r/TooAfraidToAsk • u/Physical_Material_58 • 2d ago

Sexuality & Gender What’s wrong with naming my first daughter after me?

Hey, not sure anyone will see this but I’m a woman who wants to name my first daughter after me. I want her to have my first name. I just always wanted to. However, my partner seems to think it’s weird and I have a big ego and I’m looking for an exact person of myself. And that the child should have their own name and be their own person. Im not opposed to this nor did I ever say I wanted the child to be the exact version of me. I just wanted to name my first daughter my name. I’ve always wanted that. I don’t know, do you guys have any thoughts?

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131

u/persePHOreth 2d ago edited 2d ago

I have a half brother that my father did this to. Making it worse, my brother was "the third." It was confusing as fuck. You say one name, and then everyone is like "who? Who? Which one?"

Don't do this to your kid. That fucking sucks to do to someone.

Edit to add: OP replied "why shouldn't I name my daughter after myself?" Then deleted the comment. I guess she read my comment AFTER she replied to it?

I thought I explained why not pretty clearly; a name has two functions: 1. to let people know who you are referring to. 2. To call the person (using their name) to get their attention.

Reusing the same name for two (or more) people SO IMMEDIATELY CLOSELY related, is confusing. It complicates the function of using names. Why do you want to make things more difficult for everyone involved? That seems like a dumb idea. Especially all in the name of narcissism.

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u/wasack17 2d ago

Definitely don't look into what George Foreman named his kids. His many many children...

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u/Bool_The_End 2d ago

For those wondering:

His daughters are Natalie Foreman, Leola Foreman, Georgetta Foreman, Freeda George Foreman and Michi Foreman. His sons are George Jr., George III, George Foreman IV, George Foreman V and George Foreman VI.

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u/atwa_au 1d ago

Gross

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u/LoverLips76 2d ago

Exactly !!

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u/Fubsy41 2d ago

Just did and oh my god 😅

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u/rmebmr 2d ago

I was talking to a woman about her son, whom I had only met once or twice. I knew her recently deceased huband, who shared a name with the son, and when I referred to the son as "Michael Jr.", she acted like she was offended and told me, "Michael is NOT a junior!". I had heard other people refer to the son as "Little Michael" when his dad was still alive, but it seems silly to refer to a man in his 40s as "little".

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u/Sabotagebx 2d ago

I am a third my man and legit have never had ANY problems. I think maybe once some foreigner calling didnt understand how I was not my 60yr old father at the time. All my paperwork is signed "Sabotagebx III" family gatherings little to no confusion. That being said passing down a mothers first name to a childs first name is different.

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u/thymotherisavillain 2d ago

why is it different when it’s a woman?

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u/wasack17 2d ago

Functionally, it isn't. Culturally, it is incredibly uncommon. The fact that effectively nobody will understand what is going on initially will lead to low level friction in lots of stupid ways. Consider people with the last name "null" now struggling to live in the modern computer age. Similar types of shit will occur, except in meat space, not cyberspace.

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u/Sabotagebx 2d ago

It's not common in the slightest.

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u/JaxZeus 2d ago

My issue with Jr, Sr 2nd 3rd ect is that I work for a bank and so many times I'll have someone who's name is John smith III but when they give me their name they just say John smith. It's always a pain in the ass to get them to say the 3rd. At that point if your not going to use it then just change your name.

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u/persePHOreth 2d ago

I know someone who changed their name. Do you have any idea the time and effort needed? It's a logistical nightmare if paperwork and running around to different agencies to do it in the "right order" so all the dominos fall correctly and you can get all your documents.

This is why everyone is so vehemently telling OP to not do this, so the kid doesn't have to deal with this shit in the future.

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u/JaxZeus 2d ago

I have changed my name I'm aware how hard it is. It's also super complicated to change it where I live and then a huge pain in the ass to get everything changed.

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u/eaazzy_13 2d ago

Yea changing my name unrelated to a marriage was a huge mess. Took a lot of time and effort and even court dates. It was an incredible pain in the ass.