Back in the day, naming your son after his father was an honored family tradition. You’d have Eddie and lil’ Eddie. No one questioned whether it was a good idea, and when you spent 20 minutes on the phone talking to Bobby Sr. instead of Junior you laughed and kept on going.
Today, however, names are big business and one of the best ways to set a kid up right is by giving him a unique name. People are abandoning those more respectable, oftentimes biblical names, in favor of monikers like Jayden, Bryce and even Sundjata. In fact, people want names that set their kid apart from not only dad, but the world.
Like really, was there a Shemar Moore before there was a Shemar Moore? Probably not, since his name is a combo of his mother and father. Now boys named Shemar are common… forget about the number of boys, and in some cases girls, named Kobe. Who knows?–thinks the parent–maybe he’ll follow in that person’s footsteps?
But really, is everything old not good? There are benefits to keeping up traditions in naming your child that still make sense today.
Are you thinking about what to name your son? You’ll want to read these reasons why you should–or shouldn’t–name your son after his dad.
REASONS TO NAME YOUR SON AFTER HIS FATHER
1. A 1940’s study showed that III’s, IV’s and V’s don’t have as many mental health issues as the general population. So the peace of mind that comes from having a family name can increase your chances of birthing the next Bill Gates III or Tom Cruise IV.
2. A 1980 study showed that sons named after their dad had fewer behavioral problems, which makes sense because a kid is constantly aware that he is carrying that name. It’s like having dad breathing down your neck.
3. It’s the ultimate family bond. Dad’s tend to take a special interest in their namesakes.
4. It gives your son something to live into. George Bush Jr. Definitely followed in the footsteps of George Bush Sr.
5. When dad has a fancy name like Sammy Davis Jr. It’s like automatic PR.
6. When you want to LOCK DOWN YOUR MAN. It’s harder to walk out on a namesake.
7. A family name is handy when you just don’t want to spent countless hours coming up with a name. Just name him after your dad already!
