Re: OT: Anthroponymics

On 10/20/05, Thomas Wier <trwier@...> wrote:
>
>
> Mark Reed:
> > Many cultures find the idea of giving
> > their child a reused name abhorrent; aside from not moving to those
> > countries, they would seem to be out of luck.
>
> This is true; I am told (by Jewish friends) that Jews have specific
> superstitions against it.

Well, sort of. Ashkenazic Jews have a tradition of only naming children
after *dead* ancestors; therefore, giving a child the same name as someone
who is still alive is considered to be a sort of death curse on the one so
"honored". Sephardic Jews, I'm told, have no such tradition and readily name
children after living relatives.

When I wrote the above, I was thinking more along the lines of traditions
where a brand new name is created for each child.

--
Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>