Two children with same name in one family?

[AngieW]

I'm not sure where to post this. People in this forum have been a massive help in leading me in the right direction with my Faulkner family. I am curious, though, was it common for a couple to use the same name more than once? Say, for instance, if "John" dies as a child and then the next son is also named John?

Looking at Daniel and Catharine Faulkner/Falekner/Falconer in Kingham, Oxfordshire. The same couple appears to have a son named John in 1803 and then another named John in 1807. The same record book shows several spellings for the last name, including Daniel Falkenhill's baptism in 1769. I think it's all the same family, however, since it appears to be a small community.

[Pam Downes]

Always look for a death/burial for the earlier-born child(ren), but yes, it was very common for later children to be given the same name as an earlier-born child. I found one instance where five children were given the name Samuaal until one grew into an adult.

[Lesley Robertson]

Even where both children survived, if the two grandparents had the same forename, two babies might be given the same forename, and were then called by variations - maybe something as simple as big and little Jimmy, James and Jimmy, etc. I know of a family where two daughters both used their middle names, neither actually being called by the shared forename.

[Sue Mackay]

My husband's ancestor, William, had three earlier siblings named William who died young. I got into the habit of numbering them, and then shocked my mother-in-law when I told her she was descended from William IV

[AngieW]

Thank you. I did find a burial date for the first John. Looks like he was 1yo when he passed.