Boys Named After Their Mothers? (Last names)

[Pensive]

Okay, here come some questions which might seem weird to some but your answers would be very much appreciated! I have been wondering about this for some days. :)

Do you think it's wrong to name boys (their last names) after mothers considering that girls have their last names after their fathers also?

Why is this practice not common except in Iceland and Romania? (thanks to the friend who provided me this wikipedia link :)). Is this because men are considered superior and the children are supposed to 'belong' to them only? Or is it just a traditional practice which one one bothers to change?

Would you rather name your son after you (for female lit-netters) or his father? Would you rather name your son after you (for male lit-netters) or his mother?

Has anyone (a male) been named after his mother in this forum?

[dramasnot6]

I suppose it´s hard to break tradition, especially considering that most societies in the world are patriarchal. I think many religions also impose rules on how you should name your children.
It is certainly an interesting idea to do that. My uncle and his girlfriend decided to have a child and not get married, and they also decided to name the boy with his mothers last name. So there are certainly exceptions, just like there are with women not taking their husbands name after marriage(like my parents).

[Madhuri]

I think it has something to do with the family lineage and inheritance of ancestral property perhaps. If its a patriarchal (sp?) society (I am not sure what prevails in Iceland or Romania), like what Drama mentioned, then the children get their father's last name and it's otherwise incase of a matriarchal (sp?).

[Haven]

Something to think about Pensive... like Madhuri says we live in a patriarchy. But refreshingly, as Drama points out people are making their own choices now [well some at least]. My family has a tradition of naming girls with the maternal family name[s] as either a first or middle name. This kind of dilutes the paternal family name 'rules'. But it is a weird one as you say. Naming a child with the paternal family name does create an instant identity for the said child...they are aligned to the paternal 'clan'. But as I think we all have proved on forums like Lit and others. We choose our own names and our identities are therefore ours. But to get back to your initial query, re naming boys either after the mother's family or the father's, I can't see that it matters that much. But of course I am perusing this on the premise that the child is from a loving and mutually respectful parental base. Yes, but essentially it does indicate male hegemony... would I name a boy with my [female family] surname? I'd have to discuss that with my partner/husband. But I wouldn't push for it. Unless he had a really weird last name :lol:

[Pensive]

Thanks all for your replies!


I suppose it´s hard to break tradition, especially considering that most societies in the world are patriarchal. I think many religions also impose rules on how you should name your children.
It is certainly an interesting idea to do that. My uncle and his girlfriend decided to have a child and not get married, and they also decided to name the boy with his mothers last name. So there are certainly exceptions, just like there are with women not taking their husbands name after marriage(like my parents).

Wow dramasnot! I have never seen it happening in my relatives or where I live. Quite shocking! I was actually even surprised when I read that it happens in Romania and Iceland.


I think it has something to do with the family lineage and inheritance of ancestral property perhaps. If its a patriarchal (sp?) society (I am not sure what prevails in Iceland or Romania), like what Drama mentioned, then the children get their father's last name and it's otherwise incase of a matriarchal (sp?).

I wonder the same why this is not the case in Iceland/Romania. Perhaps their culture has got to do something with it you see nearly everywhere the culture is different...


Something to think about Pensive... like Madhuri says we live in a patriarchy. But refreshingly, as Drama points out people are making their own choices now [well some at least].

Yes, things seem to be changing (one of the things I like about the modern society!)


My family has a tradition of naming girls with the maternal family name[s] as either a first or middle name. This kind of dilutes the paternal family name 'rules'. But it is a weird one as you say. Naming a child with the paternal family name does create an instant identity for the said child...they are aligned to the paternal 'clan'.

Well, here there is a trend of naming girl children (all first, middle or last names) after their mothers' first name (never a mother's family name though) or a famous religious female personality but it's not too common. More girls are named after their father's first name rather than the father's family name. But in the case of a boy's last name, I have never seen a boy having his last/middle name after his mother (either his mother's last name or first name) or by any female personality's name.


