Mrs Duxfan and I haven't created any dependants yet, but this crossed my mind...

If we have a son, should I give him my name? Could be useful down the road for the little genius. I mean chances are good that he'll be flying back and forth from here in Ohio to Oregon (of course he'll go to the U of O!). He could have the upgrades, and mom and I could use the miles?

FF miles should not enter into the name decision.

If his middle name is your first, you could still try the trick. However, you should fly the miles and give him the award, not use him as child labor for your enjoyment.

If you are from the south, you should definitely use your name, especially if it is odd, such as Branfordhamington Smith, IV. Oh wait, are you the IV so he would be the Vth?

Seriously, naming the child after yourself creates confusion, hardship, and possible mental illness in the child. The same trouble exists if the child uses his middle name. Save your name for your grandson.

What?? Not use your kids every chance you get to benefit yourself??? Goodness knows you won't get many chances! Usually it's all about them! You're writing all the checks, aren't you?? I say go for it!!!

See, we do this ALL the time in the south. So son become "Little Duxfan" or "Butch" or "Buddy".. he gets his own identity when he can write his own checks

Baby Duck

Mental illness because of a name.
Well that explains it then.
Now I feel better. Too bad about my son, the 4th.

Of course my mother is asking me how come her grandkids are so much smarter than her kids? It took me a month to figure that one out.

I think "Flyer" would make a great first name. Kind or novel, but in line with the Skylers, Madisons, etc. that seem to abound today.

Either way, good luck.

Here's the FF compromise between exploiting your children and not making them "juniors":

Give them a different first name with the same initial as your first name. Then buy their tickets as "J Duxfan" instead of "Junior Duxfan" and submit them for mileage credit after the flight.

Downside: you won't be able to buy their tickets with a youth or child discount.

Bear in mind that this violates the rules of probably every FF program and if you are caught you will lose all your mileage.

I think the solution of crankyusi was to fly with his children so that he and they all became United 1K flyers, with the corresponding 6 systemwide upgrades each that he can use on other travel. That's honest, and I like it better philosophically.

OTOH I do confess that once or twice, long before I became a member of the bar, I flew under the name of Law Lord Sr. so that he could retain his Premier status.

Personally I'm looking to name my firstborn "Senator"... Of course there's still the matter of convinving my fiancee.

My best friend legally has the same first name as his father, yet goes by his second. As both names are in his passport he and his father regularly Exchange airline tickets. It has come in handy for them more than once...

Don't forget their potential benefit - excusing themselves from school, signing their own report cards, etc. (Do schoools still do all that stuff? - it's been a FEW years)

Good grief, the child isn't even born yet. By the time he/she can get around to abusing FF programs (besides the moral problem), the airline industry will be re-regulated, thus eliminating FF programs. Wink or sad icon, take your pick.

We've had a given name (or a close variation of it) run in the family for some generations (6 that I can immediately think of) but usually only for the eldest son in the generation. However, because most have not been called commonly by that name it would somewhat difficult, although probably not impossible, to use each others FF miles and/or tickets. While I think is sort of a nice practice, my teenage son is not so sure (of course, he didn't have a choice).

JS You're way too pessimistic.

The drawback of naming your kid "Junior" is that he may disappoint you. Our town had a prominent man whose name I will conceal beneath the alias of "Ogbert Q. Huffenpuff." He had a son, also prominent, known as "Ogbert Q. Huffenpuff, Jr." Junior had a son whom he no doubt proudly named "Ogbert Q. Huffenpuff III," a fine citizen until the day the local newspaper reported that III had been indicted for several federal felonies.

Then there's the boxer(and grillmeister) George Forman who named his sons George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, and George VI. They could co-hold the mileage championship if they all reported on one account.
I remember reading that Jr.s have many times the incidence of mental illness, possibly due to unrealistic parental expectations.
How about changing your name to Randy Peterson? It has to be a likely choice for an automatic upgrade.