Four boys... Gary, Chris, Kerry, Scott.... Named after people or friends we respected... 50 to 60 years ago. More recently grandnieces.... Maizie, Maddie and Marisa
I have 4 names and use my birth name instead of my baptismal name. My husband was Lawrence, and we both had the same initials as well as the same last name. We met quite by accident, and lo and behold it took. When I was preggers with my son we decided to keep the initials and if it was a boy, Liam Edward would be it. If a girl, Lara Elizabeth. I had a son and the rest is history as he's my only child. Lost hubby to Viet Nam when Liam was an infant.
I like the idea of using the same initials. I imagine it was rough having to raise a child alone. People tend to forget the great heartbreak and tragedies which occur during war. My husband had served in Viet Nam while as in the Navy. They came back via California and it was just the biggest deal with all the anti-war rioters. To the day he died, he had a distinct dislike for liberals.
I cannot say that I blame him, Bess. The people who served did not deserve to be treated so shabbily.
As for names.. my brother and I were named after forebears from Wales. As we only had the one son we gave him the French spelling Marc.. just to be different from all the Marks in the world. I was within a millimetre of being drafted for Vietnam @Bess Barber @Lois Winters. So I'd have been one of those many naive Aussie boys that were told to "go all the way with LBJ" joining America in its conflict with Communist North Vietnam. The ridicule and abuse these mostly kids of 19-22 copped on their return from this Asian hellhole from an insensitive generation against all wars..was disgraceful. Many were so mentally scarred by the experience they took their own lives. Vietnam vets had to wait for at least two decades after Saigon fell to be actually given formal recognition by the Australian government. Again disgraceful. Perhaps this needs to be in the Soap Box thread.
@Craig Swanson The scenario for the soldiers who served in Vietnam from American were just as bad as it was in Australia. Perhaps the war wasn't popular, but this certainly had nothing to do with the ones who did the fighting.