But as I think we all have proved on forums like Lit and others. We choose our own names and our identities are therefore ours. But to get back to your initial query, re naming boys either after the mother's family or the father's, I can't see that it matters that much. But of course I am perusing this on the premise that the child is from a loving and mutually respectful parental base.

I don't either think it's a big deal. I don't even think 'names' are a great deal. Fascinating to look at but there are more important things in life. But these are small questions which can point to bigger things like patriarchy. It's like how some feminists put importance on this that we shouldn't only refer 'a person' as him. It should be 'him/her'. :p


Yes, but essentially it does indicate male hegemony... would I name a boy with my [female family] surname? I'd have to discuss that with my partner/husband. But I wouldn't push for it. Unless he had a really weird last name

Perhaps one should name a person neither after the father nor after the mother? :p Like my name! :D

[SleepyWitch]

i think i'd go for my bf's last name, because it sounds nicer than mine. basically, both our last names sound crappy, otherwise we'd go for a double-barreled name. over here lots of couples chose a double-barreled name as an expression of feminism (in the UK it's considered posh, whereas in Germany it's quite wide-spread). trouble is, most double-barreled names sound stupid, like:
Fick-Guthmann (F***-Goodman)
Scharf-Fickus (Hot-F***us)
Große-Flasche (Big-Bottle)
Hager-Kurz (Skinny-Small)
Groß-Blumstengel (Big-Stalk-of-a-Flower)
Vogel-Schwarm (Flog of Birds)
Wolf-Jaeger (Wolf-Hunter)
Wurm-Schleimer (Worm-Slimer; "Schleimer" is both related to slime and means someone who s*cks up to people)

somehow, it's mostly those whose last names are weird enough on their own who combine them to form a doubel-barreled name

[Walter]

It will foul up the tracing of inheritance and family trees even further. It is almost impossible to tace the woman's side of the family,now, with women taking their husband's last names on marriage. If the husband has his mother's name that will stop that tree at one generation back on both sides. So think of a solution that addresses both issues.

[Pensive]

It will foul up the tracing of inheritance and family trees even further. It is almost impossible to tace the woman's side of the family,now, with women taking their husband's last names on marriage. If the husband has his mother's name that will stop that tree at one generation back on both sides. So think of a solution that addresses both issues.

But then the woman is also having her side of family untraceable? That's no equality! This reminds me of how much I wanted to tear this pedigree my father had/has. Once as little I saw it and it made me sad and angry as well on not having my name on it...

[Walter]

But then the woman is also having her side of family untraceable? That's no equality! This reminds me of how much I wanted to tear this pedigree my father had/has. Once as little I saw it and it made me sad and angry as well on not having my name on it...

I understand that entirely, because I wish I knew who the women were in my ancestry, and the men and women who were their parents and so on. I hope I was clear that I thought it would be a good thing for all people to be able to trace their entire family tree, not just the branch that runs up the male side with the current male family name. Some of the women in my famly tree have the most unusual and fascinating first names and I wonder what they were like and what their ancestry was.

[Pensive]

i think i'd go for my bf's last name, because it sounds nicer than mine. basically, both our last names sound crappy, otherwise we'd go for a double-barreled name. over here lots of couples chose a double-barreled name as an expression of feminism (in the UK it's considered posh, whereas in Germany it's quite wide-spread). trouble is, most double-barreled names sound stupid, like:
Fick-Guthmann (F***-Goodman)
Scharf-Fickus (Hot-F***us)
Große-Flasche (Big-Bottle)
Hager-Kurz (Skinny-Small)
Groß-Blumstengel (Big-Stalk-of-a-Flower)
Vogel-Schwarm (Flog of Birds)
Wolf-Jaeger (Wolf-Hunter)
Wurm-Schleimer (Worm-Slimer; "Schleimer" is both related to slime and means someone who s*cks up to people)

somehow, it's mostly those whose last names are weird enough on their own who combine them to form a doubel-barreled name

Thanks Witch! I didn't know about people taking double-barreled names as an expression of feminism there! Ummm they seem weird as well as funny...


