🍂 Honor Names

[smileymiley]

Hey everyone!

I’ve been thinking about honor names recently. Like, direct name honors, birthstones, birth months and even subtle honors. I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, so I’d like to hear your opinions!

Some questions I’ve been wondering about…

~ As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?
~ [name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?
~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?

Please feel free to share your opinions, especially if you aren’t a fan of honors!

[PenguinLife7]

i personally am not the hugest fan of honor names for myself, but i prefer subtle honors, such as by meaning.

[Greyblue]

~ As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?

I prefer subtle honours - it feels like a nod to the person while also giving the kid a name of their own - plus, I like the challenge of coming up with subtle honours it feels like it could be a fun story to tell your child and for them to tell others if they so wish

~ [name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?

Equally I guess. For me, honouring my favourite things (books, characters, songs, places) is just as meaningful and important as honouring my favourite people

~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?

I have various subtle honours on my list and I think their placement depends on what the honour is, how it works in my style etc. So I’d be happy to use [name_f]Opal[/name_f] (vague honour) or [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f] (character/book honour) as a first, but there are some that feel either too popular or too obscure for my style in the first spot and so I’d use those (Henry, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], Carisbrooke) in the middle

[cms1512]

1. Unless I really like the name, definitely subtle. [name_f]My[/name_f] top girl name has a part of my mother’s name but you’d never guess it from the way it fits in.
2. I think honor names should be strictly people IMO but it would be lovely to honor them with their favorite song. For example, if their favorite song were [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_u]Rigby[/name_u], using either name (Rigby is so cute and unexpected!) would be awesome. I think it really depends what captures your relationship with that person. [name_u]Or[/name_u] if it’s where you and a spouse met even!
3. As I already mentioned, my top girl name indirectly honors my mom but it wasn’t intentional when I picked it out; it just happened to be part of the name I loved / its meaning.

In general, I think there are a few things to consider:

1. Does this person like their name or would they prefer to be honored a different way?
2. Would it feel like the child would be able to be their own person if they shared a whole full name with a given person?
3. What flows best both with personal taste/current trends? Not that a name has to be trendy but I would think twice about using something like [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] as a first name vs. [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] because the latter has come back into style. If I wanted to use [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], I would reserve its use as a middle and give the child something unique to them. [name_u]Or[/name_u], if I am honoring a grandmother, and say memories of her involve birds. Maybe something like [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] or [name_u]Lark[/name_u] [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] could be considered.

I hope this line of thinking helps!

[namer_gamer]

I prefer direct honor names, but only if I really like the name as well.

I think it is more meaningful to honor a single person or a family line, rather than honoring a thing. However, I would make exceptions for a meaningful place, especially if that place was connected to a loved one.

[name_f]Every[/name_f] middle name I would consider is an honor name, and only a couple of first names I would consider are honor names. I don’t think I would ever give my kid a middle name that didn’t honor a person/family line.

[amalfi]

honor names are so much fun

– i prefer direct honors generally, but if one of my favorites just happens to be an indirect honor, that’s bonus points for sure!

– my honor names are either people or places that are important to my family or myself

– a lot! typically i’ll use them in the middle unless it’s a name i love so much i just have to use it as a first. realistically my kids will all have honor middles, but first names are much more varied.

[tallemaja]

I myself would use mostly direct honours, like [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] for Christoforos, [name_m]Fyodor[/name_m] for [name_m]Theodoros[/name_m], [name_f]Mariana[/name_f] for [name_f]Marja[/name_f], for example - that way the association is obvious but the children have their own names. Still, I like subtle honour names! If the person being honoured is still alive, I’d prefer the subtle honour name to be obvious to them, at least, if not anyone else. For example, I associate poppies with my dad because of a specific memory, but he definitely wouldn’t see the name [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] as in any way related to him, so I wouldn’t use it as an honour.

I think honour names after things can work, but only if there’s enough reason behind them? [name_f]My[/name_f] mum’s favourite song means nothing to me or our relationship. But my grandpa’s song that we sang together all the time when I was a kid is more meaningful, and actually related to our bond as a family.

I don’t have any honour names on my list since I won’t be naming any actual children, but if I did, I’d only use them as middles. I’d want my kids’ first names to be names that I actually love, that matters to me a lot more than honouring someone. This is coming from someone in a culture where honour names were almost a social obligation until recent years, which is partially why I dislike them in the first name spot.

