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Original poster

Naming son after his dad?

25 replies

WorryWurta · 18/02/2015 18:17

I'm 36 weeks and don't dnow the sex of our baby. We have a girl's name very firm in our mind, but still up in the air with boys' names. I really want to name a boy after my husband, both because I love his name and also because (cheesy) I can't think of anyone better to name him after or that I'd rather he be like. Also we call the child 'junior' now and I'd really like it to be known as 'husband's name jnr' , Junior as a nickname. What I'm wondering is 1) can you add the suffix Jnr legally onto a name, or is it just done informally? Also does anyone have experience with two ppl in the family with the same name - does it get terribly confusing? Do the credit card statements end up going to the baby?! We would give him a different middle name.

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m33r · 18/02/2015 18:22

worry probably outting myself in RL here but my dad, brother, nephew and grandpa all were living and all he the same name. I think it's lovely and becomes very very normal. You'll naturally nickname them!!!

Cornberry · 18/02/2015 18:25

Are you American? To me this is a very odd american practice. I have to admit I don't care for it at all and think it's a bit weird to name baby after dad. If it was a girl would you name her after yourself? Sorry if that seems judgemental. Just think the junior thing is weird :/

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 18/02/2015 18:32

My DH, his DF, his DGF etc etc all babe the same name, so if this DC is a boy (we've been told it's a girl but you never know!) it will have the same name too. It's very important to my DH so, although I would like the opportunity to name my son, I would let him have his way . It's a lovely name anyway.

Original poster

WorryWurta · 18/02/2015 18:41

M33r aw that's lovely, a real family name!

Cornberry I can hardly ask opinions then moan ppl are judgemental im not American, just really like the tradition of adding 'jnr'. I can't really explain why but it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy to think of naming a boy for DH.

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Original poster

WorryWurta · 18/02/2015 18:42

GotToBeInIt thanks, glad other families do it - it's never been done in my family before. Lucky you like the name too, phew!

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ajandjjmum · 18/02/2015 18:51

The Jnr. bit might be American, but names boys after their father used to be a tradition right here in the UK. My Father was William, as was his Dad, Grandfather and Great Grandfather.

AGirlCalledBoB · 18/02/2015 18:54

I think if you like the name then go for it. I personally wouldn't because I know of a few people named after their dads and then a couple of years down the line the dad has upped and left. My oh actually had to change his name by deedpoll because his dad left him when he was 6. My young cousin is also named after his dad, dad no longer around. So for that reason, I would not do it. Having said that my son's middle name is my dad's but my father died when I was 10 so it's a little different.

iklboo · 18/02/2015 18:57

I know a (let's say) John Jones V. I went to school with his grandad (we're both mid-40s) so I've actually known ALL of them during my lifetime. Gulp.

Canyouforgiveher · 18/02/2015 19:00

I knew a family where all four generations were named Anthony. And all four generations were called Tony in everyday life. always amazed me

LittleBearPad · 18/02/2015 19:15

Name him after your DH if you like. That's lovely. The junior suffix thing is American and would be weird in the UK.

Original poster

WorryWurta · 18/02/2015 19:50

Ok thanks ladies that's helpful. If we do name him after DH I might keep the junior bit informally added then, since I like it but I don't want the kid stuck with something official that's going to be a pain if it's that unusual.

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Swanny84 · 18/02/2015 19:54

My partner is named after his dad and is devestated we're not calling our son after him. I'm putting it as a middle name instead only because it's an old fashioned name, It is confusing at family gatherings they call them little and big xxx

fairgame · 18/02/2015 20:01

I work in a school and we have a little boy who is a junior. His registered name is john junior (an example) and we don't shorten it to john, we call him john junior so it can be done.
DS has his dad's middle name as his first name, it was a compromise as ex dp wanted him to have the exact same name as him.

MissTwister · 18/02/2015 20:02

Of course its completely up to you but I've always thought that doing that denies the child the feeling that they're an individual free to make their own way in life. It feels restrictive to me

Andcake · 18/02/2015 20:04

If you like the name do it - my dad was named after his dad. Personally I find it all a bit old fashioned and patriarchal if you wouldn't consider naming a girl after yourself. A bit bowing to the man.
Keep the jnr thing informal. Again a bit american which frequently in this country is seen as downmarket and unsophisticated but it's all a matter of taste.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 18/02/2015 20:04

I just asked DH and he says he's never felt restricted by it. He says he loves the 'tradition' aspect of it (he's very into history and family trees). Obviously others may feel different though.

Jackieharris · 18/02/2015 20:07

I knew of a family where the dad was called 'Tom' they had a son who they called Tom. Had some more dc. Split up. Mum got together with another man called Tom. They had a son and called him tom.

Now that is crazy!

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 18/02/2015 20:08

So she had 2 sons called Tom Jackie?!

Annarose2014 · 18/02/2015 20:11

I don't have any problem with it as names seem to swirl around in most families. In ours there are only 4 boys names and everyone has a variation thereof - so say we're taking John, Paul, George & Ringo, it means all of my Uncles and male cousins are called John Ringo, or Ringo George, or George John etc.

I do have a problem with calling a child "Junior". It feels like you're not even letting them be called by their own name (even if its the same name) as they're just an extension of their Dad i.e. literally his "junior".

It also reminds me of Katie Price.

ajandjjmum · 18/02/2015 20:20

I knew a Brian whose son was Brian Junior......until it was inevitably shortened to initials

Jackieharris · 18/02/2015 20:27

Yes!

The name wasn't tom though.

turdfairynomore · 18/02/2015 20:35

Slightly off topic-but my great granny had four children and all four named their eldest son "Tom". So her husband was Tom, her only son was Tom and her 4 grandsons were Tom! And each young Tom had a grandfather, uncle/father and three cousins called Tom!

Rosieliveson · 18/02/2015 20:41

I have a friend names after his dad. As a child he was the full name and his dad the nickname ie Tom and Thomas. The son also now goes by Tom but they no longer live together so it isn't an issue.
I will say though, any post to Mr T Smith was always a bit of an issue. I would give DS a different middle initial to use so one is Mr T and one Mr TS for example.
Also, I think junior is super cute!

Rosieliveson · 18/02/2015 20:43

Ps the name wasn't actually Tom either. I was inspired by the PPs

Seasidedolly · 19/02/2015 17:54

We're doing it! Our first child is due in 7 wks and is a boy. To be honest we couldn't agree on a girls name so it's a lot easier! Our child will be the forth with the name, but I think it's more special/ important to DH as both his DF and DGF both passed away quite young so he will be named more after them than DH if that makes sense.
also, the name has a lot of possibility for nicknames, and he will be known by one of them which I love as a name anyway, so it won't get confusing with post or family gatherings etc

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