I understand that entirely, because I wish I knew who the women were in my ancestry, and the men and women who were their parents and so on. I hope I was clear that I thought it would be a good thing for all people to be able to trace their entire family tree, not just the branch that runs up the male side with the current male family name. Some of the women in my famly tree have the most unusual and fascinating first names and I wonder what they were like and what their ancestry was.

I wonder now what are those fascinating names! :D

[Madhuri]

It also has to do with legal issues. One of my friend who got married last year, is getting his wife's surname changed to his, that is, on legal papers. Some communities or laws don't recognise such unions that don't have any proof or for any legal matters need some proof of marriage or the same name. They might say, okay so you got married in a temple and there was only the priest and nobody else who can prove that you are a couple, and now you come here to claim the guy's property or money, saying you are his wife. So, people change names legally for such matters also.

Some women just add the husband's surname at the end without replacing their own family name (I think that is what Sleepy meant by double-barreled).

[Walter]

Pensive, so am I now trying to recall what those unusual women's names were. :) I'm going to have to dig out the ancestry and take a look. I hope it is still on my other computer, otherwise it is deep in storage. But I'll let you know. Speaking from very fallible memory, I think there was a "Salome," for example, in among the veritable ocean of typically Norwegian-sounding girls names, and endless Karls and Peders for the boys.

[Walter]

I wonder now what are those fascinating names! :D

Quicker than I thought, I found the back-up disk! Once upon a time, in Norway there were three women in the family at different times with the first names
Ovedia
Pernelle
Emogene
in addition to the usual Kristines, Catherines, Annes, etc.
And my bones tell me, still, that there was a "Salome" among them also, maybe on a sheet of paper that hasn't yet made it into the main data base for whatever reason. In any event I wonder what the association was in their parent's mind for choosing such distinctive names, or whether their families came from afar, outside of Norway, or anything else about the women carrying these unusual names. But now they are just names and will no doubt remain so, along with all the other names.

[Pensive]

Quicker than I thought, I found the back-up disk! Once upon a time, in Norway there were three women in the family at different times with the first names
Ovedia
Pernelle
Emogene
in addition to the usual Kristines, Catherines, Annes, etc.
And my bones tell me, still, that there was a "Salome" among them also, maybe on a sheet of paper that hasn't yet made it into the main data base for whatever reason. In any event I wonder what the association was in their parent's mind for choosing such distinctive names, or whether their families came from afar, outside of Norway, or anything else about the women carrying these unusual names. But now they are just names and will no doubt remain so, along with all the other names.

Yes, these are quite interesting and 'Ovedia' and 'Pernelle' I have never even heard before! I have read this name 'Emogene' on a fanfiction site I used to visit though! Thanks for looking them out. :)

[Walter]

Pensive,
When things calm down a little here -- it's exam time -- I'll fire up the old computer with the ancestry software on it and see if anything more turns up. Meanwhile, if you think you'll ever get interested in your own family history, the time to start is now. :)

[Pensive]

Pensive,
When things calm down a little here -- it's exam time -- I'll fire up the old computer with the ancestry software on it and see if anything more turns up. Meanwhile, if you think you'll ever get interested in your own family history, the time to start is now. :)

It's fun to hear old family tales, but personally I don't give much importance to it as do my grandparents. Here in some families, they even don't marry outside. I am against such kind of importance, but looking at it can be fun. Genetics is my favourite topic to study, so I like to notice my similarities with different relatives and other relatives's one with the rest of them and it can be quite fun but by studying genetics you come to know it's not always necessary that you inherit the qualities (both physical and habit) your parents/grandparents had. :)

Now becoming back to the topic, I would appreciate it if anyone else would also like to give his/her own views about it. :)

[plainjane]

My father's father's middle name was his mother's maiden name. The peculiar thing was that he married a woman [my grandmother] that had the same last name as his mother's maiden and his own middle name.
They were not however related, or if there was any relationship it was so far back in the mists of time as to be immaterial. So we were all told.

