Names Used Twice?

General Name Discussion
1

I’ve noticed a few — well, I can’t call them trends — naming practices and I wondered what others think of them.

I am not arguing for or against these practices, but I do think they are interesting to contemplate.

What they have in common is the using of a name twice or more within the same family, and often a name of someone deceased.

#1 is when a child dies and the parents name another child the same name. I believe this was quite common in the past (possibly as a way of honoring the departed?) but I am not sure how common it is now. My father’s oldest sibling, a stillborn child, was named R— [name_u]Francis[/name_u] and then they named my father R—[name_m]Jackson[/name_m].

#2 is when a child is named after a deceased relative.

#3 is when a child is named after a deceased companion animal. I don’t mean that your neighbors have a dog named [name_f]Molly[/name_f] and you also name your daughter that. I mean that you had a dog named [name_f]Molly[/name_f] as a child and now you are naming your daughter [name_f]Molly[/name_f].

#4 is when a family member is doing very poorly (addiction, misery, other lifelong issues) and you name others in the family that name, almost as though you want to give the original person a second chance. In my extended maternal family there is a “family” name shared by 5 men (two deceased), almost all of whom have suffered greatly.

It is hard to predict and differentiate when name repetition honors the original and second bearer, when it diminishes the original and second bearer, when it strengthens family, when it fuses individuals into a familial mold, when it shows lack of imagination, when it helps and when it hurts.

Stories? Observations?

2

Interesting question. I have used family names, both as first and middles, but we haven’t given a first name that is the first name of anyone still living. That feels a bit too close or confusing or something, although I seriously considered giving a girl my (still living) grandmother’s name.

#2 is the only trend I’ve seen myself, although now that I think of it, my husband’s family had a dog named [name_m]Pete[/name_m] when he was a kid, and he wanted to name our first [name_m]Peter[/name_m] (went with it as the middle instead). I think he just liked the name, though – it wasn’t about honoring the pet.