[venezio]

i used to like subtle honors and be in the camp of “if you consider it an honor, it’s an honor” but nowadays, i prefer direct honors, since subtle honors feel more like nods to me if that makes sense?

i think it’s more meaningful to honor a person, though i guess how meaningful it actually is depends on who the person is and why you’re honoring them. like, it’s more meaningful to honor your sibling than a celebrity. when it comes to honoring things, i think it’s very situational as well. there’s a difference between “i used this name of a song for my kid because this song really represents something difficult i’ve been through and the song has helped me process that” and “i used this name of a song for my kid because it’s my favorite song.”

there’s only one person i would honor (my mom), and i’d use a name that’s related to hers. i have three options on my list that i consider honors, and i would use them in the middle spot

[TrulyBrilliant]

As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?
I prefer direct honors, but not always the exact name. Like honoring an [name_m]Eric[/name_m] [name_u]Michael[/name_u] with the name [name_f]Michaela[/name_f] or honoring a [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] with [name_m]Mattias[/name_m]. I do have [name_u]August[/name_u] on my list as an indirect, subtle honor to several people in my family who were born in [name_u]August[/name_u] though!
~ [name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?
I think both are meaningful in their own ways. I have 2 song honors on my list; [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f], after the [name_u]Fleetwood[/name_u] [name_m]Mac[/name_m] song, which honors the name my mom wanted to give me, and [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], after the Backstreet Boys song, which honors the band that saved my life growing up.
~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?
26, and I have them in both the first and middle spots, no real preference.

[clair.de.lune]

~ As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?

I tend to prefer direct/more clear honors, but I know everyone I would honor would completely understand a stretchy one! [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] honors my grandma, because it’s a nickname we call her, so I know the name would honor her more than an exact honor in this case! It’s all up to the name/person for me!

~ Do you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?

I wouldn’t say more meaningful, but they’re both just as meaningful, rather!! If I have more of a connection to a song/book character than I do a relative, most likely a distant one, then I’d consider that a greater honor! Again, all up to the name/person [name_f]My[/name_f] top two names don’t honor a person I know, for example, rather characters!

~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?

Almost all my names are honors, actually!! I adore them I have no preference of where; in my combo [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]October[/name_u], both names are honors

[shanade213]

1. I honestly think it depends on the name. I love my dad’s middle name and will likely use it for a boy but I don’t love my grandmother’s name so I am considering using her initials, instead.
2. I think either works. I would say about half of my honor names are for people and half are for things. I say name the baby whatever means something to you.
3. Honestly, just about every one of my names is an honor name (some are definitely very subtle i.e. [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] because my grandfather is super proud of being Irish). I think personally I prefer the more subtle honor names in the first name slot and the more direct honors as middles, just because in my head it is hard to separate a person (or animal) from a name so I wouldn’t want to name my child [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and just be constantly picturing my grandmother as I’m saying it to my baby, superimposing her image onto an infant’s body, etc.

[Rosebeth]

As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?

It depends on the person, the name and the circumstances. Two of my children have subtle honor names - Endymion’s middle name Zakynthos is a subtle honor for my brother, [name_f]Vienna[/name_f] and her first middle [name_f]Goldie[/name_f] are subtle honors for my dad and husband’s grandmother respectively. [name_f]My[/name_f] oldest son has a middle name, [name_m]Emmanuel[/name_m], that’s a direct honor for my ex-husband’s family. Our baby due in [name_u]January[/name_u] will have a middle name that’s direct honor for my husband’s cousin, who passed away recently.

But in general, I prefer subtle honors. It feels like a little reminder of a person you love, but not everyone knows about it, so it’s just between you and your loved ones, which makes it even more meaningful to me.

Do you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?

To me they’re definitely two different things, but one isn’t more meaningful than the other. “Things” can have a huge amount of significance to a person.

How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?

The ones I’ve used for my children are mainly in the middle spot, [name_f]Vienna[/name_f] is the only honor name we’ve used as a first. I don’t think I necessarily prefer them in the middle spot, unless they’re direct honors.

[Evergreeninrain]

I love a good honor! Thanks for creating this [name_f]Miley[/name_f], I’m excited to read through everyone’s answers

1. I like both! However, I usually find indirect/subtle honors to be more meaningful than just using the exact name. Using something like someone’s favorite flower or birth month just feels more
   personal to me

2. I’m a big fan of honoring things, especially songs actually! I think both are equally meaningful and special in their own way.

3. I try to have at least one honor name in each combo. I don’t really care if it’s in the middle or first spot, it just depends on how much I like the name + how wearable it is.

