Certain names appear numerous times in the Nunan family. Like many people coming to America, the Irish had a system of naming children. According to The Ancestor Trail In Ireland by Donal F. Begley:

The tradition strictly adhered to in many parts of Ireland was that the father named the first-born after his father or mother and the mother the second-born after her father or mother. They then alternated until both sets of parental names were used up. Then they used the names of their brother and sisters - always alternating.

John Joseph Nunan appears to have followed this tradition to some degree. The name of his father, Joseph and his wife's father, Daniel, was given to his first son, Joseph Daniel. The second son was named John which was the name of his wife's brother as recorded in her obituary. We do not know where his middle name, Francis, came from. It is likely that John Joseph had a brother named Raymond since his youngest son was given this name. (John Francis named his first son after his youngest brother who died while still an infant.)

It is best to be cautious when accepting as fact information obtained from any non-primary source. For example, on John Joseph's death certificate his father's name was given as Daniel by a source that should have been knowledgeable, his son John Francis Nunan. The information on the death certificate is not correct, however. (See the chapter on Ellen Nunan Murray.) The name of his mother (John Francis' grandmother) is listed as unknown. How sad to think their grandchildren did not know their names!