To the African traditions, the importance of names can never be over emphasised....so it got me thinking.........
1. Is it right to name my daughter after my mother even if she is still hale-and-heartly alive

2. Is it right for my children to bear my name as their surname instead of the family name.
Lets talk and learn!!!

Philipsdael: To the African traditions, the importance of names can never be over emphasised....so it got me thinking.........
1. Is it right to name my daughter after my mother even if she is still hale-and-heartly alive
You are not the first neither would you be the last.So no biggie

2. Is it right for my children to bear my name as their surname instead of the family name.
Lets talk and learn!!!

I dont think its right.But i use to wonder myself.Let the Egbons contribut to this part too.

stepo707:
I dont think its right.But i use to wonder myself.Let the Egbons contribut to this part too.

then what could be that thing that is wrong in using your name as your children's surname....

One of my daughters is named after her grandmother.

I wouldnt however change a childs surname to my husbands christian name. A lot goes into a family name. Many names are associated with the family home towns

This may not be a big reason but worth considering, but nowadays that people are travelling all over the world and moving away from home, the surname helps in identifying other members of the family who you may meet in your travels.

If your mother has been an inspiration to you in one way or the other for example, then there is nothing wrong with naming your child after her, IMO.

I also find nothing wrong with your kids having your Christian name instead of surname. Surnames go a long way back, I honestly don't know what my 10th generation before me did, what gods or God they served, how they lived their lives. Truth be told many generations ago believed in worshipping idols, worshipping thier gods, consulting herbalists.I don't know what crime they committed or how clean their hands were and for this reason I blame not parents that replace their surname with a Christian name that has only lived this much amount of years on earth, and things done can easily be traced back and also the beginning of a new name and a new chapter.

Same way people change their names these days: from Cordelia(sea daughter) to joy, from Mary(sadness/sorrow/bitter) to abigail(someone that gives joy) , etc

The lives we live now are for our kids.

chaircover: One of my daughters is named after her grandmother.

I wouldnt however change a childs surname to my husbands christian name. A lot goes into a family name. Many names are associated with the family home towns

This may not be a big reason but worth considering, but nowadays that people are travelling all over the world and moving away from home, the surname helps in identifying other members of the family who you may meet in your travels.

was her grandmum still alive when she was named

The ancestor does not have to be dead for the child to bear the name. Bearing a parents name is very common in Nigeria. We call them Junior. It is a way of honoring the person when they are still alive. It means that the parents hold that person in high esteem

jennykadry: If your mother has been an inspiration to you in one way or the other for example, then there is nothing wrong with naming your child after her, IMO.

I also find nothing wrong with your kids having your Christian name instead of surname. Surnames go a long way back, I honestly don't know what my 10th generation before me did, what gods or God they served, how they lived their lives. Truth be told many generations ago believed in worshipping idols, worshipping thier gods, consulting herbalists.I don't know what crime they committed or how clean their hands were and for this reason I blame not parents that replace their surname with a Christian name that has only lived this much amount of years on earth, and things done can easily be traced back and also the beginning of a new name and a new chapter.

Same way people change their names these days: from Cordelia(sea daughter) to joy, from Mary(sadness/sorrow/bitter) to abigail(someone that gives joy) , etc

The lives we live now are for our kids.

you are highly on point....!!!.
My grandfather was a tough voodoo-man....(atleast my Dad gist me the whole story when i was 20)
and my Dad is a little like his Dad.... Thank God for my mum, she is realy a God-sent......
We've heard some (should i say) negative-prophesis abt the family name...
Though, my frame-of-mind can't settle so low to believe in such stuffs......cos i knw dat (wat u conceive in your h@t realy goes along way in transforming to reality) and its working!!!
This's why am keen in ending the whole surname saga, when i'll have my first child.

