Leitrim-Roscommon

The Irish genealogy Society lists this naming pattern to help us find grandpaents. Sons:1st son named after fa/fa : 2nd son named after mo/fa : 3rd son mamed after fa :4th son named after fa/eldest bro - then on through brothers by age. Daughters 1st dau named after mo/mo : 2nd Dau. named after fa/mo :3rd dau. named after mo: 4th dau. named after mo/ eldest sister- then on through sisters by age. Dose anyone have any variation on this naming pattern I need help on this .

Jim, the website “County Monaghan History”, at http://ahd.exis.net/monaghan/irish-names-naming.htm also lists this naming convention. From my studies in the south Leitrim area, I think it may have been broadly followed until around the famine times, and then less often. I think, though I haven't studied enough to prove it, that after that, the pattern may have been disrupted in that children were named after brothers and sisters who died or emigrated. Later in the 19th century, it may have changed again, so that names were perpetuated within families, but not necessarily. My grandfather's children's names were the same as his siblings' names, though the order differed. This was 1920s V 1890s. So I think the period you're looking into is also a vital ingredient.
Regards,
Tom

While I have found the above naming pattern to be wide spread and consistent, I have also found the following on numerous occasions.

At times the first child is a female and named after the father's mother. When the second child is a boy, it is named after the mother's father - and so on. It seems as if they take turns with each side of the family. This can also apply when they get to naming the children after brothers - the fourth son may be named after the father's brother, the fifth son after the mother's. Same for the girls - fourth girl after the mother's sister, then the fifth after the father's. And so on . . .

Terry M.