Did You Name Your Baby After Yourself?

on January 19, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Martin was actually born "Michael King Jr." and his dad was Michael King Sr. But the elder King changed both of their names from Michael to Martin Luther when his son was about five. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like boys are named after their dads (or even their granddads) more than girls are named after their moms.

My friend named her son "William" after his father; the dad goes by Bill, the baby goes by Will. Another friend named her son after his dad, but the son uses his middle name. My father was named after his dad, and I have two boy cousins who were named after their dads. One of them, named Louis, goes by "Chip," as in "chip off the old block."

I don't know any girl or woman—of my friends or family—who was named after her mom. Why do you think that is?

Did you name your baby girl after yourself? Did you name your baby son after his dad? Are you named after your mom?

About the author Suzanne Murray

is the Parenting & Political editor at The Stir/Moms Matter 2012.

Filed Under: baby names

Comments (82)

dragonfliesgirl

on Jan 19, 2009 at 1:40 PM

I named my eldest daughter after me. We just have different middle names. I am Christina Marie and she is Christina Rae. I have all girls. I also have all sisters 5 to be exact and my parents did the same thing. My middle sister is actually Jr though and named after my mother. I also have family named after mostly the dads.

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mscamp0235

on Jan 19, 2009 at 1:43 PM

my daughter and I have the same middle name but not first name

Erica_Smerica

on Jan 19, 2009 at 1:46 PM

I named my son William after his great grandfather, his uncles two of his great great grandfathers, two of our cousins, and my aunt (her last name is Williams.) His middle name, Daniel- is from his father.

If and when we have a girl I wanted to give her an 'E' name and count that as being named after me. Unfortunitly my SIL took the only two 'E' names I like-- I'm still pissed about that :(

Moomie

on Jan 19, 2009 at 1:48 PM

I was given my middle name after my mother, just spelled a little differently. She is Lynn and my middle name is Lyn. My childrern are all boys, and none of them are named after me OR their father. Two have middle names honoring their grandfathers though.

Scorpio359

My oldest daughter has the same middle name Lynn and our granddaughter's first name is Terralyn and her middle name is the same as her mom's Renee.

ilovemyson2002

on Jan 19, 2009 at 1:53 PM

my oldest son was named after his dad and my son 2nd son was his first nameafter my step dad and my real dad middle name n his middle name after hid dad brother middle name

tscritch

on Jan 19, 2009 at 2:09 PM

My daughter has a different first name then me, but we have the same middle name, and she has a second middle name, which is my maiden name. My second daughter due in April will also have 2 middle names, after each of our moms.

beachmamaof2

I have my mother's middle name; and if we had a son he would have been named after me not my fiance =) I tricked him into that one; he didn't realize what he'd agreed to until it was too late; mwahahaha =)

KatieCrandall

on Jan 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM

My Mom is named after her Mom (Verena), just with a different middle name. My Mom goes by Marie, her middle.

My oldest brother is named after my Dad, but is not a junior. He goes by a different name than my Dad as well. My son is named after my Dad, and goes by another name. :)

I work with Eric and Eric James...father and son, but again not senior/junior!