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Scotland / Re: Scottish naming patterns
« on: Wednesday 15 May 24 17:57 BST (UK) »
I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about naming. What we found was on one side of the family tree it does look like the "traditional" naming convention is followed with the eldest son being named after the father so that there are several generations all with the same name.
However on another side of the tree, it is a bit hit and miss whether that same naming convention is used with seemingly random names cropping up, names missing generations then reappearing but there's no evidence to suggest they were being named after a grand parent. I guess names come in and out of fashion which could have an influence as well.
I have come across instances where sometimes a child has died in infancy and the name is "reused" for the next child of the appropriate gender - perhaps this is a way to indicate they were naming the child after a parent/grandparent.
However on another side of the tree, it is a bit hit and miss whether that same naming convention is used with seemingly random names cropping up, names missing generations then reappearing but there's no evidence to suggest they were being named after a grand parent. I guess names come in and out of fashion which could have an influence as well.
Or maybe there was a child named Hugh whose baptism wasn't recorded and who died very young - are there any gaps in the family?
I have come across instances where sometimes a child has died in infancy and the name is "reused" for the next child of the appropriate gender - perhaps this is a way to indicate they were naming the child after a parent/grandparent.