose a name, & call him Name David John. Or Name John David, whichever goes best.

Or can you check out the family history & see if there are any names you do like (younger sons?), which would satisfy the tradition thing?

My FIL offered me a choice of Reginald or Aubrey as family names

Managed to evade Reginald by pleading a deeply unpleasant Uncle Reg, but Aubrey was looking to be a middle name until dh & I did a bit of digging & found the family tree was full of Williams. Phew.

BitOfFun · 07/03/2010 01:21

Totally agree that the way to go is a first name which is unique to him, but pay tribute to the family tradition by using John David as middle names.

Italiangreyhound · 07/03/2010 01:11

TeaBaggy I don't see you are obliged to carry on a tradition you did not agree to start! I agree with the general theme of using one or both names as middle names, with or without your dad's name, though possibly not three middle names!

Good luck, if it comes up as 'who will carry on the name?' just remember that you are providing a grandchild and that is fab!

seeker · 06/03/2010 23:38

just call the baby X David John, and use x as his name. Sorted.

maryz · 06/03/2010 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

houseworkhater · 06/03/2010 23:33

Are you a member of the English royal family? If not then do not do it, it sounds sooooo, soooooo silly.
Pick the one you like best and use it (along with your dad's name if you like) as a middle names and then tell your dp what names you want.
Turn it round by asking your dp how he would feel if you insisted on calling the baby exactly the same name as your dad.

mathanxiety · 06/03/2010 21:18

Are there any versions of David or John in another language that you prefer?

IlooklikeGrotbagstoday · 06/03/2010 20:59

Why not use both as middle names?

janeiteisFedUp · 06/03/2010 20:54

David as middle name would please his dad and would give the child a choice of using it or not later - just choose a brilliant first name, so child will love it best! Not that I object to David - I think it's up for a revival actually.

Original poster
TeaBaggy · 06/03/2010 20:44

how do i convince dp? he is the only boy so if he doesnt carry the name on no-one will

OP posts:
Beasknees · 06/03/2010 20:40

move away from the names. let someone else in the family follow the tradition.

my sis had same argument with her fella who wanted to call baby john after both fathers and his brother..... luckily she was a girl but my sister had resolved to say ' oh isn't vincent gorgeous' when the baby was born.

janeiteisFedUp · 06/03/2010 20:36

God no. How boring to all have the same names. I would personally offer to use one of them as a middle name but do something else entirely for the first name.