Family names

General Name Discussion
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I’ve been overthinking again, as I often do, and I could use your help :wink:

I have four little boys now, and we’re pretty certain that we’d like to try for another baby once our twins are a bit older. But it’s starting to dawn on me that if we’re lucky enough to have a fifth baby, that baby could very well be our last. Being the name nerd that I am I’ve already been thinking about names. But lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the fact that even though I’ve named four children and every single one of their names is very meaningful to me, I haven’t used a single family name. So I’m feeling a bit of pressure to use at least one of my honor/family names.
This could turn into a long post, sorry.

If we have a girl I’d like to use Elizaveta or possibly Betsabe to honor Elisabet, so that’s put my mind to rest. But I’m not sure about a boy…
The two names that I’d like to use as honor names for boys are Johannes and Robert. These names have been passed down for generations in our family in one form or another. My father’s name is Johannes, my twin brother’s middle name is Robert. Each name comes with its own set of problems.

I love the name Johannes and many of its variants. But the thing that’s stopping me from using it is this (TW!): my twin brother had a baby who was sadly stillborn. Baby’s first name is Hannes. So in a way he has already used the name. No matter which variant I use, it will always remind us of baby Hannes. Which is also a beautiful thing, don’t get me wrong, but still. So should I still use it, or just leave it be? You can skip this part if you want to and just give me your thoughts on the next bit.

Then there’s Robert. Using Robert would be a great way to pass on the family name and honor my twin brother at the same time. But Robert is not my style at all and is completely mismatched with my other sons’ names. If you’ve voted on my polls you probably know that I’ve fallen in love with Robichaux though :wink: It’s a variant of Robichon, a French last name derived from Robert. Would this still be an honor for Robert, or do you think it’s too different from the original name? Or should I just squeeze in Robert somewhere as a middle name? Another plus for me is that Robichaux could have the nickname Bobby, which I adore. But this is also my nickname for my twin brother, so that could get confusing.

Please tell me your thoughts. I’m also glad I just got to vent, because I know some of you will understand how much anxiety this whole name thing gives me :wink:

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Since Robichaux is a variation of [name_u]Robert[/name_u], I think it’s fine. It’s a name you love, so go for it.

Would [name_m]Jahan[/name_m] work for [name_m]Johannes[/name_m]?

I absolutely love [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f], so I would love hearing about a little one with it somewhere in their name.

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I suppose Jahan could work. The thing is, there are so many variants/forms/diminutives of Johannes that I like and even love, but it all feels a little strange now. That makes it even more frustrating.

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I adore the names you are leaning towards for a girl! There’s so much you can do with [name_f]Elisabet[/name_f] :heart_eyes: Now for your boy name dilemmas:

[name_m]Johannes[/name_m] TW infant loss

I am so sorry that you lost your nephew, my heart goes out to you and your brother. As you have mixed feelings about a [name_m]Johannes[/name_m] variant as an honour, would it feel better to put it in a middle spot? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you know how your brother feels about it?

Honouring [name_u]Robert[/name_u]
I think Robichaux sounds amazing, I see why you love it! I think it definitely works to honour [name_u]Robert[/name_u], both as a derivation and with its retention of the first three letters.

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What about a name that has a similar sound to Johannes but isn’t a diminutive? Like Jonas?

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@EdgeOfTheMeadow I agree about [name_f]Elisabet[/name_f], so many wonderful options!

[name_m]Johannes[/name_m] (TW)

Thank you :revolving_hearts: I certainly don’t think I could ever use it in the first name spot now, so it would have to be a middle name. I’ve talked to my brother about it, and he has mixed feelings about it as well. Because this is also our father’s and grandfather’s name it’s not exclusively linked to baby [name_m]Hannes[/name_m], but that is and forever will be his first association. I can talk to him about things like this, but it’s still very painful for him now. He didn’t just lose a baby, his whole life fell apart and he’s only just starting over and recovering, so I want to give him some time. This is also the reason I didn’t use any form of [name_m]Johannes[/name_m] for either of my twins. He’s been such a support for me during my pregnancy, even though it was hard for him, and I didn’t want to bring it up at that time

@Inlakesh That’s a good idea. Only [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] isn’t an option as a first name because it’s also my twin brother’s first name. But as a middle name that’s definitely a great idea.

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