I’m not pregnant so this is hypothetical, but I mentioned to my fiancé that some day I might like to use [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as a middle name for our daughter as a way to honour his mother, whose middle name is [name_f]Jean[/name_f]. I don’t hate the name [name_f]Jean[/name_f], but I like the sound of [name_f]Jane[/name_f] better. Since it’s literally the same letters just in a different order and they’re variations on the same name, I thought it would work. He is adamant that it doesn’t count as an honour name unless it’s exactly the same name. I’m pretty sure I know what most Berries opinion on this will be, but thought it could lead to an interesting discussion/gut check.
So, do you think the middle name [name_f]Jane[/name_f] works as a way to honour someone with the middle name [name_f]Jean[/name_f]?
Definitely. I used a name that honored both my sister and my mother by way of the meaning, not even the same name. For my mom, it represented the way I felt with her as her daughter (happy/blessed) and for my sister it was the same meaning as her name (rebirth/hope). So it is a double honor name without being anywhere close to their actual names.
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] for [name_f]Jean[/name_f] is hardly a stretch!
I also considered Rose/Primrose/Rosita to honor a [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] and Gabrielle/Gavrielle for someone with [name_f]Gabriela[/name_f] as a middle.
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] is an amazing intuitive idea to honour [name_f]Jean[/name_f]. It’s a very beautiful name. In my opinion, as long as the name reminds you of your loved one, it’s a magnificent honour name. To honour someone, you don’t need to use the exact same name. You can consider a name inspired by her personality, her favorite place, favorite flower or favorite song, for example. I love when parents consider names with similar meanings (for example: [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and Theodore; [name_f]Anna[/name_f] and Grace), inspired by nicknames and different variations of their loved one’s name (for example: [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] -》Mae, [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Margery[/name_f], [name_f]Marjorie[/name_f], [name_f]Greta[/name_f], [name_f]Madge[/name_f], [name_f]Rita[/name_f], [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Peggy[/name_f], etc)
I agree with this 100% - I have [name_f]Jane[/name_f] on my own list to honor a bunch of Johns in my life - and a bunch of way more loosely connected names to very special people! Unless there is another [name_f]Jane[/name_f] in the family who your fiance does not get on well with at all… I would 100% consider [name_f]Jane[/name_f] an honor name for [name_f]Jean[/name_f]. I even know of “honors” used in my family that are much more loosely tied than Jane/Jean (think using [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] to honor an [name_f]Evelyn[/name_f], etc., only similarity were the last 3 letters), so [name_f]Jane[/name_f] for a [name_f]Jean[/name_f] seems very natural to me.
I think it’s a great way to honor her. I like the idea of updating a name that is out of date, or changing a name to better fit a flow with your last name, or all kinds of things like that, as long as it’s not a huge stretch.
Example – my mother in law is [name_f]Susan[/name_f]. Her daughter has the middle name [name_f]Suzanne[/name_f], and then her daughter has the middle name [name_f]Suzanna[/name_f]. Not a fan of that spelling, but I understand why did it to match her own name. We also have a Donald/Don who gave his daughter the middle name [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] (yes the names aren’t actually related but they sound the same) and then gave her daughter the middle name [name_f]Dawn[/name_f], who gave her son the name [name_m]Donovan[/name_m].
Yep totally works. Personally I think an honor name is any name you’ve used to honor someone. So it can be totally unrelated to their name.
Your mom’s favorite flower is [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]? Great honor name! Their initials are JED? [name_f]July[/name_f] [name_f]Evaline[/name_f] [name_f]Delilah[/name_f] is a great honor name! Their name is [name_f]Grace[/name_f]? [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] means grace? Thats a great honor name! Etc
Honestly this is not a stretchy honour at all I think [name_f]Jane[/name_f] definitely can honour [name_f]Jean[/name_f].
In Ashkenazi culture we honour a loved one by using the first initial of their last name (sometimes with the last initial as well) so my mum is [name_f]Laura[/name_f] I used [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] for my daughter to honour her.
It could easily work although I’d be more inclined to go with something like [name_f]Eugenie[/name_f], [name_f]Georgina[/name_f] etc. that had the ‘Jean’ sound in it but isn’t the actual name which also might work better for your OH
It’s my understanding that honor names are meant to honor someone after they’re gone. Given that memorials are meant to have the most meaning for the loved ones left behind, I would go with fiance on this one. If he doesn’t see [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as a way to honor his mother, then no amount of logic is going to make him feel differently, even if he consents to the name. Maybe discuss her first or last name as options or even a name that connects to a favorite city, flower, etc. of hers. I really think a unanimous decision when honoring a loved one is crucial. [name_m]Just[/name_m] my two cents. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] really is a lovely name.
