Naming two children the same name whilst both alive.

[Enumerated]

In a branch of my tree, William (son of William and Mary) had five children,  three sons called William and two daughters called Mary, between 1850 and 1887. He had three wives, one William with each. The two elder sons had middle names. The first and third wives each had a daughter, Mary Rosa and Mary Agnes.

Added next morning: Forgot to say, all five lived to adulthood, four of them married and had children.

[rogerb]

I have found a number of examples of this - in a German branch of a family I was researching.  I seem to remember that even though they had the same first names, the convention was that they were known by their 2nd name.

[Melbell]

George Forman the boxer has five sons all named George.

Melbell

[Annie65115]

My father and brother had the same first names; my brother is known by his middle name, the reasoning being that they wanted to name him after my father but felt it would be too awkward to have 2 people with the same name in the same household. So you could extend that thinking to any number of siblings; give them all the same first name, and use a middle name for their "daily name".

My gt-grandfather had 2 brothers who were alive at the same time; John William and John Henry. I assume that one or both went by their middle name.

[SpiersD01]

In a branch of my tree, William (son of William and Mary) had five children,  three sons called William and two daughters called Mary, between 1850 and 1887. He had three wives, one William with each. The two elder sons had middle names. The first and third wives each had a daughter, Mary Rosa and Mary Agnes.

Added next morning: Forgot to say, all five lived to adulthood, four of them married and had children.

My Greatgranfather had a family and wife in London in mid to late 1800s whom he left for my Great Grandmother. Many of the children from the second union had the same names as those from the first marraige and naturally the same surname (Turville).  I believe many were family names.

[aghadowey]

I have found a number of examples of this - in a German branch of a family I was researching.  I seem to remember that even though they had the same first names, the convention was that they were known by their 2nd name.

Yes, quite common, at least in my grandmother's German family. Her grandparents Valentine & Sophie were christened Johann Valentine and Maria Sophie with siblings all called Johann something or Maria something.