Calling Creative Moms! Middle name/honoring family...

Jesslauren310

So it is a tradition in my H's family to name the firstborn son with the grandfather's middle name (my H has his grandfather's middle name, and he wants this baby to have his father's). However, we have also been talking about a way to honor both our fathers, especially since mine has passed away, and we were very close.

My father's name: Melvin - he hated it, and I am not a fan, either.

H's father's name: John

Is there a way - or maybe a name? - that could honor both? I really don't want to give him two middle names (ie, Baby Melvin John or Baby John Melvin), especially because my father didn't love his name. 

This might not be possible without doing just that, though. Just wanted to throw it out there and see if anyone had any good ideas!

momtobe1028

Might be a stretch, but what about Levi John or John Levi ?

Jesslauren310

did not think of Levi! 

and no, no middle name : H's dad's middle name is Lawrence, if that helps any...and he is open to using some variation of that in place of John. 

plunderb

Can you use your dad's last name? Especially if it's your maiden/surname? This baby will have my maiden name as a mn and I have my mom's maiden name as my middle name. It's a nice way to honor that whole side of the family.

cbl709

we plan to use a middle name and then my last name as a second mn for this one. my husband has two mn as well so we are ok with that as an option.

Dr.Loretta

Did your dad have a NN? My SIL's dad hated his name, so he went by Pete. SIL and her brother gave used Peter to honor him

mmb248

Can you honor your dad by using his middle name or last name?  My dad passed a way a few years ago, and he hated his first name.  I'll use my maiden name for a boy as a way to honor him, and my sister plans to use his middle name.

Did he have a nickname you could use?

Jesslauren310

Thanks for the ideas, ladies

His NN was Mel, which I don't mind at all. As for his last name (my maiden name), it is Jewish and a MOUTHFUL. So that unfortunately is a no go.

I thought of somehow trying to merge the two, but I figured that might be weird. John and Mel or Lawrence and Mel. I wanted to stay away from two middle names, not for any particular reason, but just because it's NMS. BUT - I feel like that might be inevitable if I want to go this route...

I even looked up the names/meanings of both names:

Melvin: English/Scottish, Counsel Protector

John: Hebrew, God is Gracious

I thought about a name with a meaning incorporating both, but I'm not totally sure how I'd find it without sifting through for hours.  

Jesslauren310

Wait.

I looked up the meaning of Melvin, and literally EVERY site I've seen is different, so that's confusing.  

CMSAV

maybe you could use Malcolm or Vincent to honour your dad? GL!

BeckyOff

Melvin + John = Melon ???

Let your dad pick the first name?  Give him your top 5 choices and let him pick.

caittozer

Hmm that's tricky. I actually like the name Melvin after the baby from How I Met Your Mother.

John Melvin

ap142193

Is Melvin the first or middle name of your dad? If it was his first, you could use his middle and vice versa.

StickyBaby

I would go with

John Lawrence

sporklemotion

Jesslauren310:

Thanks for the ideas, ladies

His NN was Mel, which I don't mind at all. As for his last name (my maiden name), it is Jewish and a MOUTHFUL. So that unfortunately is a no go.

I thought of somehow trying to merge the two, but I figured that might be weird. John and Mel or Lawrence and Mel. I wanted to stay away from two middle names, not for any particular reason, but just because it's NMS. BUT - I feel like that might be inevitable if I want to go this route...

I even looked up the names/meanings of both names:

Melvin: English/Scottish, Counsel Protector

John: Hebrew, God is Gracious

I thought about a name with a meaning incorporating both, but I'm not totally sure how I'd find it without sifting through for hours.  

Was he/are you Jewish (you don't have to answer if you don't want to)? In my family, and I think in many Jewish families, we usually keep the Hebrew name and then pick an English name that's similar or starts with the same letter.  We are doing this with my mother, who passed away-- her name was Ethel, which we just can't do, and which she didn't like.  So we'll find an E name and go with that, but her Hebrew name will be the same as my mother's.   If he had a Hebrew name that you know of, maybe you can Anglicize that if you like it better than Melvin?   

If you're not Jewish, this may seem like a step too far away, but if you are or he was, it opens up more options: Matthew, Martin, Moses, etc.

this decaf life

Does your dad have a MN? Does your mom remember any names your dad liked when he was naming children himself? Like, had you been a boy did he have any suggestions? 

Jesslauren310

Thank you for these awesome ideas! I really, really, really appreciate it!

 Just to answer some questions...

He has no MN, and he since he passed away when I was 13, I can't ask him what he thinks.

We did want a middle name to honor them, not a first name. We do think we have a first name (but might not really know until the baby is born).

 I was raised Jewish but am not currently practicing. His Hebrew name is Mendel. That is a really nice idea, though, I didn't think of that!

 Thank you very, very much