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*Since many children died in the 17th and 18th centuries, parents had no problem with '''re-using the name of a dead child for a subsequent birth'''. A family might, therefore, have several John or Jane children. Occasionally, the same name was given to more than one living child, but this was rare. The re-use of a name almost always meant that the first child with that name had died. | *Since many children died in the 17th and 18th centuries, parents had no problem with '''re-using the name of a dead child for a subsequent birth'''. A family might, therefore, have several John or Jane children. Occasionally, the same name was given to more than one living child, but this was rare. The re-use of a name almost always meant that the first child with that name had died. | ||
===Naming Pattern=== | ===Naming Pattern=== | ||
The most common convention was for the parents to choose names that honored people. Sometimes the people so honored were powerful people, such as a local, wealthy landowner. Sometimes the names honored royalty. So there were many Henrys named after King Henry and many Georges named after King George. The most common persons to honor, however, were the gender appropriate grandparents and parents. There was even a convention in the order in which the ancestors were honored – probably to avoid insulting anyone. Although it was far from universally used, the usual British naming convention was as follows: | The most common convention was for the parents to choose names that honored people. Sometimes the people so honored were powerful people, such as a local, wealthy landowner. Sometimes the names honored royalty. So there were many Henrys named after King Henry and many Georges named after King George. The most common persons to honor, however, were the gender appropriate grandparents and parents. There was even a convention in the order in which the ancestors were honored – probably to avoid insulting anyone. Although it was far from universally used, the '''usual British naming convention was as follows''': | ||
• The first son was named after the paternal grandfather<br>• The second son was named after the maternal grandfather<br>• The third son was named after the father<br>• The fourth son was named after the oldest paternal uncle<br>• The fifth was named after the second oldest paternal uncle or the oldest maternal uncle | • The first son was named after the paternal grandfather<br>• The second son was named after the maternal grandfather<br>• The third son was named after the father<br>• The fourth son was named after the oldest paternal uncle<br>• The fifth was named after the second oldest paternal uncle or the oldest maternal uncle | ||