Mrs. Geek is named after her grandmother’s sister, who was not only still alive when she was born, but is very much still alive even today (Mrs. Geek is now in her 30’s).
My brother in law named one of his daughters with the first name of his mother and the middle name of Mrs. Geek. One of his sons is named after his wife’s father.
Idiot! He was named after Uncle Zombie.
If the Bible is to be believed (opinions vary), when the priest Zechariah’s son was born, it was expected that his son would be named Zechariah, after himself. Instead, the boy was named John (he went on the become a Baptist!). So, plainly Jews didn’t always consider it improper to name a child after someone still alive.
Anyone else remember the sad ending of Barry Levinson’s great film “Avalon”? Elderly Sam Krchinsky is a lone i na nursing home, when he’s visited by his adult grandson, a grandson who’d always adored him. The grandson has brought along his own little boy, and says, “We named him Sam.”
For a moment, old Sam Krchinsky gives a disapproving look, and says, “You’re not supposed to name children after the living.” His grandson smiles and says, “I know.” With a look of both resignation and some small pleasure, Sam nods and mutters, “You know.” He considers the name improper, but feels honored anyway.
I’m with the “no prohibition–honored, in fact” crowd. My oldest brother was named after my father’s best friend. My mother and her sister got pregnant at the same time, and they decided to each name that youngest child after the other’s oldest, thus I’m named after my oldest cousin (in that family, anyway), and his youngest brother is named after my oldest brother.
And as for the Jr/Sr thing, you can pretty much call yourself whatever you wish. I have a friend who goes by “Jr.” even though he’s technically “the fourth”
while most have the daughter of, son of ending in the homeland; among the 2nd generations and beyond it has morphed into just father’s name no ending, if his name can go feminine for the girls that will work as well.
it is really tough when dad’s name is vladimir, or igor. no fem. name for them, and strange looks when trying to deal with forms.
i know a family that have the revolving vladimir-sergey name. dad will be vladimir sergey, son will be sergey vladimir, etc. it has gone on for many generations.
I don’t think it’s a grave insult as much as very bad luck. Lots of explanations why. What we don’t like to tell people outside the “tribe” is that we’re a superstitious bunch!
Still, it is a common thing (at least for Jews whose families came from Northern Europe) to name children after a recently deceased relative. I was named after my maternal grandfather, who unfortunately died before I was born. My middle brother was named after a grandfather who died in WWII. My youngest brother was named after my paternal grandfather, who died two years before my brother was born.
The naming isn’t always obvious. The names of Jews born in Europe before about 1920 or so are invariably Hebrew, and then start to change to local national names. For example, my grandfather’s name was Nathan (that is Natan, after the Hebrew prophet) but by the late 1930s Jews in Polish cities were giving children names like Richieu (not obviously related to any Hebrew name).
Note, though, that most Jews of my generation or earlier have both a “birth certificate” name and a “Hebrew” name. Sometimes it’s the same; both of mine are Joseph.
In the US, first-generation American Jews often get an Americanization of a Hebrew name as the birth certificate name. For example, my father’s Hebrew name was Mordecai, but his birth certificate name was Morton. The idea was to help the child assimilate.
This accelerated in my generation, but then started going in the opposite direction in more recent times. I see a lot more Joshuas, Jacobs/Jakes, Leahs, Rachels, etc. My grandfather (of blessed memory) would be astounded to find out that Nathan is now a quite popular boy’s name! ;j
Unless there is a religious restriction against it, why would you care what someone else’s rule is about naming a child???
I was named after two living aunts.
My almost sixteen year old granddaughter said that she wants to have a daughter one day and name her Penelope just because she likes the way it sounds. But she’s going to call her “Grammy” after me. 