Is This Sexist of Me?

[NevermindMyMind]

I knew this already but my DH said that Serena William's named her daughter after her husband (her daughter's father), his full name with Jr. at the end and wasn't it terrible. I asked him why he thought that it was an issue because men have their sons named after them all the time, what's so wrong with a daughter being named after her father? He said he felt it was Edwardian like it was a statement of her lineage and she is his property and I was being incredibly sexist to think it was right. I felt it was sexist to only assume boys should be named after their fathers in this day and age if that's what their parents want to do.

Am I missing something or he being ridiculous?

Women name themselves after their husbands all the time. I’ve been a bit intrigued (never having married) at the Ofglen thing when people all over the world happily give up their own name to take on a man’s. Isn’t it the same thing? I’ll never understand it but I suppose tradition overtakes rationality more often than we would like. The kid will probably change the name as soon as legally possible anyway.

I think the name is ok because Alexis is kind of a gender neutral name, it works for a male or female...now if her husband had been called Harold or Jacob or John, I don't think it would have worked ...

And why shouldn't she name her daughter after her husband?...plenty do it...for example will smith and his wife Jada pinkett smith have named their kids after themselves...their son jaden is named after Jada...and their daughter willow is named after will...

Its not unusual.what Serena has done..

Exactly, I don't understand why it's different with a child, Contrabassista. It really pained me to give up my maiden name, so much so, I've only changed it since having a child as I wanted them to have one surname matching mine (as opposed to double barrelled) and DH would have been beside himself if it wasn't his, I'd have never heard the end of it.

Why not, Elderflower? Haroldina makes a lovely name for a girl

Well it's really not very unusual for children to have their father's surname. Also not that unusual for girls to be named after their father, eg Nigella Lawson. Alexis is a name used for boys or girls, so no need to adapt it or change it.

I personally wouldn't name a child after me or my partner, but I can see why others do. There's no logical reasoning to objecting to the Junior part, unless your husband also thinks that any other child that has the same name as a parent is also being treated as property? Eg Johnny Depp's son has the same full name, Donald Trump, George Bush etc etc.

He is being sexist if he thinks it is unacceptable for a girl but ok for a boy.

About 30 years ago I was at school with a girl called Alexis, sat beside her in English. I'd only known it as a girls name and only found out it was used as a boys name years later when I found out names like Hillary were unisex too, one that surprised me was Lindsay\Lindsey, would never have taken that as a boys name but there was a boy with it in the year above me.

I think it is fine to name a child after a parent, whichever child, whichever parent, as long as it works. Personally I wouldn't name a girl Stephen or William, or a boy Charlotte or Eve for example, particularly if there are alternatives that are more 'suitable' like Stephanie or Yves.

Just remembered, there was also a Bobby in my year. Wasn't short for anything like Roberta, she was just 'Bobby'. Took my young mind a little while to get round that.

Personally, I prefer a more 'usual' name, unisex or not, to names like Bear, Rocket or Apple (or pear, orange, grapefruit or kumquat - you know it's going to happen.)

Would they have named Serena's DS Serena Williams Jr? No. So it's sexist.

I don't think it's sexist to name a girl after her father. I like that they're trying to be gender neutral and 'Alexis' is a good name. However I was named after my DM who was named after her DM. Although I like my name I always longed for my 'own' name. DD has a different name (slightly disappointing my DM). I prefer a name which had no expectations attached.

'He is being sexist if he thinks it is unacceptable for a girl but ok for a boy.'

This! He has now said he's not sure why they didn't call her Serena. Then went on to say 'Jr.' has male connotations so shouldn't be used. Think he's shown who's sexist tbh.

MrsTerryPratchett, Alexis is a unisex name. And I don't know them but if there was a male variation of Serena maybe they would?

does anyone know of girls being named after their mothers with Jr added on the end?

Oh, he has now said instead of 'Jr.' a girl should have her own equivalent. Like a boy is a brother, a girl is a sister

I went to school with a girl called Kevina (pronounced Kev-EEN-a). Her father's name was Kevin.

Now that's dedication!