I am German and have an uncle whose name is Adolf. His dad/my grandpa also had the name Adolf, but he got the name before WWII.
My parents told me that my uncle has this name because my grandpa misunderstood the nurse when my uncle was born. He supposedly understood “What’s your name?”, while she asked “How should he be named?”. He then said “Adolf” obviously, because that’s his name. And it’s said that once they figured out the error, it was too late to be undone.
There’s a certain scepticism about this story being real. But for sure my grandpa didn’t do it to honor Adolf Hitler (aka being a Nazi. I don’t know about his doings during WWII tbh, but at least how I perceived him, he didn’t have any sympathy for Nazis), maybe he did it because he wanted to name a son after himself while the name was burnt…
Nobody names kids “Adolf” here, even today. That name is thoroughly burned.
I am German and have an uncle whose name is Adolf. His dad/my grandpa also had the name Adolf, but he got the name before WWII.
My parents told me that my uncle has this name because my grandpa misunderstood the nurse when my uncle was born. He supposedly understood “What’s your name?”, while she asked “How should he be named?”. He then said “Adolf” obviously, because that’s his name. And it’s said that once they figured out the error, it was too late to be undone.
There’s a certain scepticism about this story being real. But for sure my grandpa didn’t do it to honor Adolf Hitler (aka being a Nazi. I don’t know about his doings during WWII tbh, but at least how I perceived him, he didn’t have any sympathy for Nazis), maybe he did it because he wanted to name a son after himself while the name was burnt…
Just a tidbit from my life :D
your uncle prob thought “if I dealt with it my whole life someone else will now, too”
Grandpa*
My uncle was the “victim” :D