Conference oass::babynames

I think it's fine to name a boy after his father (or a girl after her mother)
AS LONG AS you only have one boy (or girl).  If you have a second boy you 
come into problems with sibling rivalry, where the first boy believes he's 
special because he has his father's name.

I think this naming tradition was more appropriate in days gone by, where
the first born boy was seen as the heir to the family.

However, I DO agree with using family names such as grandparents and great-
grandparents names, plus other names that pass from one generation to the next.

    I think a way to solve all name problems is perhaps to give him/her the 
    parents/grandparents name as a middle name ei: David George????? this
    way you can satisfy all concerned and still have the child named after
    someone in the family.....
    
    just a thought!!!!!
    
    BOB

    I agree with BOB. 
    
    I am a strong believer of "family names" (having my mother's name as my
    middle name, and NOT being the eldest daughter) and have never liked
    the "junior" idea.  (Give the kid his OWN name!  ;^) )  Also, the name
    itself has a lot to do with it.  (I absolutely ADORE my father-in-law,
    but I will NEVER name a son of mine Bonifacio!)
    
    K.C.

    I can see what you mean wanting in a way to have a "III" in the
    family. If you feel stronly enough that you want it and you don't
    like the idea of having another George to add to the confusion maybe
    you could call him Howard or a nickname like Chip or something.
    If that doesn't appeal I agree with Bob, make it a middle name.
    
    Cindy

    I am not going to be able to support your husband on this
    one...but here's my experience.
    
    My husband is Richard Albert Johnson Jr.  His grandmother
    nicknamed him "Chip" (probably to avoid the confusion with
    2 Richard's in the house).  He was called, Rich until the
    nickname Chip "caught on" and he hates it.  Even I call
    him Chip because it's the only name I've ever known him
    by.
    
    Luckily he never insisted we name our son, Richard Albert III
    we just mutually decided that he would be named Steven Richard.
    
    So, I guess my advice to you is to try and use George as a
    middle name, if possible.  BUT if you decide to name him
    George or Howard, please use a nickname that is applicable
    (like Howie)
    
    Just my 2 cents...Linda

Amy,

We went thru something similar:

My father-in-law's name is Richard Wallace Hagen (Wallace was HIS father's
name) and my husband is Richard Allan Hagen.  We were thinking of naming
our son Richard Raymond Hagen (Raymond being my father's name).  Normally
I don't like naming children after the parents because it's too confusing
(we went thru this with my Dad and my brother).  But since the tradition or
precedent was already set, I was willing to go along with it.  I left it up
to my husband to decide.  He chose our other alternative, Matthew Richard
(we both liked the name Matthew).

In your case, it's really tough, because the first and middle names would be
the same.  I agree, George Howard McBlane III sounds very distinguished.
How about a nickname of Mac?

If you DON'T want ANOTHER George in the house, and you can't come up with an
agreeable nickname, then don't use the name.

- �ori

P.S. Looking back, I'm glad we went with Matthew vs. Richard.

Lori -

How did your brother like having his father's name?  George says that
all the guys he knows with their father's name like it and are proud of
it.

Mac is an interesting nick name.  George has an Uncle Mac (McCauley not
McBlane).  We don't see him often enough to cause any confusion.  I'll
pass it by George.

Thanks,
Amy

RE .7
>How did your brother like having his father's name?  George says that
>all the guys he knows with their father's name like it and are proud of
>it.

Amy,

To be honest, I don't really know how he feels about it.  I do know when
he got older, when someone called and asked for "Ray" we'd either ask
"Ray Senior or Ray Junior?", or we'd guess who it was for, judging
by the sound of the caller's voice, and sometimes gave the phone to the 
wrong person.  This was a minor annoyance and the only situation I can think
of that caused any confusion with same-named family members.  

Amongst family family members, "Raymond" usually meant my brother and "Ray" 
meant my father.  Kind of hard to come up with a variation of George Howard...
except for Mac (!?)

- �ori

  Well, surprize (not really).  George didn't like Mac, either.
  At least we still have a long time to figure this one out.

  Thanks for all the suggestions! (More still welcome.)
  Amy

    
    I'm due June 5th with our first baby, and if it's a boy ..... My
    husband - James Logan Lemmon, Jr - insists on naming his first son
    after himself, purely for selfish and egotistical reasons (he admits
    this).  Personally, (if it's a boy) I would like to name him Dominick
    James - both of our grandfather's were named Dominick and we could
    still use my husbands name as the middle name.  However, my hubby is
    being very stubborn on this issue so, to avoid confusion I have
    INSISTED that we call him James, no nicknames!  I hate the idea of the
    poor kid ending up being called Chip or Buddy or something corney like
    that!
    
