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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Naming after a living grandparent?

24 replies

Sunflower100 · 27/03/2009 16:52

if we have a dd I would love to call her after my beloved wonderful gran. However I have a nagging doubt that it would be odd while she is still alive? Am I being ridiculous?
Also should we have done it with dd1? The reason we didn't is that it really wouldn't have worked with dd's first name.
Thirdly dd2 will probably have 3 names as its not exactly a lovely name. dd1 only has 2. Will she be cheesed off in years to come? Or should we give Gran's name as the only middle name.
Fourth if we go for 3 names does Gran's name look like an afterthought?
Am I just over thinking this and have far too much time on my hands?
Thank you for even having read this far!!

OP posts:

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tummytickler · 27/03/2009 17:03

Will be watching with interest as i want to call dd Jean but my grandmother is still alive. I just like the name so it is not so much in honour of her.
My girls have unequal number of mn and they dont seem to care but they are only 8 and coming up 4! I shouldnt think that it would be a major issue.
What is the name (nosey nosey!)

KAEKAE · 27/03/2009 17:06

If you don't think its a lovely name, why would you want to name your DD2 it?

Original poster

Sunflower100 · 27/03/2009 17:06

Its Eileen

OP posts:

Bella73 · 27/03/2009 17:13

DD1 is named after my grandmother, who was still alive when she was born. One of my cousins named her DS1 after my granddad when he was still alive. And our niece on DP's side is named after DP's gran. So it's really totally fine and a really nice thing to do.

We actually lost both my grandmothers last year and the name thing became even more touching and sweet to me after that, but I'm glad I used it when I did while she was still alive.

Original poster

Sunflower100 · 27/03/2009 17:24

KaeKae I want to use it to remind me of her and also I guess to thank her. She has been absolutely wonderful to me.

OP posts:

Sersi · 27/03/2009 17:27

Hi,
DS2 is named after my mum and mum-in-law, they are both Pauline's and we called him Paul in their honour. Both still alive and well. Don't think it's at all wierd.

TheGashlycrumbTinies · 27/03/2009 17:32

DD1 MN is same as my Mum

DD2 MN is same as my little Nan, now sadly no longer with us, but she loved the fact that we had used her name.

screamingabdab · 27/03/2009 17:33

I have the same name as my mum and grandmother (who died about 10 years ago ), and great-grandmother. I didn't necessarily like having the same name as my mum, but Grandmother was fine.

My son has a variant of his grandfathers' name.

I think you should do it, sound like you want to honour her, which is lovely

screamingabdab · 27/03/2009 17:34

grandfather's, not grandfathers' (for pedants out there!)

lastboxoftampons · 27/03/2009 17:46

I think it's lovely to honor your grandmother - and it's nice that she'll get to know and appreciate while she's still alive that you respect her so much you wanted to name your child after her.

On the other hand...if you don't like the name, then I probably wouldn't do it...

Original poster

Sunflower100 · 27/03/2009 17:56

lastbox.... thats precisely my dilemma!!!! Aaargh!!! She might hate me forever for saddling her with the name (although I don't dislike it but realise its not to everyones taste)

OP posts:

lastboxoftampons · 27/03/2009 17:59

Well, for what it's worth, I think it's a pretty name (as long as your last name is not Dover! ). I don't a girl would feel 'saddled' with it as I don't think it's particularly oppressive - you know how some names just eclipse anything and evertyhing? It's not one of those names....but there aren't many nicknames to take from it. Sorry, I'm really not helping here, am I?

tummytickler · 27/03/2009 18:48

Eileen is nice! My other gm is calles Eileen.
I think at a push you could use Leena, Eila (Isla), Illy. Hmmm tough one!
I think yu should use it!

ForeverOptimistic · 27/03/2009 18:51

I think it is okay to name a baby after a living relative. One of the names I like is the same as my niece which normally would be a big no-no but she is 35, I think if you have a relative over the age of 20 they are from a different generation so it is acceptable to give a baby the same name.

TheProfiteroleThief · 27/03/2009 18:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Peachy · 27/03/2009 18:55

DS3 is named after his Grandad: it's a sort of midway naming as we were going for Harry anyhow, so just swapped the formal to Harold IYSWIM- pleased a lot of people as is FIL and an uncle and my paternal Grandad (whom I never met- thankfully from what I know).

It was just before FIL and MIL split so has been a mixed blessing; kept FIL onside through the bits where we culd have lost touch but also annoyed MIL a lot (oh well )

We have other namings also- ds1 has the middle name Godfrey as my maiden name and that pleased my dad as he only ahd girls so end of line name; DS4 has the middle name of DH and also the man who adopted FIL; DS3 has my Mum's maiden name.

I quite like it- we've a lot of no reason stuff int ehr too but its a nice thing.

BTW I like Eileend.

EdwardBear · 27/03/2009 18:58

Its fine to name after living relative.
DS1 has middle name after FIL (alive)
DS2 has middle name after DH's Grandfather (dead)
Neither are names to my taste but its the meaning that matters here and its a middle name -nobody ever uses them s what does it matter?!
If you are thinking of Eileen for middle name then go for it! First name think a bit more before deciding if you arent sure whether you are that keen on it!

lizziemun · 27/03/2009 19:07

We have just named our ds after FIL.

He is realy proud and happy that we did. DH always wanted to use his dad name if we had a boy, because his dad doesn't have any blood family other then his 3 children.

We have also used my dad name (he died in jan).

Raahh · 27/03/2009 19:22

ds has my Grandpa's name as a middle name- we didn't tell him we were going to do this until ds was born. He was delighted, and since he has now passed away, it is always a lovely connection. It's also a name i really like (Peter) which of course helps!

Blarbie · 27/03/2009 19:29

I wanted to call my dd after my Mum and her Mum, but my dp didn't like it. My Mum was always called by her second name as her first was the same as her Mum's. If we had a boy I know he'll have dp's Dad's name as a middle name and I quite like my Dad's name for a first - both alive.

Original poster

Sunflower100 · 27/03/2009 19:56

It would be a middle name - even possibly a third name.

OP posts:

Blarbie · 27/03/2009 20:25

So long as it all goes well together. You like it so use it.

Original poster

Sunflower100 · 28/03/2009 08:20

Thanks everyone. I hve decided we definitely will use. Im bound to have a boy now! Hmm what do you think of George Eileen??? only joking!!!!

OP posts:

piscesmoon · 28/03/2009 08:33

I think that it is a lovely idea and it used to be the norm to use living family names. Unfortunately my parents and grandparents and in laws had horrible names, so much as I would like to use them I wouldn't even put them as 2nd or 3rd names. (they are of the Elsie, Stanley type much loved on these threads).

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