If you go to Bundesland-L, or another general German site, you will be able to ask quest. of knowledgeable German researchers who can explain naming patterns which were very standard and rigid. Too complicated for me to explain correctly, but yes, every same sex child of the family had the same FIRST name, then two additional names, which were after specific family members on each side of the family in a certain family. Two brothers, therefore, may have children's names which were nearly identical. Cousins may have nearly indentical names.www. Cyndi's list .com, may have a listing on German naming patterns. Very helping to know this when deciphering immigrant ancestors new to America. A good German geneologist, when examining copies of Ger man church records, can nearly guess what the parents names, etc., must have been and make connections from knowing the naming patterns employed at that particular time. Fascinating