    Naming a child isn't easy! No matter what the name turns out to be
    though, I already love this baby!
    
    Joanne

Do you call your husband James, too?  Do you forsee much confusion
When talking to or about the Jameses?

-Amy

    
    RE .11
    
    Hi Amy,
    
    No, I call my husband "Jim".  However, he is known as "Jimmy" to his
    family and his father is known as "Jim".  I'd say "James" is the only
    solution to this confusion.
    
    Joanne

   RE: .12

   My grandfather is James and called Shine (a long story).
   My cousing is James and called Jay.
   He named his son Jason.

   At least there are several nicknames to James.
   I don't know any for George.

   -Amy

    There's always "J.L."  (Not as good as some, but it IS just a
    suggestion.)  That is, if it will be "James Logan".  Or, you could call
    him Logan (but THAT will bring a lot of airport jokes, won't it?  If
    its any consolation, one of the main characters in VC Andrews series
    "Heaven" is named Logan Stonewall.)
    
    I kind of like "Jay".
    
    K.C.

    
    re: .10 Yes, it is egotistical to name a child, boy or girl, after
    oneself, about as bad as people feeling more superior to others
    because of who their ancestors were (they having had nothing to
    do with their ancestors' accomplishments).
    
    re: .7 Maybe you should ask George if the guys who feel proud to
    use the same name as their dads are only all of the ones who like
    their dads in the first place, no matter what. My older brother
    is a junior, made it known, especially in the teenage years
    when we all try to establish that special identity, that he
    was a carbon copy of nobody and wasn't going to be. He also
    didn't like his name, junior or not. He has been out of touch
    with his immediate family (except me) for almost 10 years.
    (His name isn't to blame for all of that, of course.)
    
    My opinion on the matter of "junior" names: I wouldn't do it,
    and wouldn't recommend it. But to each his own. If you think
    it's "tradition," why not think of starting a new tradition
    with a new name you like?
    
    God, the message you could give your child by giving it a junior
    version of your name, or that the child must become like the
    parent. A junior is a smaller version (junior mints); a dinette
    is not a full-size dining room set and never will be;
    a kitchenette is not a kitchen; etc.
    
    QUESTION , babyname noters: How many US Presidents were juniors?
    
    I think there was one, but it was one of those wishy-washy ones
    during the pre-Civil War years that no one remembers. I think
    Gerald Ford may have been a junior or III also, though I'm not
    sure and am not passing judgment particularly on him by mentioning
    this in passing.
    
    The resulkts can be quite varied when you choose the junior
    route, depending probably on whether your child is conformist or
    independent (maybe "rebellious" later). And it also depends
    on the character/accomplishments of the namesake, what the
    namesake thinks of him/herself.

    RE: .15        -< Well, you asked, so... >-
    Wow!  You really read a lot into just a name!

    George has good self esteem and thinks it's important for his
    kids to be responsible individuals.  I think he will be at the
    opposite end of the spectrum as the father in "Dead Poets Society".
    That is supportive, but encouraging them to make their own decisions
    (whatever they are).

    I think they guys who are proud to have their fathers names do like
    thier dads.  I don't anticipate any major conflicts between George
    and his kids, but then you don't pick your parents, so who knows.

    What you said is food for thought,  but I think this gets to the heart
    of the matter:
    >>>(His name isn't to blame for all of that, of course.)

    Can a name really have as much influence over someone as I think
    you implied in your note?

    -Amy (still undecided on George Howard McBlane III, leaning NO,
          and trying to find an acceptable alternative)

    p.s. Maybe it's a girl!

    I believe that the name that is chosen can greatly influence the life
    of the child.
    
    K.C.

    I believe that it is mostly tradition that we name our sons after 
    their fathers. That is the case with my name and it hasn't
    created a problem in our family. Two and a half years ago we had
    a son and named him after me at my wife's insistence. Fortunately
    my name has many nicknames so we don't get confused at family
    gatherings. We are all named Robert Nathanael and my father is
    called Nathanael and his father is called Robert. I was called
    Bobby but preferred Robert when I became an adult and my son
    (III) is called Robby. I believe you should go with a mutually
    agreeable name and appropriate nickname.
    
    -Robert .,Jr.

So, Robert, Jr. can you think of an appropriate nickname
for George Howard McBlane? (Only 3 weeks to go and we're *still*
undecided!)

Thanks,
Amy