Is there any reason why George Bush wasn't named George Bush II?

Question

Its so confusing talking about the father and son together without saying first and second president. I wonder why the current president wasn't given a title?

Jamey B, for all we know that is propaganda media. It has nothing to do with my question.

Answer 1

I sometimes call him JR when making fun of him. But honestly it easy to tell them a part. One is a complete moron the other seemed like an ok guy for his 4 years

Answer 2

Well, first off, I don't think Bush senior had a title, so his son, George is not entitled to one. Secondly, their first names and surnames are the same but their middle names are not. Daddy Bush's middle names are Herbert Walker, I believe, and baby Bush's middle name is simply Walker.

I have notice, though, that in some magazines and on some news sites Daddy is referred to as Bush the Elder, and there is also the numerical names that have been attached to the two: Bush 41 and Bush 43 which of course are presidential order numbers (Bush Sr. being the 41st president and the younger being the 43rd). Interesting question.

Answer 3

The Senior Bush's father was a Senator, and I imagine knew that he himself might well go into politics. Americans do not generally like family dynasties, for it reminds them of hereditary monarchies. And so he would not have liked to name his son Geroge Bush II, a practice in monarchies. Secondly, the present President tried during his two campaigns not to remind voters that he is the son of a President, for that might have turned them off from voting for him. He is reported to have been distressed by the fact that his father once publisly referred to him as one of "my boys," after which he seems to have asked him not to campaign on his behalf . The President's brother, Jeb Bush, is the Governor of Florida--no confusion of firsr names there; it is the first son who is sometimes given the same first name as the father. Some Americans do indeed call themselves II or III or even IV, but not many. Another practice is for the son to be Junior. The distinguished historian Arthur Schlesinger is Junior, his father having been a historian of distinction. These are some of the paradoxes of a society which rightly prides itself on its egalitarianism and yet one in which social and cultural distinctions still matter. There has been only other set of father-son Presidents before: John Adams and John Quincy Adams, in the early history of the American Republic: you can readily see how "Quincy" came to the rescue there.

Answer 4

George Herbert Walker Bush, GCB[1] (born June 12, 1924), was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. Prior to his presidency, Bush was the 43rd Vice President of the United States under President Ronald Reagan. He also served as the member of the United States House of Representatives for the 7th district of Texas (1967–1971), the United States Ambassador to the United Nations (1971–1973), Chairman of the Republican National Committee (1973–1974), Chief of the United States Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China (1974–1976), and Director of Central Intelligence (1976–1977). He is currently the oldest living US President.

George Bush is the son of Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. He was born in Milton, Massachusetts, and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is the father of George W. Bush, the 43rd and current President of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the 43rd Governor of Florida.

George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001 and re-elected in the 2004 U.S. presidential election.

The Bush family has a significant history in the Republican Party and US politics. Bush is the eldest son of the 41st U.S. President, George H. W. Bush, grandson to Prescott Bush, the former U.S. Senator from Connecticut, and older brother to Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida. He was elected the 46th Governor of Texas in 1995, and remained there until 2000, when he chose to run for the office of president.

Answer 5

Because his father's name was George Herbert Walker Bush

Answer 6

I doubt that when George W. was born, that his father, George H.W., had any idea that either of them would someday be president. Thus name confusion was not a thought at that time.
I would however wonder about Grandma Barbara and Granddaughter Barbara.

Answer 7

snowshoe has the right answer. to expand ever since the walker and bush families combined,they have been pretty unoriginal about names. using a last name(walker) as a middle name,makes it sound like a hyphenated name a liberated woman would use.

Answer 8

different middle names.

George Walker Bush (dad)
George Herbert Walker Bush (son)

Jr, III, IV, etc are only used when the names are exactly the same.

Answer 9

If you look at the family tree, you'll see that they frequently re-use family names, but in slightly different combinations. They never do the Jr., II, III thing.

Answer 10

Bush 41, Is the first one. Bush 43, is Now. That's the best way to know.