Siblings with same names

[althomoore]

Over the years I have been researching my Family History, on a number of occasions I have come across families where siblings have the same first name e.g. Margaret born 1853 and Margaret born 1858. The children have the same Parents, same location, same church etc.

My immediate deduction was that the first sibling passed away before the second sibling was born and therefore the second sibling was named after the first. However, there are no records of the first sibling dying and that makes things confusing.

[hallmark]

Yes in many cases a later child is named after one that died!

As for records, in many cases they do not exist.

My g/father was named after another child that died, no records for him, no record of earlier death either....

[Viktoria]

My friend has just sorted a case like that out after many many years of searching.
 Baby born ,baptised. Next baby born, baptised with same name yet no death record for first child with that name ---until just a few  weeks ago and Bingo! Scotland`s People came up trumps.
Glad you have sorted it out.Viktoria.

[conahy calling]

Civil Registration in Ireland only commenced in 1864 for births and deaths, so if first Margaret had died before that, there will not be a death registered for her.

In Baptism records, sometimes if a child later died, the priest may have put a symbol of a cross beside the entry.  I have come across this, but its not very common.

[noland01]

The scenario with a child being named happened with my grandfather's eldest sibling.There were 3 boys called John.First 2 died at birth or shortly afterwards.

But then he also had 3 sisters named on birth certs. and also in baptismal register as Mary Jane,Mary Anne and Mary Catherine.All lived to a ripe old age so it must have been confusing calling those in for their dinner!!!!!!
Another sister registered as Mary Ann but christened Marian ,died shortly after birth.
First one went as Jane,second as Mary Ann and youngest as Kate.

[josey]

I found a family on a census in Scotland who had 3 living sons called Alexander; one after paternal grandfather, one after maternal grandfather & one after father. Fortunately there are a few short forms - Al, Alex, Sandy etc. so some way must have been found to distinguish them.

[KGarrad]

Spare a thought for George Foreman's family (the boxer).
All his sons are called George Edward Foreman!
On his website, Foreman explains, "I named all my sons George Edward Foreman so they would always have something in common. I say to them, "If one of us goes up, then we all go up together, and if one goes down, we all go down together!"

His 5 sons are referred to as George Jr., George III ("Monk"), George IV ("Big Wheel"), George V ("Red"), and George VI ("Little Joey").