jewish moms - rules for baby names

Mrs.RockyM

If I'm naming my bean after my grandmother whose name was Frances, can I name my baby Frances, or do I have to change the name slightly?  Is it bad to use the same name as the deceased person?

schmoodle

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm a non-practicing heathen, but from my understanding there's nothing wrong with using the actual name (as long as the person is deceased - that's where its considered a big no-no to name after someone, you shouldn't name someone after a living person), it's just the more general practice to use the first initial rather than the entire name I think? I could be way off though. We used Josephine for our daughter's middle name after my papa Joe (Joseph) which is practically the same and no one balked, they were all very touched.

LisaBRM

You can absolutely use the exact name. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that when you're naming for someone it's really the Hebrew name that counts, which can also be exact.

sasa625

We gave DD my mom's name as her middle name. IT was important to me to use her name, not just the first initial. I say do what you want. As Schmoodle said, it's naming after a living family member that's considered a big no-no in the Jewish religion.

alchris

Just chiming in as another whose grandmother was Frances -- my older DD's middle name is Frances.  Not Jewish and not deceased in our case, but I was aware of the Jewish tradition and I knew it would be a no no if we were.  But thumbs up to your name choice and the connection!   Best wishes to you!!!

BeccaLandes

you definitely don't have to change the name- people just do it because often the deceased person's name is no longer in style.  my son asher is named after my husband's grandmother, whose name was alvida. there was no way we were going to name him alvin, which would have been closest.

i think to use the same name is the greatest compliment. my cousin's daughter is gertrude, named after her great-grandmother. 

google123

you can use the same name.  No problem, in fact lots of people do it and it's looked good upon.