Teacher Discussion Forums

Hello,
I know the meaning of the expression "carry on the family name" means to have a son. Can the expression also mean to have a daughter? In other words, can the following sentence mean my parents are pressuring me to have a son or daughter?
"My parents are pressuring me to get married because they want me to carry on the family name."

As the family name is usually carried on by the son (in the societies I'm familiar with at any rate, unless the son waives that right and adopts the wife's family's name instead), it follows that the meaning~expectation is that any marriage will produce at least one further male offspring who will in his turn go on to marry, and on it goes. So I'd say the pressure is hardly to have a daughter (certainly, not in preference to at least one son first or at some point!).

Hello,
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my question.
Best wishes,