One vs two names | Imamother

amother

Lemonchiffon

Tue, Nov 26 2024, 8:04 pm

Some ppl have a minhag to give two names when the first original name is a common name.
So as not to have issues in shidduchim etc

amother

Ruby

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 9:29 am

amother OP wrote:

is there a reason to specifically give more than one name? or is it just preference?

Each of my kids has at least two names. Thanks to infertility, every time I have a child I know it may be my last so I name after multiple relatives. My daughter is named after four people plus the time of year that she was born, and my son is named after eight people.

amother

Tanzanite

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 9:41 am

Personal preference.

I know someone who always gives two names because that's what her parents did and she thinks that's the way it should be because she grew up with that.

We give one or two names, depending on who we're naming after etc.

Some people are makpid to call the child the full name given (no nicknames), so would not name a second name unless they are going to call them that name.

Ruchel ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 9:57 am

It's a very interesting thread.

It's also cultural, I notice some cultures give 1, others 2, others 3 etc. Some have very strict patterns like some Sephardim, etc.

For me the Shoah played there, unfortunately, yes so many to name after - and I discovered actually some HAD been named after but I didn't know ! But some of those were also names I loved.

Our sons have 4 Jewish names, our daughters have 3. I now hope either Hashem sends me a healthy boy or at least one of my children will want to name for my dad zal.

amother

White

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 1:01 pm

We add a name if the person was nifter young or had a difficult life.
I had a name added as I was named after someone killed in the Shoah. My sister was named after someone who went through the Shoah and continued living physically for another 50 yrs until she was in her 80s but mentally had died during the war so they added a name...

My oldest we just chose a name so she is single, my middle was named after a sibling that was nifter as a child so we added and my youngest was named after a grandmother who had a long wholesome life so it's just the one name.

There is a thing that naming after someone and just adding a name because takes away from naming after. Not sure properly which Rav or sefer it's from but I have definitely heard it from a reliable source

amother

NeonPurple

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 1:12 pm

amother Tanzanite wrote:

It's special you put so much thought and meaning into your children's names and you sound like each name is meaningful to you.
How do your children feel about being named for 4 people, holidays and in general having very long names?
..my relatives with long names don't appreciate what their parents chose for them to put it mildly.
I'm curious if these feelings are the norm with long names or not

amother

Brown

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 1:37 pm

Another reason for 2 names is when naming after a Tzadik/Tzadika with 2 first names. (Shlomo Zalman, Yisrael Meir.. etc)

↑ Ruchel ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 1:55 pm

amother NeonPurple wrote:

I love my name But I don't like having only one. My children love the richness of this gift.

amother

Celeste

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:00 pm

I give two. I like giving my kids a choice in case one name they don't for some reason. we try to at least sometimes call each child by both names. often when I write I'll write their initials as well to give credance to both names. more then two I wouldn't do because then it would be cumbersome to call them by their full name. I also don't do very long names like gedalya azaryah but more like rochel leah. I have in mind that the name should flow. I also like to do a name after someone and another name with a beautiful meaning. and at least one name should be easy to pass in the secular world. my kids really like their names b" H!

amother

DarkGray ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:04 pm

If you name after someone you're supposed to give the full name so that may be 2 or 3. We chose to name our kids with names we like but I gave each kid a second name as well so they can choose to be called by their second name if they wanted.

↑ Ruchel ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:05 pm

I personally consider that giving one of the names, naming for several people, translating, equivalents... Is naming after someone. Some don't.

amother

Bubblegum

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:06 pm

If im naming after someone with one name they get one.

Otherwise thet get the name im naming for, which is usually two

For the few children that I played around with names I gave two to ease shidduch issues (advice from my parents).

Now that I have kids in shidduchim im glad I did! It DOES come up!

Eta I dont usually call the kid by two names.

amother

Myrtle ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:07 pm

I like two names. It's preference. I named my kids after someone for their first name and added a meaningful name to me for the other one. I also like that they can choose what they like when they are older. I also don't do English names and my kid have their full names in all legal docs.

amother

↑ DarkGray ↓

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:10 pm

amother Myrtle wrote:

As someone with a Hebrew legal name I strongly advise against it. It's so hard to set up any appointments or accounts since no one can pronounce or spell my name. Unless your kid is David or Miriam or a name like that please don't do this to them.

↑ Ruchel

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:15 pm

amother DarkGray wrote:

But people post they hate having civil names...

amother

↑ Myrtle

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:19 pm

amother DarkGray wrote:

I myself was named with only one of my three Hebrew names. I wish my parents would've put all three on my birth certificate. In generations to come the only real way to remember a name besides mesorah is going to be legal documents. It has come up while naming a couple of my kids and we had to ask grandparents to really find out the names. It's very important to me.
They have a first name and a middle name. It's not a big deal.

amother

↑ DarkGray

Wed, Nov 27 2024, 2:22 pm

amother Myrtle wrote:

I myself was named with only one of my three Hebrew names. I wish my parents would've put all three on my birth certificate. I'm generations to come the only real way to remember a name besides mesorah is going to be legal documents. It has come up while naming a couple of my kids and we had to ask grandparents to really find out the names. It's very important to me.
They have a fiesta name and a middle name. It's not a big deal.

You make an interesting point. I've always thought to rely on metzaivos but you're right that it isn't reliable. We've seen what happens unfortunately. At the same time I can't unlive my experience and I don't wish it on anyone.