Pattern-keeper - that's a shrewd observation.

My own family follows the tradition that it's unlucky to name the third generation first-born son after the previous 2 so we don't get John, John Jnr and John III.

I have a family tree stretching back nearly 250 years and for the first 200 years the names go William, William, John, John, Richard, Richard. The first William had 3 sons William, John and Thomas. the second William named his sons in order, John, William, Thomas, Richard.

The last Richard broke the tradition by naming his son Harold, who named his son after his wife's brother, Alfred. We seem to like kingly names in our family!

LTS