Naming children after previous generations?

[benny1982]

I know we often find cases where people named children after previous generations such as parents, or uncles or immediate relatives such as siblings etc but can people name children after a great grandparent or great, great grandparent? I am talking more about first names here as I know middle names a surnames can be a longer way back than grandmother's maiden name.

 

[Ladybird1300]

I don't see why not, and you're right about surnames, I have one as a first name beginning in 1714 and it was still being used in 1904.


Amanda

 

[p.risboy]

I came across that just yesterday Ben., with my Stevens line.

Charles Bridges Stevens, mother Annie Bridges.

My Grandfather was the same, Joseph Graham Burgess. Mother Mary Ann Graham.
My nephew, his Gt Grandson, is also the same, with Graham as a middle name.

And so it goes on.

 

[benny1982]

I suppose if for example John Smith was close to his father and he knew his father's grandparents were called Jabez and William, then John Smith ay name a child after his own great grandfather.

Or if John Smith was close to his grandad and he knew his grandad's fathers name, he may use that to honour his deceased great grandad. Plausible.

In surname terms I have a Nathan Jackson Quilter born 1752 and I cannot find a baptism but a Thomas Quilter wed a Mary Jackson in 1604 in North Essex. Food for thought.

 

[p.risboy]

In all honesty......the naming patterns may apply, but in the end it's up to the parents what they name a child.

It's never a hard and fast rule, by any means.

 

[benny1982]

I found the set out naming pattern was rarely used in my family tree and was more common in Scotland and Ireland.

In my tree I found the eldest child was quite often named after the father, not the grandfather.

Sometimes they just liked a name but often they did honour previous generations but did not stick to a certain naming pattern.

 

[Ladybird1300]

it may be there was a family bible and they used it to find a different name for their baby ??
I found the same thing in my family, most of the eldest sons are name after the father not grandfather


Amanda

 

[benny1982]

Glad we both agree on that then, maybe the second child was named after the grandfather but usually the first was named after the father.