I wasn't aware they ever stopped...
But apparently, the tradition of men giving their sons their first names, is a dying one. Since the 1970s the practice of patronym (fathers naming sons after themselves that has been around for centuries) has started declining. The founder of BabyNames.com simply explains why: "it fell out of style because people wanted their children to have their own identity."
Another reason for the supposedly lack of boys having their father's name according to Today's Parent: "Other reasons for the near extinction of a “Jr.” reflect our evolving social landscape: the decline of extended families, the rise of single motherhood and the most basic fact that a lot of traditional practices have fallen by the wayside."
I'm all for fathers (Happy Father's Day! 🎉) naming their sons after themselves in the same way I'm all for mothers doing so too. My own father (RIP) named my brother after him and I always thought that was really great. I can't see my father or brother named as anything other than Harvey.
That being said, I also respect the more creative route a father can take in naming his son other than his own name. I knew a father whose name is Justin who named his son cutely: Austin. To each his own. 🤷🏾♀️
Despite what onomastic experts say, I don't think the tradition of a man naming his son his first name is going anywhere anytime soon. Patronymics is a fundamental parental practice that really shouldn't.
📌👀Reddit AskMen 🤔 Community Thread: "Men who have named sons after themselves: why did you do it?"
