Do you only name after frum relatives?

PinkandYellow ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 9:39 am

Are you makpid to name after relatives that were religious? if they weren't, would you add a name, or not name for them at all? does this issue come up for you when considering grandparents and great aunts/uncles? or do you not care, as long as the person was nice and decent?

shopaholic

Tue, May 29 2007, 9:42 am

It wouldn't bother me. If they are relatives, I'd name for them whether they kept Shabbos, Kosher etc or not.

Mimisinger

Tue, May 29 2007, 9:50 am

My son is named after my dh's very secular grandfather - but he was beloved . Which is what I want for my ds.

lubmommy

Tue, May 29 2007, 10:01 am

We have named after relatives who were not frum but they were good people. But we have one close relative who was frum but not a very nice or good person who we have not named for. Sometimes I wonder if this is not right.

greenfire ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 10:04 am

let's not forget everybody has their good and bad side ... but what if you don't have frum relatives and you want to remain family oriented ... you can modify name as you mentioned - or only take on their good side ...

Ruchel ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 10:16 am

I name after good people, period. I would name after someone not so great if he was named after a great person. Remember that in the long chain of naming after, the non frum relative is the exception not the norm, so no need to throw away a tradition that may come from centuries ago. Just my idea. Dd was named after 1 traditional/Mo, 1 frum and 1 chassidish.

↑ greenfire

Tue, May 29 2007, 10:25 am

one doesn't just drop their family ... not really considered respectful or mentschlich ...

cdawnr

Tue, May 29 2007, 11:05 am

My ds is named after my dad, not frum. The name was lsightly altered because my father passed away from cancer before he was 60...

my dd was, believe it or not, named "in honor" of my dh's grandmother who passed away while I wsa preggos. Our rav said that it was ok to do so and since my husband is a ger it made him feel good about his family. (Grandma was Elizabeth, so daughter is Elisheva). DD's middle name is a translation of one of my grandmother's yiddish names (Blima to Shoshana).

suomynona

Tue, May 29 2007, 11:08 am

My great uncle wasn't frum and my parents didn't name anyone after him because of that. My aunt and uncle did, though.

↑ PinkandYellow ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 11:33 am

do you believe that a person "takes after" the person he's named after, to a certain extent?

Seraph ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 11:34 am

Seeing as they say neshamos are connected to the people they were named after, I wouldn't feel so comfortable naming a kid after a non frum relative, unless I REALLY thought that person was great. However, there weren't any non frum relatives of mine that I respect enough to name after...
So don't plan on it.

Then again, I'm not really planning on naming after any relatives, frum or not.

shalhevet

Tue, May 29 2007, 12:03 pm

You can name after someone and have a tzaddik in mind. Eg call after Grandma Saidie whose name was Sara and have Sara Imeinu in mind.

↑ Ruchel

Tue, May 29 2007, 12:13 pm

MosheDovid'sMom wrote:

do you believe that a person "takes after" the person he's named after, to a certain extent?

Yes. But I think the child will take the good points only if you tell him he was named after X because this man was so nice/generous/brave... there are negative points in everyone, so then we shouldn't name after anyone...
Now if you give 2 or 3 names, I think it is good to have 1 frum person at least.

↑ PinkandYellow ↓

Tue, May 29 2007, 9:31 pm

Ruchel wrote:

MosheDovid'sMom wrote:

do you believe that a person "takes after" the person he's named after, to a certain extent?

I don't mean his personality traits, I mean his m'tzius. a spiritual connection, so to speak, between the two ppl.

↑ Seraph ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 2:15 am

MosheDovid'sMom wrote:

Ruchel wrote:

MosheDovid'sMom wrote:

do you believe that a person "takes after" the person he's named after, to a certain extent?

I don't mean his personality traits, I mean his m'tzius. a spiritual connection, so to speak, between the two ppl.

That's what I've heard. Which is why I would only name after a non frum relative if they had a really special neshama.

↑ PinkandYellow ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 2:55 am

Kmelion wrote:

I see it as giving the Neshama a chance at a Torahdik lifestyle.

at your kids expense (possibly)? I don't think so.