I like the practice of giving the mother's maiden name as a middle name for either sex child, it carries memories, and keeps a name alive. But I do think in the main stream of events, it is better for the child to have the father's last name last. In most countries it relates to inheritance, and makes it smoother for the child.

[Bakiryu]

I'm changing my last name to my mother's and so is my brother. My father and I already share the same middle name (Charity) :lol:

[Walter]

I'm more than a little surprised at all the unconventional naming without a thought to inheritance, just as I am at people living together permanently unmarried with different names, again without a thought to the woman quite possibly, or even likely, being left out in the cold when the time comes. There are govenment laws on inheritance which will govern distribution if no others do.
You can tell I am old-fashioned.

[kilted exile]

My middle name is my paternal grandmother's maiden name (Hesse)

[Bakiryu]

I hate my middle name so much. Nobody even calls me by my real name. My parents call me Molly! :lol:

[formality hater]

Genetics is my favourite topic to study,

As far as I can see,maybe the genetics is all in it as it very well explains why the children get their fathers name.
I have read an old tradition wher their was a whole race inheriting a woman's name but it soon perished-one from the later generation refused to get married so the whole thing came to an end.
Besides,I have seen a boy having a gilrlish name(first one)in honour af his great grandmother.:D

[Pensive]

As far as I can see,maybe the genetics is all in it as it very well explains why the children get their fathers name.

Umm...as far as I have read, nothing is there that indicates a father's name should be given to a child. In genetics, a family tree consists of both male and female sides and the possibility of a child inheriting from his mother can be as much as from his father I think? But my source of information can be wrong of course.


I have read an old tradition wher their was a whole race inheriting a woman's name but it soon perished-one from the later generation refused to get married so the whole thing came to an end.

I can't see why a whole generation inheriting a man's name can't also refuse to get married and bring things to an end! :p


Besides,I have seen a boy having a gilrlish name(first one)in honour af his great grandmother.:D

Now I am again curious what would be that name! *wonders and wonders* :p

[manolia]

My middle name is my paternal grandmother's maiden name (Hesse)

Kilt, this is a german name!! Did your ancestors come from Germany?




Do you think it's wrong to name boys (their last names) after mothers considering that girls have their last names after their fathers also?

No it's not wrong. In fact it seems more right to me, since we can only be sure of the child's mother, right? Meaning that a woman gives birth to a child. This is a fact. We can never be sure of who the father is, though. Ok this can be seen as a joke. Don't flame me.



Why is this practice not common except in Iceland and Romania? (thanks to the friend who provided me this wikipedia link :)). Is this because men are considered superior and the children are supposed to 'belong' to them only? Or is it just a traditional practice which one one bothers to change?

I don't know about superiority. It seems more like a tradition to me. It has originated of course from males wanting their family name to continue, among other things.



Would you rather name your son after you (for female lit-netters) or his father? Would you rather name your son after you (for male lit-netters) or his mother?

I really don't mind pensive. Although i consider my last name more interesting than my boyfriends.

[babybrother]

As far as I can see,maybe the genetics is all in it as it very well explains why the children get their fathers name.
I have read an old tradition wher their was a whole race inheriting a woman's name but it soon perished-one from the later generation refused to get married so the whole thing came to an end.
Besides,I have seen a boy having a gilrlish name(first one)in honour af his great grandmother.:D

I'm old fashion too and understand about not wanting to loose your last name so how about this?

For women at the time of marrige just hyphen your middle name with your birth middle and maiden names and take your husbands last name for legal and family unity reasons?

Ex: Mary Hada Little marries Mr. Lamb...
her married name would be:

Mary "Hada-Little" Lamb. That way every one wins.

Also, I named my son after my mom by breaking down her first and last birth name and made it "acceptible" sounding. I did this to honor her since I never knew my father but still carry his name.