[rosefairiie]

~ As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?
I prefer subtle honors, because it gives the child their own name while still honoring a special person/thing!
~ [name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?
I find both honoring a person and a thing meaningful but I think honoring a person is more meaningful.
~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?
I have a lot of subtle honors on my list and I’m looking for more of them! I can’t find subtle honor names for boys though. The placement depends.
[name_u]Honor[/name_u] names on my usable list:
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f] - prefer as a first
Iines - either
[name_f]Julia[/name_f] - middle
[name_f]Katri[/name_f] . either
[name_f]Linnea[/name_f] - first
Loviisa - middle
[name_f]Luella[/name_f] - middle
[name_f]Melodia[/name_f] - middle
[name_f]Violeta[/name_f] - first

[EleanorVintage]

I prefer direct honor names. For girls, I would use them as middles but for boys, depending on what the name is, I wouldn’t be averse to using them as firsts.

[Mary_Rose]

1. I like indirect, strechy honours - coming up with a fun link feels more meaningful to me than just copy pasting someone’s name (and a lot of the people I want to honour actively dislike their names anyway). The closest I’d get to a direct honor is a [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] to honour a [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and an [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] to honour an [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f].
2. I like doing both! But if I ever had a daughter it would be very important to me to honour my mum and / or my sister because those are the women who shaped me
3. I have a few honours on my firsts lists, but I tend to lean towards a name I really love for the top spot and an honour in the middle

[Strawberry.Bunny]

1. I really like subtle honor names. For instance, my dad that passed away for almost a year ago now, his name is [name_m]Kenneth[/name_m] (though 99% of time went by his alias Kris), I don’t really like his birth name or [name_u]Kris[/name_u] as a stand-alone. But I could always do his initials; KRS while still naming the child what I prefer, but still limited options, or a K name with the nn [name_u]Kris[/name_u]. I could also do his birth flower (Violet), I could give a child his favorite name that he didn’t get to use (Kelly for a boy). [name_u]Or[/name_u] perhaps my favorite is giving a child the nn [name_f]Bee[/name_f] (or with a name that means Bee); since he’s been associated with bees before his passing (my mom used to sing Honeybee by [name_m]Tom[/name_m] Petty to him, and use to call him her Honeybee sometimes).

2. I feel both are equal after a relative/friend or a character from your favorite show/book/movie.

3. I have a few. I much prefer it in the middle name spot and have a name that I want/personal meaning to me.

[marigold.solstice]

~ As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?

I like both! I don’t have that many indirect honors on my list (the only three on my UC are [name_f]Sunshine[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_u]August[/name_u] and Larkspur), but I think they’re super cool and creative! I love the idea of being able to tell my kiddos a fun family story on where their name came from. I have far more direct honors, because then I feel it’s easier for the person being honored to understand the connection, and simpler for people who come across the name to be like, “oh yeah, your son [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] was named after you mother Krista.”

~ [name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?
They’re both very meaningful to me! I feel like book/movie/song honors can be more whimsical and fun, and I love the idea of naming my kid after my favorite character as well. But there are lots of people who have changed my life that I want to honor just as much.

~ How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?

On my longlist, I probably have a lott, but just looking at my UC there are 24 in total! I love them in the middle spot, because I want my future kids to have one name that’s all their own, and one name (that they don’t have to go by) that connects them to those who have gone before them. However, honors for books/movies/songs (like [name_u]Anne[/name_u], [name_f]Marilla[/name_f], [name_u]Julian[/name_u], and August) will often go on the first spot more than family honors.

just for fun!

All the honors on my UC, and what they’re honors for:

[name_f]Marilla[/name_f] - the [name_u]Anne[/name_u] of [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables books, specifically [name_f]Rilla[/name_f] [name_u]Blythe[/name_u], Anne’s youngest daughter, who’s one of my favorite characters of all time

[name_f]Sunshine[/name_f] - my great-grandmother! I never got to meet her, but I grew up hearing stories about her, and she was one of my mom’s biggest influences/heroes when she was growing up. Grandma used to sing “You Are [name_f]My[/name_f] Sunshine” to her grandchildren, and they all sang it at her funeral.

[name_u]Anne[/name_u] - [name_u]Anne[/name_u] [name_u]Shirley[/name_u], obviously!

[name_f]Caledonia[/name_f] - honors my Scottish heritage, and the song ‘Caledonia’ (especially the Celtic Woman version!)

[name_f]Avonlea[/name_f] - the [name_u]Anne[/name_u] series, again.

[name_f]Christabel[/name_f] - my wonderful mother! Her name is [name_f]Krista[/name_f].

[name_f]Rose[/name_f] - honor for my two brothers born in [name_u]June[/name_u], as well as a nod to the [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] [name_m]Swift[/name_m] song, the lakes, from the lines “a red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground/with no one around to tweet it”

[name_f]Daisy[/name_f] - for my brother, who was born in [name_f]April[/name_f]! Also a nod to the [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] [name_m]Swift[/name_m] song, You’re On Your Own, Kid.

[name_f]Melody[/name_f] - my grandmother’s name!

