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HelpRe: Really? You went there?
in reply to a message by Elena
I know one family whose kids are Joseph and Joanna. Granted, Joseph and Joanna aren't related names, but they are darn similar. They call Joseph "JJ" and sometimes call Joanna "Jo-Jo."
I also once knew a family with sons named Christopher and Christian. There was an extra layer of creepy sadness in their name choice because Christopher had died, and it really felt like they had Christian to replace him. Not only did they have virtually the same name, they put Christian in Christopher's room with his posters on the wall, his clothes in the closet, his CDs stacked on the dresser, etc. The only signs that a baby lived there were the crib and the clothes in the dresser. They were such a sad family.
I also once knew a family with sons named Christopher and Christian. There was an extra layer of creepy sadness in their name choice because Christopher had died, and it really felt like they had Christian to replace him. Not only did they have virtually the same name, they put Christian in Christopher's room with his posters on the wall, his clothes in the closet, his CDs stacked on the dresser, etc. The only signs that a baby lived there were the crib and the clothes in the dresser. They were such a sad family.
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Wow, that's almost tragic and yes, very creepy. BTW, I have nephews named Christopher and Christian and it can get confusing although I doubt the family you're referring to would have named the second ds Christian had Christopher not died.
This reminds me of a friend of my oldest dd. This girl's name is Melissa and she was conceived after her older sister died far into the pregnancy. The parents knew it was a girl and her name picked out? Marissa. So in the same way that Christian was almost a replacement for Christopher, Melissa was almost a replacement for Marissa. Through talking about it with her, I could tell it messed with her mind a bit.
This reminds me of a friend of my oldest dd. This girl's name is Melissa and she was conceived after her older sister died far into the pregnancy. The parents knew it was a girl and her name picked out? Marissa. So in the same way that Christian was almost a replacement for Christopher, Melissa was almost a replacement for Marissa. Through talking about it with her, I could tell it messed with her mind a bit.
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Way back when, when infant and child mortality was high, it was not uncommon for people to give a child the same name that a deceased sibling had had. Thomas Jefferson had two daughters named Lucy Elizabeth, one named after the previous one had died, and his probable mistress Sally Hemings had two daughters named Harriet, again one named after the previous one had died.
But now most people would find that inappropriate and creepy. Obviously back then it was seen differently, or just not seen as anything. Interesting how perceptions change over time.
But now most people would find that inappropriate and creepy. Obviously back then it was seen differently, or just not seen as anything. Interesting how perceptions change over time.
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I have a family like that in my family tree...
One of my sets of great-great-grandparents, Henry and Margaret, tried three times to name a son Henry, but each of them (born 1884, 1889 and 1892) died in infancy. The next son they had, in 1893, was named Harry instead, and he lived until 1976. They just weren't meant to have a Henry, apparently.
One of my sets of great-great-grandparents, Henry and Margaret, tried three times to name a son Henry, but each of them (born 1884, 1889 and 1892) died in infancy. The next son they had, in 1893, was named Harry instead, and he lived until 1976. They just weren't meant to have a Henry, apparently.
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