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While learning in Yeshiva, we focused also on clarifying our Mesorah. We are medakdek to know the Chachamim that are discussed in each sefer. One Sefer that helps us in clarifying who the Chachamim we are quoting are, is the Chida's Shem Hagedolim.

So is there a rule of thumb to follow, to automatically know that ibn isnot his father's name. It makes nafka minas for when someone quotes his father. I started checking, and in my little research, I don't think I've found yet one famous Mechaber Sefer that the ibn Ploni was in line with his father's actual name.

Several examples: Both Rabbenu Bachya's, R' Yosef ibn Migash, R' Yehuda ibn Tibbon, Ibn Ezra.

Thank you for your help

Ari
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  • "בן" has been used the same way. Consider Aharon Ben Asher, who wrote the mesorah in the Aleppo Codex. His father's name was Moshe. – Noach MiFrankfurt Oct 30 '17 at 23:04
  • Jews not Judaism? – DonielF Oct 30 '17 at 23:22
  • @Doniel of course. – mevaqesh Oct 31 '17 at 00:18
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    @NoachMiFrankfurt He's Aharon Ben Moshe Ben Asher. I don't know if "Ben Asher" was his family name or just people started writing only his grandfather's name since he was the famous one. Moshe Ben Asher was already a famous Masorete and hence the Ben Asher school. – Double AA Oct 31 '17 at 00:20
  • While the study of various aspects of Jewish history is very important, it remains off topic on this site. – mevaqesh Nov 03 '17 at 02:22
  • Ok, thank you for clarifying. (I thought maybe I just needed to reword my question). :) I don't know how to PM you, but I remember seeing a Sefer from Chida (I thought), that goes through Tannaim and Amoraim and talks about them. But Shem Hagedolim only goes from late Gaonim to now. Do you know about this? – Ari Nov 03 '17 at 03:06
  • Perhaps this is a hyper literal translation of a foreign language/culture that shouldn't be taken as such. Think of names that end with son, Abrahamson Jacobson. It's a family surname. Same with names that end in ovitch from eastern Europe. It means son of, but not literally. – user6591 Nov 03 '17 at 14:44
  • @Ari There is no PMing on the site. (A feature that would certainly be useful on the sometimes). To ping another user put his username in the comment preceded by a @ as I have done with your username. – mevaqesh Nov 03 '17 at 15:02
  • @Ari One work that goes through tannaim and ammoraim is Erkhei Tannaim V'Amoraim by Rabbi Yehudah ben R. Klonimus ben R. Meir from Speyer, (also known as 'Yichusei' or 'Seder') Tannaim V'Amoraim. It includes an alphabetical list of all the names of Tannaim and Amoraim, and an examination of each one's teachings. – mevaqesh Nov 03 '17 at 15:02
  • @mevaqesh I'm pretty sure that I'm not allowed to ask about this as a question, so maybe you can guide me if I could, or if you have an answer. I see that the father of Shmuel is Abba bar Abba, and Rav Yitzchak Abuhb's son is also R' Yitzchak. Is it allowed or customary to name the son after the living father? – Ari Nov 06 '17 at 03:02
  • @Ari Actually, that would e a fine question for the site. Questions about Jewish law are squarely on topic. So asking whether something is permitted is perfectly on topic. Asking about the custom is also fine. || Indeed, there are multiple questions about naming after the living (which incidentally isn't always proof that something is on topic, but in this case it is on topic, as noted). Here they are: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/79100/naming-children-after-living-people, https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/37770/sephardim-naming-after-living-grandparents, [cont.] – mevaqesh Nov 06 '17 at 03:09
  • @Ari [cont.] https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/33991/naming-a-baby-after-a-living-non-relative, https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/14326/naming-after-the-living-why-is-it-considered-bad, and https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/40261/giving-a-child-the-same-name-as-a-living-distant-relative. || I fuond these by typing 'naming after living' into the search labelled "Search on Mi Yodeya" – mevaqesh Nov 06 '17 at 03:11
  • @Ari Without scanning the answers, if memory serves, the source for the Ashkenazi practice to not name after the living, is that since we don't name after the living, it looks like we want someone to die by naming a baby after him. || That is, originally there was some cultural norm for whatever reason, which was then strengthened by concern for ayin hara or disrespect towards the living person. || That relates to non-fathers. regarding fathers in particular, I am not aware of particular posts, although as noted, you can certainly post a question. – mevaqesh Nov 06 '17 at 03:16
  • @Ari While I am more than happy to [try to] answer any other questions you may have about the site or anything else, be aware that you can also ask questions about the site on here: https://judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/ (accessible by clicking the rightmost icon on the top of the page that looks like a voice balloon, and clicking Mi Yodeya Meta). This is a fine areas to ask if something would be on topic. Also, if you have not done so, consider taking the following short tour. [cont.] – mevaqesh Nov 06 '17 at 03:20
  • [cont.] And / or checking out the following useful short Beginners' Guide. You can also check out the help center: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/help in general and in this case this: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic in particular. || You can also discuss things on chat: https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/468/vdibarta-bam which you can find through the same voice balloon looking icon leading you to "V'dibarta Bam"; the general chat. There you can talk about whatever you want. – mevaqesh Nov 06 '17 at 03:24

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Known as the first Raavad (ראב״ד הראשון), his name was Abraham b. David, referred to many a time as ibn Daud.

An interesting example can be Joseph b. Shemtob who was also known as ibn Shemtob. However, his father's surname was Shemtob too so it can be argued that Joseph was known by his family name and not his father's first name.

Oliver
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