I’m wondering what your opinion is of a boy being a [name_m]Junior[/name_m]? My husband is not a [name_m]Junior[/name_m] but he likes the idea of our son to be one. I don’t feel that strongly about it either way and since my husband does I’ve agreed to it. Our little guy is going to be [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] [name_m]Jr[/name_m]. So he’s going to be B.J.
I wouldn’t mind having a [name_m]Junior[/name_m] only if I love the name enough. I wouldn’t name my son after his dad only to please him, because (in my opinion) naming a child is much more than make one of the parent “happy”. You’re giving your child the most important piece of his/her identity, so I guess you have to be really sure about what are you doing.
It doesn’t mean I consider Jrs to have less “self-indentity” than non-Jrs. Of course not. In fact, I find this idea quite charming (but as I said before, only when I love the name in question).
So, if you like [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u], go ahead! I’m not exactly a [name_m]Junior[/name_m], but I my mother and I share the same name, and neither of us go by a nickname (we both hate the choices for our name) or initials. And it never hasn’t been a problem. I don’t feel I have less identity or something for being called the same name as her. In fact, I love this connection even when I’m not very fond of my name.
I had the same name as my grandma and I personally hated it, but it’s too much fuss to change the name. So it could go either way. Your son might appreciate sharing name with dad, or he might not, same as any other name, really. If you’re fine with [name_m]Jr[/name_m]. then I see no reason why not.
I’d like having a junior. I genuinely love my husband’s name, [name_m]Chaim[/name_m], and I’d have loved to name one of my sons [name_m]Chaim[/name_m] as well, but my husband doesn’t like the idea. We use family names though, and [name_m]Chaim[/name_m] has been used in his family for genererations, but he just doesn’t like it for his own son.
I personally don’t like it. I’ve only ever met two; one named after her mother, and since she didn’t marry, they still have the same name. As both have always went by their first name, they both find it awkward sometimes. The other is my friend’s brother, named after his uncle, who was named after his uncle. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t know how difficult that would be, but the first one with the name died recently, which caused a bit of confusion between which one it was.
I generally don’t like it - at best I think it’s confusing, at worst it can come off as egotistical. However, I absolutely adore my fiancé’s name ([name_u]Dorian[/name_u]), and had it on my top-10 list before we met. If he really wanted to, I’d consider it. But I sort of feel like the kid is already getting the man’s last name - does he need to get all of them?
Hard pass from me. I like my kids to have their own identity. When my first child was born everyone kept saying, “I can’t tell which one of you he looks like!” and my mom finally said, “he looks like himself” and that has always been in my heart when I think of my kids. They are not duplicates of anyone. I know this is a deeper response than you were asking for but it’s something I always think of when people wonder why we’ve never named our kids “after” anyone.
I don’t like it. I think a child should have their own identity/name. My husband is a junior and he hates it. I can’t say I blame him considering how his dad was. There were issues with his dad stealing money and fraud.
I think it pre-maturely steals the identity of a child and forces a societal pressure for him or her to become exactly like or even better than their parent.
I’m not a fan. I honestly find the act to be a bit self centered. Maybe I’m weird, but I can think of a thousand people that I’d much rather name my kid after than me, because I know that I’m not the best person for my kid to share a name with. But, if you’re set on it, I don’t see the point of asking for opinions.
Also, please rethink B.J. Maybe it’s because I’m a teen and I sadly hear it a lot, but it really is a bad idea for a nickname.
I would use II instead of junior. I would reconsider BJ. Lots if teasing potential there. [name_m]How[/name_m] about calling him [name_u]James[/name_u]?
I wouldn’t want to do it personally, but I have no problem with others doing it. People throughout history have shared names with their parents/other relatives.
My main issue with it (other than how chances are my husband’s and my names aren’t what I’d choose for a child!) is how it would be confusing, especially with a name like [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] that isn’t easily nicknameable. If it was a name like [name_m]William[/name_m] that had lots of nickname options that he could use as his everyday name (he probably isn’t going to be known as BJ at work or at the bank for example), it would be fine. Or if you plan to use his middle name. But I think having two Brandons in the house could be tricky.
Some of the responses in this thread strike me as a touch judgemental and overdramatic. Having the same name as a parent prevents a child from developing their own identity? Really? If a boy can’t “develop his own identity” because he’s named after his father, he probably doesn’t have much of a personality to begin with.