[Pensive]

I'm old fashion too and understand about not wanting to loose your last name so how about this?

But a woman loses hers? Does she not?


For women at the time of marrige just hyphen your middle name with your birth middle and maiden names and take your husbands last name for legal and family unity reasons?

Ex: Mary Hada Little marries Mr. Lamb...
her married name would be:

Mary "Hada-Little" Lamb. That way every one wins.

And what about Mr. Lamb? Would his name also be Mr. Lamb Little then? In this way, everyone can win I suppose. (if it's about winning) :p

[kilted exile]

Kilt, this is a german name!! Did your ancestors come from Germany?


Not germany specifically, they came from what is now in the Czech republic. They were glass engravers. My gran still has a number of pieces they created.

[babybrother]

But a woman loses hers? Does she not?

Yes, But the history remains


And what about Mr. Lamb? Would his name also be Mr. Lamb Little then? In this way, everyone can win I suppose. (if it's about winning) :p

No, They would be "Mr and Mrs Lamb" and the children would have a normal last name rather than having a naming problem in the geneations to come.

It's really not about winning it's about getting along. The only reason to take the mans last name is that it fits today and yesterdays society and can still work in the future if the women (or even the men) hyphenates their middle name only.

[Pensive]

No, They would be "Mr and Mrs Lamb" and the children would have a normal last name rather than having a naming problem in the geneations to come.

I don't see how choosing name by one's own choice can be a 'naming problem'? When boys are named after other male personalities (which are not in the family), why can't a woman give her name to her son? The one she gave birth to. As for inheritence problem, the women now a days also get inheritence though many of them have got their last names changed? A daughter gets property of her father also. :)


The only reason to take the mans last name is that it fits today and yesterdays society and can still work in the future if the women (or even the men) hyphenates their middle name only.

In yesterday's society, a woman was deprived of inheritence, before that was also happening the same and they could have followed the same practice in the future (which is now)? Of course, you can say that naming is not a big issue as that but this is what the other party shall also realise which thinks a husband shouldn't take his wife's name or a male child shouldn't take his mother's name.

*edit to add this*


It's really not about winning it's about getting along.

Without any doubt it is not about winning. That's what I meant by 'if it is'. Two people can get along really well if they choose to name their children by their own choice (and a husband/boyfriend doesn't also mind his wife/girlfriend having named his son after her). The problem is I don't see what's wrong with getting along like that? And so what's wrong with naming a son after his mother? :)

[babybrother]

The problem is I don't see what's wrong with getting along like that? And so what's wrong with naming a son after his mother? :)

I agree with that, all I'm saying is that the two should agree on a single last name, his/hers, hers/his, his/his or hers/hers if they plan on having kids, the hyphen idea really blows for a last name for the next generations.

[Pensive]

No it's not wrong. In fact it seems more right to me, since we can only be sure of the child's mother, right? Meaning that a woman gives birth to a child. This is a fact. We can never be sure of who the father is, though. Ok this can be seen as a joke. Don't flame me.

Oh my! You have spoken my mind. When I started this thread, this was what was exactly in my mind...

[babybrother]

When boys are named after other male personalities (which are not in the family),

I'm sorry I don't undrestand???


Two people can get along really well if they choose to name their children by their own choice (and a husband/boyfriend doesn't also mind his wife/girlfriend having named his son after her). The problem is I don't see what's wrong with getting along like that? And so what's wrong with naming a son after his mother? :)

I feel as though I'm being treated as a male chauvinist when I agree mostly with what I think you're trying to say. Yes, it's true a women is the one who carry, gain the weight, give birth, breast feed and all the other stuff a man can not do.

But what does that have to do with the naming of the child, the one who was conceived by love and should show the union of the new "family"?
IE: a single last name (beit his or even hers, who cares? As long as both new parents agree.) which shows a family unit, not an individual.

My thought of hyphenating one's middle name solves all of that. WHEW!

