this is me procrastinating: the Kennedys

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I'm working on an American history take-home exam, ended up on RFK's Wiki page, and realized that he had a lot of children in his short life. 11 to be exact, though the youngest was born after RFK's assassination.

Kathleen Hartington
Joseph Patrick II (after RFK's older brother killed in WWII)
Robert Francis, Junior
David Anthony
Mary Courtney (goes by Courtney - has a daughter named Saoirse Roisin, which I love)
Michael LeMoyne
Mary Kerry (goes by Kerry, or M. Kerry)
Christopher George
Matthew Maxwell Taylor
Douglas Herriman
Rory Elizabeth

WDYT? Thoughts on giving children the same first name, if one or neither of them go by it?

Comments

[piperwest12.livejournal.com]

I think you have Saoirse Roisin Hill the Kennedy grandchild confused with Saoirse Ronan the young Irish actress.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

...how so? I double-checked to see if I accidentally typed in Ronan, but I put in Saoirse Roisin. I think you're confused about my confusion, lol. I just meant that I loved the name Saoirse Roisin.

Although I do also adore the actress.

[piperwest12.livejournal.com]

Lol I think the Internet is confused cause when I typed in Saoirse Roisin all I got back was the Kennedy kid. Either way I agree with you, it's a beautiful name. Here in NYC one of the news anchors has a young daughter named Saoirse and it was the first time I'd heard it and fell in love with it.

[rylee900.livejournal.com]

I just named my baby Saoirse Roisín lol.

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

No, she's right. I read the name recently, and I also nearly mistook it for Saoirse Ronan, but Saoirse Roisin is someone completely different.

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

The "Mary as an unused first name" thing is part of Catholic culture. It's not so common anymore, but Mary was generally worked into girls names as first or middle names as many times as possible per family. I've known two girls named Mary Christine: one goes by Christy and the other by Christine. I have an aunt named Mary Theresa who has always gone by Terry and now only writes "Theresa" on documents. I also have an aunt named Margaret Mary and a cousin named Mary Margaret, and they both go by Molly.

TL;DR: Bobby and Ethel most likely fulfilled their "Mary" obligations and then called their daughters by the names they really liked.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Good choice! Gorgeous, gorgeous name :)

[silvermidnight.livejournal.com]

I misread Hartington as Harlington and I rather like Harlington now.

I like the name Courtney. Thanks to the Kardashians, I am starting to like Kourtney and I don't want to.

I also like Rory but Gilmore Girls used it up. But Rory Elizabeth is pretty pretty.

I think if they want Mary in there, make it less confusing for everyone and put it as the middle name.

[rylee900.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)