Ways to honour people called....

[ncforbabynames]

• Ian
• Margaret
• Doreen
• Maureen
• Ethel
• Carol
• Marlon

Creating my first names list in preparation for ttc this year. We thought it was important for us to have family names, but then please don't be offended realised we didn't actually like any family names. So we're looking for any variations, similar names etc that have some kind of link (even if it's a bit tenuous). For either gender for any name, whatever you can come up with! Thank you!

Also if any of you have named a child after someone but not actually used their name, how did it go down?

Just use the actual names or don't bother

Ian -Ianto (said as Yan-to )
Caroline - Caro
Margaret- Maggie
Ethel - Etta
Marion - Mari
Marlon - Marley
Maureen - Rena
Doreen - Dora

“Hi, Uncle Ian-we really want to honour you when we name our baby but we hate the name Ian so we’re going to call him Evan. It’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?”
Either do it or don’t do it.

With my youngest child I wanted to use the name of my late aunt who died as a teen when I was a small child. The name is old fashioned and so retro it is on its way back yet! So we used it as a middle name. She is 17 and not in the least bothered about her old fashioned middle name.

As a name, I don't like it but it means such a lot to me and the meaning of the name itself is beautiful. I am so glad I had the courage of my convictions and used it as a way to keep my aunt's memory alive.

Just use the actual names or don't bother

Yup

There was a thread on AIBU a few months ago where the poster’s son and DIL had recently named their baby the same name as her deceased uncle as a way to “honour her”.

OP was very confused, and most replies agreed that you either use the name of the person you want to honour or not at all. Trying to create a tenuous link to another name is just a bit patronising.

I think it's nice to have a name that honours a relative. Usually a grandparent. I know people who have such names and they really like their middle name.

Siobhan is Irish for Joan not Margaret. Try Mairead.
The suggestions for Lianne or Gillian for a way of honouring Ian is bonkers . Why pick really dated names when you could pick something a bit more current - Ariana, Liliana, Diana, Georgiana ...

You’re not actually honoring them if you’re not using their name, sorry, but it always comes across so contrived to me, you don’t like my name, fine you don’t have to but I’d find it a bit wearing to have to make several connections to arrive at the point where your child’s name meets my name. If it’s a middle name it’s even more tenuous a link.

I have a name which has several close variants. I promise you if someone gave their child a name which I have spent my whole life pointing out to people is not my name, I would feel insulted, not honoured.