Does anyone know a nickname for the IV?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2004
Does anyone know a nickname for the IV?
13
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 7:56pm
My husband is a III named after his father and grandfather. If we have a son he wants to continue the tradition with the same name which would make our child a Fourth/IV. The problem is that my husband's name is awful and I would not want to subject my child to such a bad name. I've known guy's who are III to be called Trip or Trey. Does anyone know of a similar type nickname for the IV? I've heard Chip (for chip off the old block). Any other suggestions?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 8:42pm
Could he go by his middle name? (or is it bad, too)?

Maybe we could help if we know more about the name....do you want to share?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 9:03pm
My cousin's son is a 4th. She says the nickname for a 4th is Ford, like Trip/Trey is for a 3rd. I have searched all over the net and can't find this, but she's really into these things?

Now the only thing negative I see about the nickname Ford is the car association.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 11:15pm
This is only a suggestion. Please don't take it as critical. I just wanted to share an option that might help with the IV issue. I think IV is great, please don't get mad.

Here goes, I remember reading in one of those etiquette books about the generational naming tradition. This book, Judith Martin - Miss Manners (So Funny, So Wry), said that traditionally only the living John Smiths had the suffix after the name. So, John Smith, his son Junior and John Smith III would keep that suffix until Grandpa died then everyone would move up one rank. The Junior, III, IV started as a way to keep track of the generations, not necessarily to keep the name around forever.

In some cultures Dad is Swen and 'Junior' is Swenson, grandson is Swen again and so on. Each generation switches names. Follow?

I don't know how any of this applies when the suffix is actually part of the official, birth-certificate name.

All this to say, Could your son be Junior even though his dad is III? This might avoid IV if you are trying to stay away from it.

EGG

PS - you would think the nickname for IV, in some part of the country, would be Ivy :^)

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 7:17am
I dated an IV and some people called him Ivy. He sometimes referred to himself as IVy. Kinda like it.

Hope

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-13-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 9:27am
I went to college with a guy friend, Robert,
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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 11:19am
I know one IV who was called "Four" all his life. His actual name is Harry (he's in his mid-30s probably). He and father (now late) were both prominent football coaches in the southcentral PA area. it'd be impossible to even call him anything but Four. It's like it's his name, not just a nickname.

Things like Skip, Butch, etc. you just don't hear too much anymore. (thankfully).

depending on what the middle name is, could you get an mn from the middle name? or how about the initials (I'm personally not big on initials, but a lot of people are).

good luck.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 12:02pm
Thanks for your reply. My husband goes by the middle name so that is out. I think I got some good ideas from the other messages. Maybe I will have a girl and not have to worry about this anyway! Thanks so much!
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 12:03pm
Thanks for the information. I've never heard of calling him Ford but I like it. Thanks so much!
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 12:07pm
I've heard the same thing from a friend about moving up in the ranks once the grandfather dies. So, my husband would become a II or JR and our child would then be the III. I mentioned this to my husband and he said all his legal information already has III on it so it might get confusing.

I like calling him IVY...this is cute.

Thanks so much for your help:)
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 12:08pm
Thanks...this is a good idea too!

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