Women preserve legacy through shared family names

By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com

While “Jr.” and “Sr.” naming traditions have long signaled legacy passed from father to son, women have historically been left out of the practice and are rarely recognized in the same formal way.

Because many women adopt new last names through marriage, they are often unable to carry the same naming tradition as men. Despite this, some women still choose to pass down their first names across generations, keeping family legacy alive in other ways.

Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, publisher and CEO of the AFRO, along with Stephaine Courtney and Stephaine Beans-Noble, share what their names mean to them and their families.

For Draper, that legacy began with a name change rooted in family tradition. She was not originally named Frances. Her grandfather, Dr. Carl Murphy, questioned her original name and insisted that every grandchild carry “Murphy” as a middle name.

“We have a tradition of naming children for legacy purposes after the family,” said Draper.

Her name was changed as a result.

“They changed my name from Toni to Frances as the first name, Murphy the middle name and then my maiden name was Wood,” she said.

Even after the change, her father continued calling her Toni, a name she used so often in daily life that she did not realize her legal first name was Frances until she applied for a passport.

Draper said she has since grown to value that legacy.

“When I was younger, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s an old name,’” she said. “But as you mature, you recognize the value of legacy. When people know who they are and where they come from, it gives them a sense of connection and pride.”

That sense of connection continues in the story of Stephaine Courtney, executive director of the Shades of Motherhood Network, and her mother, Stephaine Beans-Noble, a family navigator, educator and speaker with the Network, who share a special bond and work together.

“The legacy she built through this shared name really opened a gateway for me and my organization,” said Courtney. “When she retired, she started working for me. For so many years I served under her, and now she’s changed that capacity. It’s an honor.”

Beans-Noble said the Stephaine name originated with her father, who named her.

“The name Stephaine means ‘crowned with righteousness,’” she said.

When it came time for the birth of Courtney, her parents were going back and forth on a name. On the day of her birth, her father became emotional and said she should be called Stephaine Jr., noting that she closely resembled her mother.

Courtney highlighted that her brother was named after their father and she was named after their mother, both viewed as extensions of their parents.

Uniquely, though not on official documents, Courtney and her mother are often referred to with the “Jr.” and “Sr.” title. 

“She’s not ‘Junior’ on the birth certificate, but from the day she was born, it’s just been automatic in our family,” said Beans-Noble. “Everyone calls her Stephanie Jr.”

Courtney said naming traditions carry special meaning in Black families.

“In the Black community, it’s important because of what happened with slavery,” she said.

Millions of Africans who were brought to America during the transatlantic slave trade were stripped of names that carried deep meaning tied to their homes, cultures and families, according to research by the Brooklyn Public Library. Today, preserving and passing down names is seen by many as a way to reclaim what was lost and honor Black history.

“Sharing a name is not only sacred, but it’s a pathway to finding your way back home,” said Courtney. “Your name is symbolic of your ancestors.”

While the “Jr.” and “Sr.” tradition has long defined how lineage is carried through men, these stories show the different ways women ensure their family histories are also preserved and passed down.

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