Re: OT: Anthroponymics

On 10/20/05, Tom Chappell <tomhchappell@...> wrote:

> I am reminded, by the above two exchanges (between Carsten & Tom and between
> Mark & Tom), of a program I saw "some time ago" (sorry I can't remember
> when), about a certain Greek island with the following "rules" for personal
> ("given", "Christian") names:
>
> Sons:
> * The first-born son is always named after his father's father.
> * The second son is always named after his mother's father.
> * The third son is always named after his father's oldest brother, if his
> father has or had a brother.
> [I'm not sure about these next two rules coming up.]
> * The fourth son is always named after his mother's oldest brother, if she
> has or had a brother.
> * The fifth son is always named after his father's second-oldest brother,
> etc.
>
> Daughters:
.....
> can't recall the exact name); but, following those rules, the parents' right
> to
> innovate a name only begins with the third son and/or third daughter, and,
> even then, only if the father has no brothers (for the third son) and/or the
> mother has no sisters (for the third daughter).
It sounds as though this rule, if strictly followed,
would often result in several siblings
with the same Christian name,
and nearly always in several first cousins
having the same Christian name.

In my family we tend to avoid giving the same
names to children as those already used
by their elder first cousins, but there are too
many second cousins to keep track of so
I have a fair number of second cousins
with the same name.  We have a tendency
to name children after their parents and
grandparents and great-grandparents,
but no strict rules.

--
Jim Henry
http://www.pobox.com/~jimhenry/review/log.htm
http://www.pobox.com/~jimhenry/conlang.htm
http://www.pobox.com/~jimhenry/esp.htm
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