Sunday, September 17, 2006

The Great Debate

Nearing our October 2 due date, we've begun to panic. Not so much that we're having another baby (okay, maybe a little) but what if the sonogram was wrong?! What if SHE is a HE? I say that because in recent weeks, numerous people have told us that even with 3-4 sonograms, a sister/friend/wife ended up giving birth to the opposite gender of what they expected.

ACK!

Okay, I know that sonograms are not 100% in anything. But our tiny one gave us an eyeful the day we saw what gender she is and I can't imagine her being a boy. My husband says if she IS a boy, he's going to have a lifetime of torture...at least from what we saw!

So just to be prepared, because up till now we haven't been, we are trying to agree on a boy's name. My husband is set on a So N. So, II.

That's the debate.

I do not believe in naming a child after his father. I think every person should have his/her own name. Now, having one name from a parent, like my hubby's middle name or a name from someone else in the family, is perfectly okay and sweet. But having a Junior or a II is not. If stepping on toes, I'm sorry, it is just how I feel and even I'm surprised at how adamant I am about it.

On the other hand, a boy would be the last in the line of my husband's last name. I know a lot of men love the idea of a son carrying on his name. But he'd be carrying on the last name anyway, right?

Am I fair to not want a junior or II? I'll accept all honest opinions because I don't want to be totally selfish though this is my child too.

Have any of you come across this problem in your family? What was the resolution? Did you give in to the junior or II and learn to love the idea of it?

8 comments:

Girlie said...

I am with your on JRs. I want my child to have a name of his own. Whether a child carries his father's first name, he'll be his son, and he'll have his father's last name.

I can't understand the big deal about Numerals name (I, II, or V)

There are so many beautiful names out there.

Maggie said...

my husband is a junior, and there are lots of problems with things on his and his father's credit report getting mixed up. That's why we decided our son wouldn't be a 3rd. Also, there's the problem of what to call the new little guy. It's so confusing during family functions! Good luck!

tallulah said...

We never,EVER intended to have a "junior". But Christian (not his real name) was given the same name as Bubby (my husband) at birth. When we adopted him at age two, it seemed wrong to change his name. Now we have two names in the family that are the same but Christian has a nickname that we use exclusively. That way there is no confusion and no "mini-me" type feelings.
I am SO not in to the II, III, IV type naming.

Pete said...

I don't see what the big deal is about it (Jr, etc). As a male, I wouldn't have felt "short changed" if I had the same name as my father. I've never felt any kind of anything about my name in my entire life. If it was one that was easily made fun of, then that could be an issue, but I don't know any man that would ever complain because he "didn't have his own name".

I'm just chiming in with my opinion and I certainly don't expect you to do anything other than what you decide for your child and am only adding because you asked. Sorry if I stepped on any toes.

Jennboree said...

Thank you, Guru. Hearing a man's point of view helps.


I have known a guy who didn't like being named after his father but that was mostly because they didn't get along. My husband would never let things get like that with either of his children.

Greg said...

I don't mind the Jr. thing... but I never cared for my son to have my name... Although Sydney and I did give Jacob the same middle name as me.

Anonymous said...

I agree! I am 5 months preg and we have been fighting over a boy name. I was "allowed' to pick a girl name but my husband figured that he then got to chose the boy name. WRONG! I have to push this watermelon through a pin hole so I think I get first dibs on the names. Anwyay, he wanted his name first (this would be the 3rd in the family) and I would prefer it as a second name. We already get his dad's mail, a third James would be too confusing.

Trinity13 said...

I like naming children after their great, great grandparents (or another distant relative), but not after their parent...too much confussion.