A friend of mind is in this situation. The father is an ibo man and the mother from akwa ibom. According to him, the father abandon him and the mother when he was a yr old. The mother took sole resposibility of the boy till he graduated from university, unknown to the boy, the mother had change his name and gave him a new name bearing her surname up till this moment although the boy now knows his father. He asked me does it have any effect on him cos all his documents bears the mother surname making him from Akwa ibom instead of Imo state. Pls what advice would u give him!

luke4top: A friend of mind is in this situation. The father is an ibo man and the mother from akwa ibom. According to him, the father abandon him and the mother when he was a yr old. The mother took sole resposibility of the boy till he graduated from university, unknown to the boy, the mother had change his name and gave him a new name bearing her surname up till this moment although the boy now knows his father. He asked me does it have any effect on him cos all his documents bears the mother surname making him from Akwa ibom instead of Imo state. Pls what advice would u give him!

Create a new topic if you really want answers. Dont derail the thread.

Philipsdael:
was her grandmum still alive when she was named

Yes. My MIL picked the name herself. I actually took it as a honour bearing in mind that my daughter is one of many grandchildren.

You can name your child(ren) any name you like ooo. My first son is named after my father. My father is still alive ,hale and hearty sef. Personally, I don't think there nothing wrong in doing that.

The surname thing is what I love most! I changed it shaperly and my father is still alive. I am not even the first, second third, forth fifth born but, its my life .

OP, do what makes you happy.

Its a bold step.....one just need to be prepared to face the challenges of being called an outcast,
that's if the family-ties is that strong.

@Poster, You need to learn to love yourself. that way you will not need to ask people what is right when you are free to make up your mind about these things. Reduce your focus on society and what it says and learn more to express yourself and live your life, according to your rules, and within the law.

Kobojunkie: @Poster, You need to learn to love yourself. that way you will not need to ask people what is right when you are free to make up your mind about these things. Reduce your focus on society and what it says and learn more to express yourself and live your life, according to your rules, and within the law.

no man, you are wrong.....
"i should learn to love myself"
Tell me your defination of loving yourselfis it by being (self-centered with ur opinions an idea)
hmm
thats moreorless like being pompous...
U said "i should not focus on the society dat my rules should be within the law of the land"
CONTRADICTION should be the only word am suppose to use in quoting the comment.
Then, whats the essence of having a law if its better to live your live and do what pleases you!..

By posting a thread like this it goes to show that am creating an avenue for us to say how we feel concerning an unwriten customs that dwel in our society.......such as this......
Well,
Like i said..
We all knw its a free world.
Say ur mind

Philipsdael:
no man, you are wrong.....
Tell me your defination of loving yourselfis it by being (self-centered)
hmm
thats moreorless like being pompous...
By posting a thread like this it goes to show that am creating an avenue for us to say how we feel concerning an unwriten customs that dwel in our society.......such as this......
Well,
Like i said..
We all knw its a free world.
Say ur mind

The questions you asked are questions, I believe every family (wife and husband) ought to answer for themselves. I don't think you should consult the world at all on this or make it seem there is a right or wrong way of doing any of the above. That you asked leads me to believe that it is possible you are not confident you can make even this simple decisions yourself.

First thing that came to my mind

Question 1 --- Whose business is it?

Question 2 --- Whose business is it?

Kindly read the interesting discussion we have been having before u bring in ur re+tard-self inside the thread....

Others, post constructive comments, you came in and said we're not suppose to have such thread and u went on to give ur contradictory contribution to what we're discussing......
Can u see how dumb you are?...
Fix your brain right before you make a dumb-azz comment on a any thread.......cos u are simply confuse......

Philipsdael: Kindly read the interesting discussion we have been having before u bring in ur re+tard-self inside the thread....

Others, post constructive comments, you came in and said we're not suppose to have such thread and u went on to give ur contradictory contribution to what we're discussing......
Can u see how dumb you are?...
Fix your brain right before you make a dumb-azz comment on a any thread.......cos u are simply confuse......

Obviously, your "interesting discussion" is not as interesting to me . .. grow some balls/boobies and do what you will in your family . . not look around for what people do BEFORE you make a decision in yours.