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Seems like there's an exploratory trend the past several years with people naming kids less traditional first names, of course the traditional names are still going strong too. Or sometimes made up names, like a blend of two or more names. Or surnames that may or may not be in the family tree. I can't help but wonder what cool names people who aren't into genealogy might find if they checked out their own family tree. Have you or other family members used the names you've found in the family tree for the newest generations? Or would you have, maybe names you like but didn't have a chance to use?
All three of my children's names came straight from the family tree. We went with traditional biblical names although some people think we chose royal names.
I've more recently found some names that I could have saddled my kids with. Cornealious Aspberry could have been fun with a nickname of 'Corn Asp' or worse. He could have had a brother with the name of Greenberry.
Our older son is named for his father and grandfather, although I had a great grandfather with the same first name. His daughter is named for her maternal great grandmothers.
Our younger son's first name was chosen because none of DH's cousins had chosen it for their kids. It turns out the name is indeed in my family tree a few generations back. His middle name is my maiden name and the name he prefers to be called by. His daughter's first name was chosen because they like it; her middle name is her mother's mother's maiden name. His son's first name was chosen because they like it; his middle name is my maiden name. My brother has no kids, so it's nice to see my maiden name being passed to another generation.
If I had a son he would definately have his fourth great grandfathers name as a middle name,and his first name would definately be Fianna a name from the Irish mythological cycle, again a homage to my ancestry.
Names that reflect ancestry are very important to me.
I knew nothing much about my ancestors when my daughter was born 38 years ago. We named her Anna (which was my choice - a name I had always wanted to call a daughter since childhood).
Turns out our family tree is chock-full of females named Hannah and Susanna/h. So there is a reference to family names, even if unintentional.
When my daughter and SIL had their son they looked through their family trees to see if there was a prominent name that they liked. They ended up giving him the middle name William. Almost all my grandfathers on my father's paternal line had William in their name (mostly first name), going back to the 1600s - and it was also very prominent in SIL's family tree.
We had a lot of old fashioned girls names in our tree describing an attribute. Like Patience or Deligence or Chastity or "Does Chores Without Complaint". I don't remember them all. We named our daughter along those lines with a modern twist. We named our daughter Merit. We weren't aware of the alternate spelling, Merritt.
My father, who was opinionated, didn't like the name but he I couraged my sister to name her son David, my name. I was 15 at the time. I don't recommend doing this. Very confusing. At some point after puberty the nephew doesn't like to be called, "Davey" or what ever nickname you give the younger. I wouldn't have liked being called junior if I was named after my father but, of course, that is off the table with nephew/uncle relationship.
I was named after an uncle and I've discovered I'm the 6th person in the family with the name.
We have lots of juniors in our family, both boys and girls. Also many of us use as the middle name of a child, a parent or aunt/uncle's first name.
This is a pretty entrenched tradition in my own family.
I have the same middle name as my mom as well. She now has a granddaughter (my niece) who has the same middle name. Everyone was mad I didn't give my daughter the middle name we share lol. Her middle name is the first name of my favorite aunt.
My DIL blessed the grand kids with her side of the families maternal grandmothers' name...."violet" , and Her one cousin "layne". Both as Middle names.
It was a slap in the face that she disassociated using My sons' side of the family names. I love my grand daughters dearly...so I just keep in mind...a rose by any other name is still as sweet.
Her remark was , they have his last name. In which I said...til they marry ...so really it matters little now....
Luckily my family tree has carried on some of the names...John and Lee being used alot.
For the ladies , elizabeth and Anna are the two used most often.
My son is named after his dad's grandfather (first name) and my dad. But he's really named after the Prince in the Princess Bride.
Mom said I was named because Mom liked the name and nobody else had it. Lots of good solid midwestern names when I look at the ones we came from, the exception being my great grandmother who's name was Euphemia. I was explicitly not named after any relatives.
My DIL blessed the grand kids with her side of the families maternal grandmothers' name...."violet" , and Her one cousin "layne". Both as Middle names.
It was a slap in the face that she disassociated using My sons' side of the family names. I love my grand daughters dearly...so I just keep in mind...a rose by any other name is still as sweet.
Her remark was , they have his last name. In which I said...til they marry ...so really it matters little now....
Luckily my family tree has carried on some of the names...John and Lee being used alot.
For the ladies , elizabeth and Anna are the two used most often.
Didn't your son ok the names? My husband and I had a naming scheme picked out before we chose names for the first child. We got to chose first or middle name. We had veto rights if we didn't like the name.
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