Our baby is due in four weeks and we don’t have a birth certificate name for him. We think we have a nickname. The situation is as follows: my husband is a III. His name is [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m]. He goes by [name_m]Walt[/name_m] and his father goes by [name_m]William[/name_m]. I don’t want a [name_m]Walt[/name_m] and a [name_m]Walter[/name_m] or a Big [name_m]Walt[/name_m], [name_m]Little[/name_m] [name_m]Walt[/name_m], just because of confusion. My father and brother are Sr/Jrs named [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Carlton[/name_m]. My father goes by [name_m]Bill[/name_m] and my brother goes by [name_m]Will[/name_m]. So there’s a lot of overlap on both sides of the family. My husband has relinquished the use of the IV, which is just not my style. But he still wants to use [name_m]William[/name_m] to honor our families and I want to use [name_m]Walter[/name_m] to honor him as the dad. I also just love the name [name_m]Walter[/name_m] so much. Is it ridiculous to reverse my husband’s name ([name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m]) and name the baby [name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m], which allows us to drop the IV and continue honoring family? What other ideas are out there? We could drop the [name_m]Walter[/name_m] and name the baby [name_m]William[/name_m] Something [name_f]Else[/name_f] in the Middle because our nickname stems from the [name_m]William[/name_m] part, but we haven’t hit on anything we love as much as we love [name_m]Walter[/name_m].
Could you do a second middle name? [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] Something or [name_m]William[/name_m] Something [name_m]Walter[/name_m].
My in laws do the same thing. [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] has a son [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] who then names his son [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m]. They’ve been doing it for almost 100 years or so based on the family tree I saw. Everyone just goes my a nickname. [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] the grandfather is [name_u]Tony[/name_u], [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] is [name_m]Ned[/name_m], [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] the grandson is [name_m]Hal[/name_m] and so forth.
At that point, I would just make him a IV and call him [name_m]Liam[/name_m] or something. 
I understand if that may not be your style, but I think a part of me would feel bad breaking that chain. 
That’s me, though.
But no, it’s not ridiculous to switch the names. I think with all the Walters and [name_m]Williams[/name_m] there already are that it could get a little confusing, though. For instance, people may not remember that it’s switched because they’re so used to hearing it the other way.
[name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] seems like a good option, It probably won’t be confusing if he goes by a different nickname than all those other Walters and [name_m]Williams[/name_m] (the nickname you’ve chosen is different right?)
I’d suggest adding a name into the mix to break the [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] chain. If you really love the [name_m]William[/name_m] nn you have picked use [name_m]William[/name_m] ___ [name_m]Walter[/name_m] (last name) or [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] ____ (last name) to at least keep the combo alive while still breaking the chain. If you wouldn’t mind picking a fresh name for your son, maybe choose one for the first and then use the [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] in the middle.
If you want [name_m]Walter[/name_m] & dad wants [name_m]William[/name_m] then what’s wrong with [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] IV? That seems the most simple & logical choice. It may not be “your style” but did you ever consider that your son may appreciate being part of a chain like his father & uncle? That he may feel a bit robbed that you decided that he couldn’t be a IV? It’s not ridiculous to go with [name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m], but why would you? Because you are that averse to IV? I assume the nn you’re referring to is [name_m]Liam[/name_m], so it makes the most since for [name_m]William[/name_m] to be first.
Could do [name_m]Liam[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m]
Personally, I would go for [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] IV, especially if you are using a nickname based off of the name [name_m]William[/name_m]. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a fourth. I’ll be honest, the person who names is son as a junior sometimes comes across as a little narcissistic to me. But when you get down to a third or fourth, it’s about honoring family and tradition. I agree with another poster who said your son might feel bad not being part of the “family line” of names.
I would go for [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m] IV, especially if you are going for a nickname based off of [name_m]William[/name_m]. I think being the fourth in a line is a wonderful thing. And there’s no requirement that he or you put the “IV” on any legal documents if its the roman numerals that bother you. It’s nice to be part of a family tradition and I agree with a previous poster who pointed out he might feel a little left out if he doesn’t get to be part of the “family line” of names.
I would break the chain too. I love the name [name_m]Walter[/name_m]; is [name_m]William[/name_m] a must {though it is a wonderful name}, since there are already so many? If so, I would use [name_m]William[/name_m] as a middle, and either drop [name_m]Walter[/name_m] or use it as a second middle. That way you can pick a first that won’t be so confusing! If you still want to use [name_m]William[/name_m], the nicknames [name_m]Liam[/name_m] or [name_m]Wim[/name_m]/[name_u]Win[/name_u] are good options. Good luck!
Not ridiculous at all! My dad’s name is [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u], and my parents named me after him- I’m [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_f]Christine[/name_f]. When I tell people they just think it’s cool.