That said, @OP, I think it’s absolutely fine for your son to be a junior. I do agree that you might want to consider another nickname.
I think its pretty common to have a [name_m]Jr[/name_m] and nothing wrong with it, very sweet and I asked my husband many years ago if he wanted to do it but he said no, though we sort of play around on that. [name_m]Ive[/name_m] known people going by the initials or just as [name_m]Junior[/name_m] or [name_u]Jay[/name_u] or going by their middle name, I used to see someone who for generations they all had the sname name, his father went by the first and he went by the second, I didn’t realize it till his dad started calling him jr, I’ve also known people who went by J.R.
I do think it does steal an extent of your identity. If you’re a [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] in a long list of 5 [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]'s, there’s no avoiding the reality that people expect you to fit into the mold your relatives have set years ago. I love my parents but I wouldn’t want to be named after my mom because it would feel as if she were trying to live her life again through another person. A name carries weight! It also gives off the impression that the child is the ‘golden child’ among his or her siblings- the ‘chosen one’ for the name to be passed down. It feels archaic and stuffy, and as another person put it, almost self-centered. Like is it really that important that your child has the exact same name as you? I’ve never seen it as sweet but more on the side of overbearing and pretentious. If I met a Senior/[name_m]Junior[/name_m], would I hate them instantly? Of course not. These are just my thoughts, having had direct familial experience with people who are juniors. All I’m saying is I wouldn’t recommend it because I wholeheartedly believe that there are better, more meaningful options in the grand scheme of things.
It’s not for me. I only have girls but having a junior was never an option (his name can be used for girls and has a several feminine versions of it).
My thoughts on it are…what if you split up…then you are stuck with that name in your house (especially if it’s a name that doesn’t have nickname options). I mean, no one plans on getting divorced…but I wouldn’t want to be stuck saying my ex’s name all the time.
But…to each their own. Id steer clear of nn BJ though.
Would he be willing to go with [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Brandon[/name_m]? I was going to suggest [name_m]Branson[/name_m] but it means "son of Brandr,’’ not "son of [name_m]Brandon[/name_m].’’ Brandr and [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] are similar enough so maybe that’s another option? Or [name_m]Brendan[/name_m]?
Wow, it surprises me all the negative reactions about having a [name_m]Junior[/name_m] and taking the child the chances to develop his own indentity.
We are far more than our name, even when it plays a major part in our lives. Me and my mother have the same name, and I never felt she was trying to make me like her. Also, I don’t see it like an egocentric act, because there were more women in our family with the same name. In fact, I love to know that I’m the fifth generation carrying this name. I feel it like a connection with my ancestors.
My parents gave me this name because they love it so much they were willing to name this way a child. Isn’t that the only thing that matters? What if they love [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] that much? There’s nothing shameful in loving your name, right?
I have siblings, and I’m the only who have the name of our mother but it’s not like I am the “golden child”. Never felt that way.
My older brother have their absolutely most favorite name ever. Their “I-won’t-love-any-other-name-as-much-as-I-love-this-one” name. Should the rest feel jelous because of that?
And, I repeat, never was an issue to have the same name. It is confusing? well, sometimes but we can live with that.
I’m sort of indifferent to the idea of juniors. On one hand, as a person who loves names, I think it is sort of boring and not exciting to just be done choosing the name just like that. On the other hand, I think it can be a sweet tradition!
I will say that I don’t like when it is forced upon one parent or is forced by other relatives. It should be something that both partners agree to! Since you don’t care much either way, it truly seems to be a good choice for you! However, it doesn’t always go that way. For instance, my mom had her heart set on the name [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] for a son. She loved the name for a long time! Her second child turned out to be a boy and she was excited! Everyone knew him as [name_m]Anthony[/name_m]. Well…dad secretly didn’t like it. She was ASLEEP and he wrote my brother’s name out on the paper work…he made him a junior. My mom was furious when she woke up but came around to the idea, as she figured she may have another son to name [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] someday. Well, she had a handful more of daughters. She is still bitter over it. What my dad did was underhanded, but I’m not going to say that is the norm. I’ve found that many women I know actually want their first sons to be a junior (or aren’t opposed to the idea).
So…it’s a purely personal thing 
there is no right or wrong (unless you are bullied into it).
I just find them boring. I would advise against BJ though.