What makes a "Jr" or "Sr" or a I, II, III???

[Caveman]

My understanding is the Jr/Sr name appendage can happen in a few instances:

1) A person is named something like "Roy G. Mercer", and then names his son the same thing. Informally, it is ok if people call the dad "Sr." and the soen "Jr".

2) A person is named "Roy G. Mercer Sr.", and has a son who he names "Roy G. Mercer Jr." In this case the Jr. is not implicit but explicit.

3) Any combination of 1 and 2.

Also, same question for "Roy G. Mercer I" for the dad, and "Roy G. Mercer II" for the son. I'm fairly certain though that the I and II disgnations must always be expliit and never implied. Yes???

 

[xSauronx]

ive never known anyone to actually be *named* Jr. does that actually happen?

my dad is III because he is named after his father and grandfather who were never referred to as I or II but rather Senior and Jr

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I don't know where you pixies came from, but I like your pixie drink.

Sr just implies the father of the Jr. It's only when the name is passed onto a 3rd generation then it would be appropriate to use roman numerals.

And I think it's all up to individual whether or not they want to add the suffix onto their name. I think most just do it for clarification.

 

[BornStar]

I've always understood it that it depends on how many there are. Roy G. Mercer is just Roy G. Mercer until he has a son that he names the same as him. Then they're Sr and Jr until Jr has a son that he also names after himself. That's when you get into I, II, and III. If there are only two it's just Sr and Jr, if there are three or more then you get into numbers.

My grandpa went by Jr until he was in the army. His Sergeant asked him if his middle name was the same as his father's which it wasn't. He hasn't gone by Jr since.

 

[sixone]

Senior is the oldest.
Junior is his son.
III is Junior's son and Senior's grandson.
IV is III's son and Junior's grandson.
And so on.

All have the same name, the suffix is added to distinguish between them.

 

[Caveman]

Originally posted by: BornStar
I've always understood it that it depends on how many there are. Roy G. Mercer is just Roy G. Mercer until he has a son that he names the same as him. Then they're Sr and Jr until Jr has a son that he also names after himself. That's when you get into I, II, and III. If there are only two it's just Sr and Jr, if there are three or more then you get into numbers.

My grandpa went by Jr until he was in the army. His Sergeant asked him if his middle name was the same as his father's which it wasn't. He hasn't gone by Jr since.

I think the critical key to it all is in your last paragraph. The names must be IDENTICAL to denote the Jr, Sr, and I, II, III, etc...

 

[dbk]

Is it just first and last names that much be the same?

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: sixone
Senior is the oldest.
Junior is his son.
III is Junior's son and Senior's grandson.
IV is III's son and Junior's grandson.
And so on.

All have the same name, the suffix is added to distinguish between them.

And, if you skip a generation, the numbers replace jr, sr.

John Jacob Smith fathers
Paul Michael Smith who fathers
John Jacob Smith II who fathers
John Jacob Smith III

 

[imported_Lothar]

I'm a Jr.

I fill out Jr. on all official forms(gov't) if there's a space available for me to put it.
Everything else, I don't even bother.

No one calls me junior in real life however official documents (passports, citizenship) has me as Jr.

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: dbk
Is it just first and last names that much be the same?

First, middle, and last.

 

[SirStev0]

My dad decided he rather not have me go through life being Junior... so I am a II