International Living, Marriage & Travel

At my place, children are always named after their father or even given names of members from the father's side. So the father's side will always be known in generations to come. As a woman, you leave everything behind and be one with your husband. Can you imagine you can't even carry a name from your side?

This made me to wonder, why are children always named after their father or from father's side only?

We have a different approach to naming of new babies from where I come from. In my community, the mother of the child have a say when a new baby is born into the family and in those cases, if the child is a boy, the name is most probably going to be that of the father, but when the new born baby is a girl, she can take the name of the mother and no one can dare challenge that decision for we ensure that the wives in different homes have their say in matters like this.

I never took the name of my father, but that of my grand father when I was born. My grand father is late, so my father decided with the approval of my mom to name me after my grand father and that is how I began answering "Okuluemaka" which is the local name of my late grand father and I came to fall in love with that name as the day passes by. However, my sister took the name of my mother which is Perpetual and my dad was in full support of that. So, I don't think the decision to name a child is solely left for the father in my community.

Henrywrites wrote:We have a different approach to naming of new babies from where I come from. In my community, the mother of the child have a say when a new baby is born into the family and in those cases, if the child is a boy, the name is most probably going to be that of the father, but when the new born baby is a girl, she can take the name of the mother and no one can dare challenge that decision for we ensure that the wives in different homes have their say in matters like this.

I never took the name of my father, but that of my grand father when I was born. My grand father is late, so my father decided with the approval of my mom to name me after my grand father and that is how I began answering "Okuluemaka" which is the local name of my late grand father and I came to fall in love with that name as the day passes by. However, my sister took the name of my mother which is Perpetual and my dad was in full support of that. So, I don't think the decision to name a child is solely left for the father in my community.

Wow! Your culture is nice and I like the fact that even women have a say in naming the child. This shows and proves that women's opinion is also respected.

Thanks for sharing your story. My siblings and I have my father's name and the middle name is from our grandparents from our father's side.

Not all the times but naming a child should be collaborated by both parties not only in father side. Traditionally, if the new born baby is a boy father always appeal for giving names for that child but if it a girl, mother owns it. In reality, parents must have a concrete agreement in naming their children, not just only one will makes the final decision, it should be both of them.

I am glad in our case we can name our children how ever we please as there are no traditions we must follow. We usually give our children two names so the father can give them one and the mother the other. Before I did notice there we're Jr.s in almost every household but things have changed throughout the years.

This is actually a general phenomenon all around the globe when child naming is involved. As much as a mother might have a say in naming of her baby, but it's the one named after the father that stands out and it's likely the name the child carries all his life.

I would say that the reason for this is because the father is the head of the family, even with wife had to leave her own father's house and name, and come to pick up and answer her husband name. So therefore, it's logical that their children names links up with the father's names and not the mother, as their mother have already swapped her own father's name for her husband own.

So glad to know that you guys have shared your views and something about your culture. I really like this stuff and wanna say try to keep making this information for all like this more. I will see more views after this brookylin to niagara falls bus tours

I also would like to say that in this thread everyone had shared about their culture in such nice way. In fact, through this, I come to know about various culture and other things. I must say that keep sharing guys like this in future also. I also share here something regarding this after my package tours from las vegas

mildredtabitha wrote:At test link my place, children are always named after their father or even given names of members from the father's side. So the father's side will always be known in generations to come. As a woman, you leave everything behind and be one with your husband. Can you imagine you can't even carry a name from your side?

This made me to wonder, why are children always named after their father or from father's side only?

I always thought of it being a practical thing. It helps avoid confusion with family names.

xobe wrote:Not all the times but naming a child should be collaborated by both parties not only in father side. Traditionally, if the new born baby is a boy father always appeal for giving names for that child but if it a girl, mother owns it. In reality, parents must have a concrete agreement in naming their children, not just only one will makes the final decision, it should be both of them.

I completely agree with you. Both the partners should have the equal rights when it comes to naming the babies. As a son is considered as an heir to his father's generation, he should take up his father's name. But, for a girl it should be a matter of choice or mutual decision of the parents.