[name_f]Maud[/name_f] - [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Maud[/name_f] [name_u]Montgomery[/name_u], author of [name_u]Anne[/name_u] of [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables.

[name_f]Wisteria[/name_f] - another the lakes nod! From the lines “I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet/cause I haven’t moved in years.”

Glenrose - my dad and granddad’s name is [name_u]Glen[/name_u], and it’s also my little brother’s middle name!

[name_u]Blythe[/name_u] - yet another AoGG nod

[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] - for my good friend [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] (who’s name is also actually [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] lol)

[name_u]Jonah[/name_u] - my favorite Bible story!

[name_u]Bennett[/name_u] - my little brother’s middle name, which is also a family name.

[name_u]Glen[/name_u] - for my dad, granddad, and little brother.

[name_u]Curtis[/name_u] - my other brother’s middle name! It’s also my great-granddad’s name.

[name_u]August[/name_u] - partially for the [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] [name_m]Swift[/name_m] song, which is an honor for a friend who loves it.

[name_m]Christopher[/name_m] - another for my mom!

[name_u]Julian[/name_u] - for the character in RJ Palacio’s novel, White [name_u]Bird[/name_u], who’s an amazing example of selflessness, forgiveness, and love.

[name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] - the song Homeward Bound by [name_f]Marta[/name_f] [name_m]Keen[/name_m] has a lot of meaning to me, which is where [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] comes from (there’s a line that talks about sparrows).

[name_m]Gilbert[/name_m] - [name_m]Gilbert[/name_m] [name_u]Blythe[/name_u], another one from the [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables series!

[name_u]Larkspur[/name_u] - the birth flower for [name_u]July[/name_u], the month my dad was born. (I think the fact that it’s a poisonous plant makes even cooler haha)

[Sadie307]

I prefer direct honor names, though sometimes I like indirect honors as well. I think that decision should strongly consider the preference of the person being honored, if they’re still alive.

for example

My mom is named Terese. Her name is constantly misspelled/mispronounced as Teresa, which she finds very frustrating. I like the name Teresa & would love to use that to honor her. But I know that my mom would prefer to be honored with her actual name, so that’s what I’d do (or use her middle name).

I prefer using honors in the middle name spot. My middle name, Elaine, is an honor for my maternal grandmother.

I’m pregnant currently. If it’s a boy, we’re going to use Roger as the middle name after my husband’s grandfather. My husband would prefer to use Roger as the first name, but I don’t like Roger enough for that so we’ve agreed on it being in the middle spot. Potential future honor middles for boys include Bradley (husband’s father), Ede (husband’s great-great grandfather), and David (husband’s first).

All our girl combos (currently, anyway) have a family honor name. Mostly the honors are in the middle name spot. A long-time favorite of mine happens to be an honor on my husband’s side so that’s in the first name spot. The honors are Mary (husband’s grandmother), Ruth (my grandmother, plus it’s the middle of my cousin who introduced me & my husband), Marie (my mom’s middle), and Terese (my mom’s first, but unsure about this one because my mom doesn’t really like her name). Also my husband thinks there’s a Helena somewhere in his family, but he doesn’t remember for sure & idk how to ask without giving it away

Girl combos:
Helena Ruth
Johanna Marie
Johanna Terese
Johanna Ruth
Mary Linnea
Eliza Marie
Linnea Marie

Current boy combos:
Matthias Roger
Timothy Roger
Isaac Roger

Potential future boy combos:
Matthias Ede
Matthias David
Timothy Ede
Timothy David
Peter Bradley
Jonah David
Isaac Andreas - our only stretchy honor name. Andreas is a variant of my husband’s middle, but moreso we like that it shortens “Ike A.” because we had our first date at IKEA

[morningflower]

As for honoring people, do you prefer direct honors or subtle honors (like birthstone etc)?
i like both! as long as it’s obvious enough that it’s an honour (at least to me and the person i’m honouring), but subtle enough to not be the only association there. i think on my list i gravitate towards the subtler side, but a lot of my honours are names i love that i’ve later realised could honour someone i love.

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you find it more meaningful to honor a person, or a thing (like a song)?
for myself, a person, though a song or a character might be a little bonus. i can definitely understand why people honour things, but personally someone is tangible and something is going to lean more to a positive association than an honour. it’s a bit of a grey line - i would name my daughter summer after the season, but i’m not sure i would consider it an honour?

How many honor names are on your list, and do you prefer them in the middle spot or first spot?
i prefer them in the middle unless it’s a fun coincidence like i mentioned. the deliberate honours on my list are joanna, elise, talia, rose and matthew. the coincidental honours are darcie/darcy, marlene and hugo.