Passing down names and other kids in home

[Rhapsodi]

So my husband and I have my nephews living with us. It is possible we will adopt in a few years but it's up in the air right now.

My husbands family passes down names. Typically fathers name becomes the middle name. However one of our top boy names is Levi which is a version of Matthew (DH name) so we were going to pass down middle name (Michael) which is my DH's fathers name (whom he is very close to, his dad was his best man in our wedding).

Now our oldest nephew living with us has the same middle name.

We don't plan on changing names if we do end up adopting.

We do like the name Ignatius too but aren't sure how to make it work. Levi Ignatius sounds odd to me I love Levi Michael.

Now we are team yellow and have a second boy name but Levi is our favorite.

Thoughts?

 

[wannabemomy37]

Sounds like you've settled on Levi Michael then? I see nothing wrong with it even if your nephew has the same middle name, seeing as it's a family name, but if you're worried is there another family name you could use? I personally think Levi Matthew sounds nice - I had no idea they were the same name source.

 

[sbl]

I wouldn't foresee a problem with second names being the same.
My dad, brother and his son all have the same first name. Now that's confusing when their all in the same room!!

 

[RubyRainbows]

I think Levi Matthew sounds even better than Levi Michael. My mom just suggested a baby name to my brother (who is having a son in a few weeks) and used my son's middle name. I was like - WTF!! I would be pissed if my brother used my son's middle name as a 1st or middle name. And found it super annoying that my mom was even suggesting it!! Grrr. My point is - I don't think brothers (or first cousins) should have the same middle name. They each deserve their own individual name.

Think of it this way - some day you may adopt him - and then you WILL have a son with the middle name Michael.

Does DHs dad have a middle name that could work for your baby?

 

[jumpingo]

older brother's middle name = my mom's maiden name.
my middle name = my aunt's first name (on my mom's side)
younger brother's middle name = my dad's name.

also, my husband's first name = my younger brother's first name.
and my husband's middle name = my older brother's first name.

(to add to the confusion: my husband went by his middle name growing up, but now goes by his first name, so when our families are in the same place, we have to call my husband by his full name, or use first AND last names because there are so many of the same name flying around. haha!)


so, in my family, having a middle name that is someone else's first name is totally normal. my husband and i want to use names of siblings or family who were important to us somewhere in our (someday) kids' names.


interestingly, my mom wishes she had given all 3 of us her maiden name as our middle names because her side only had girls, so the family name died when her and her sister got married and took their husbands' names. my maiden name doesn't really work as a middle name, so i just dropped it and took my husband's. i could also make my mom's maiden name my middle name when i go to legally change my last name (i just got married and for visa reasons, haven't changed it yet) but we'll see!


ALL that to say, i think if you love a name, even if your nephew already has it as a middle name, i think you should still use it for your own kid. it might be kind of a "thing" too for your nephew and son, something that ties them together, regardless of whether or not you adopt them in the future.

i think as long as you aren't giving your son the same FIRST name as your nephew, you're fine. also, in the end, they will become adults and go off to live their own lives, so you should give them the name you want them to take with them into life.

 

[Rhapsodi]

My FILs middle name is Ralph, that is out...

Thanks for all the input I'm still torn for all the reasons you gave.

On my husbands side cousins having the same middle names is normal. My side there is only one cousin for the boys (their other side has other cousins but not same gender) I can't think of his middle name (we have a very dis functional family.)

I don't like Levi Matthew. Maybe we could do Levi Michael Ignatius? Something to think about...

 

[the why bird]

I like Levi Michael and unless the boys routinely go by their middle names I don't think having the same middle name is a big deal. Especially since it's a family name.

Have you asked your nephew how he would feel about it? He might actually like the idea of having baby named 'after' him.

Thinking back to my cousins and friends I grew up with, there were a lot of matching middle names. Mostly because the fashion for girls was to be called 'Marie' 'Louise' or 'Jane' as a middle name. I also have a cousin whose sons (Full brothers) share a middle name.