I have found a similar experience with my Mitchells, except that my GGGG-grnadfather, John Mitchell, tended to give his sons first names that are also surnames, such as Howell and Warren. This may be very helpful in the future in tracking down his ancestors, as Howell and Warren could have been family names. There is also the possibility that he named his sons for some of his friends or local heroes. One thing that my line didn't do was to pass down the name John, and I am grateful for that. My GGG-grand-uncle named 2 of his sons Howell after himself, this was also common practice. Mary, Margaret, and Martha were common names for girls in my family, but there were also unusual names such as Luanna, Columbia, and Sion. You are right about the Scottish naming patterns, and I have found many new American families did follow a naming pattern such as the one you posted. Sometimes it can be very valuable when searching for an unknown ancestor, but not always reliable of course, (more of a research aid). Doris