Boy, it sure appears that someone is only thinking of the way one loses a name rather that gaining a family.

I know, how about if

"Mary Little-Lamb" married
"Jack Benimble-Bequick" their child would be called
"Baby Little-Lamb-Benimble-BeQuick" or
"Baby Benimble-BeQuick-Little-Lamb" if you want to argue about it... and so on and so on.
This is ridiculous. When the name could simply be

"Baby Lamb" (with the history being carried in the middle name)

This is my point, not that it should just be the "mans" last name.

[Pensive]

I'm sorry I don't undrestand???


I feel as though I'm being treated as a male chauvinist when I agree mostly with what I think you're trying to say. Yes, it's true a women is the one who carry, gain the weight, give birth, breast feed and all the other stuff a man can not do.

But what does that have to do with the naming of the child, the one who was conceived by love and should show the union of the new "family"?
IE: a single last name (beit his or even hers, who cares? As long as both new parents agree.) which shows a family unit, not an individual.

I guess I misunderstood you then. Okay, we agree to agree, there is no point in debating. :p


My thought of hyphenating one's middle name solves all of that. WHEW!

Well, naming is not a big issue but still hyphenating from either side can be okay. And I believe hyphenating can be from man's side as well, it's not always necessary that a woman shall hyphenate!


Boy, it sure appears that someone is only thinking of the way one loses a name rather that gaining a family.

Of course there are more important things in life than names but everyone names his kid! :p


I know, how about if

"Mary Little-Lamb" married
"Jack Benimble-Bequick" their child would be called
"Baby Little-Lamb-Benimble-BeQuick" or
"Baby Benimble-BeQuick-Little-Lamb" if you want to argue about it... and so on and so on.

This is my point, not that it should be the "mans" last name.[/QUOTE]

I don't think there is anything much wrong with it either too. That's my point. Parents should name whatever the way they want to. Whether after mother or son, and that should be acceptable in the society rather than rejected which I have found in some cases. And that there is nothing wrong (or what shall be considered funny) if a woman names his son after him or a husband hyphenate his wife's name.

[Walter]

I can see I'm on a different wavelength, and should leave it at that.

[formality hater]

Umm...as far as I have read, nothing is there that indicates a father's name should be given to a child. In genetics, a family tree consists of both male and female sides and the possibility of a child inheriting from his mother can be as much as from his father I think? But my source of information can be wrong of course.

I think you have missed the basics.Family tree is not at all relevant in this case.

[Pensive]

I think you have missed the basics.Family tree is not at all relevant in this case. It is the game of chromosomes and nothing more than that.Discontinuous variation!

It does play a role in our discussion I think. Family tree assures that babies can't be produced without either of the side: men or women, and so places importance on the both sides which gives us this idea that a baby can be named from either of the side or a mother has got as much right on him as his father. :) And most of all all, it's even used to measure similarities and differences in which the mother's side is also included. :)

As for the chromosomes, of course if I would have read even a 'little thing' about genetics, why would I miss such a basic concept? But still I don't understand how chromosomes being 'the game' suggest that a child shouldn't be named after his mother? Would you like to explain a little more please?

[formality hater]

The gender of a child is not related to family tree.:DAND I NEVER SAID THAT CHILDREN SHOULDN'T BE NAMED AFTER THEIR MOTHERS!I know two or three people who actually are!
And just forget that I ever mentioned chromosomes;) You will read in higher classes,I hope(if you are a biology student).

[Pensive]

The gender of a child is not related to family tree.:DAND I NEVER SAID THAT CHILDREN SHOULDN'T BE NAMED AFTER THEIR MOTHERS!I know two or three people who actually are!
And just forget that I ever mentioned chromosomes;) You will read in higher classes,I hope(if you are a biology student).

Umm please stop this about higher classes, there is something called 'self study'. :p But what has gender here got to do with the naming of the child? This is what I don't understand. I thought you were relating it to the topic. I guess it was a misunderstanding then. :p

[babybrother]

Pensive, it sounds to me you have a chip on your shoulder or are playing the female victim.... you know, being in a mans world and all. (note the sarcasm)

but if you just understood what I meant by the "new family" only should carry one last name and change the parents middle name by hypenating with the last name that normally would be lost) for historic purposes and simplicity (whether the change was by the woman or even the man), then it should defuse your whole feminist point of view.

This was just an idea on my part to satify the issue of loosing ones last name and the history behind it. It works for women or men and nobody would laugh or reject it because it doesn't scream "look at me, I'm defying the male chavanistic ways!" It really shouldn't be such an issue unless you like playing the victim.

Anyway, I'm done... good luck on your quest.

[Pensive]

Pensive, it sounds to me you have a chip on your shoulder or are playing the female victim.... you know, being in a mans world and all. (note the sarcasm)

but if you just understood what I meant by the "new family" only should carry one last name and change the parents middle name by hypenating with the last name that normally would be lost) for historic purposes and simplicity (whether the change was by the woman or even the man), then it should defuse your whole feminist point of view.

This was just an idea on my part to satify the issue of loosing ones last name and the history behind it. It works for women or men and nobody would laugh or reject it because it doesn't scream "look at me, I'm defying the male chavanistic ways!" It really shouldn't be such an issue unless you like playing the victim.

Anyway, I'm done... good luck on your quest.

So are you trying to suggest a child can be named after a mother or a man can take his wife's name only because of 'anti-male-chavanism' reasons? No offence meant because I want to keep this discussion friendly but here you are making it seem like a great deal.

[babybrother]

So are you trying to suggest a child can be named after a mother or a man can take his wife's name only because of 'anti-male-chavanism' reasons? No offence meant because I want to keep this discussion friendly but here you are making it seem like a great deal.

All I'm suggesting is, at the time of marriage, the couple should decide who's last name will the family will take and who will hyphenate their middle name.

Then, when they have a baby (boy or girl) there is no naming problem. the history remains in the parents middle name and the last name of the child won't get enormous. That's all.

I'm trying to have a friendly dicussion but I feel I'm just banging my head against a wall.... please say you understand, even if you dissagree, that's fine. I just wanted you to understand the idea. Peace.

[Pensive]

All I'm suggesting is, at the time of marriage, the couple should decide who's last name will the family will take and who will hyphenate their middle name.

Then, when they have a baby (boy or girl) there is no naming problem. the history remains in the parents middle name and the last name of the child won't get enormous. That's all.

I'm trying to have a friendly dicussion but I feel I'm just banging my head against a wall.... please say you understand, even if you dissagree, that's fine. I just wanted you to understand the idea. Peace.

Of course I am getting your concept but what I don't understand is that why are you expecting a wall to understand if you think you are banging against a wall? :p

Yes, peace please! :)

[babybrother]

Of course I am getting your concept but what I don't understand is that why are you expecting a wall to understand if you think you are banging against a wall? :p

Yes, peace please! :)

You're right. My head is sore. I'll stop banging.

It's someone else's turn.

[manolia]

Oh my! You have spoken my mind. When I started this thread, this was what was exactly in my mind...

Actually this practice (children belonging to their mothers) was common in ancient societies and various tribes. Monogamy is something relatively new it seems (concerning how many thousand years human beings habitate the earth). So a woman could have many lovers- husbands and the only way to know and identify a child was its mother :) All those interesting information i have read in Engels book "The origin of family" .

[the silent x]

i know the forum said last names, but i have a funny fact to tell you. both his parents thought the captain of the football team was going to be a girl so they had everything embroidered with the name bridgette marie -------- kinda funny, the thing is, he could kill anyone just by looking at them(figure of speech, the guy is built like a titan, like the spartans from the movie 300 except taller and wider.) he brought in some of the stuff and we wrestlers just happened to see it, it's really funny. (i do not play football, bunch of morons running into each other like goats bashing heads)