A California rancher is making headlines after deciding to name all four of her daughters Mary, a tradition rooted in her family’s Catholic faith. The story, which has gone viral on social media, highlights the enduring power of family traditions—and the reactions they can spark.
Mary Heffernanová, of Fort Jones, California, explained her reasoning in a social media post, stating the decision was about “preserving tradition.” She shared that both sides of her family have “a long history of strong Catholic women named Mary,” and they simply decided to continue the practice.
“Brian and I wanted to continue the tradition with our first daughter. Honestly, it never crossed our minds that all of our children would be girls. But once we started, there was no turning back,” Heffernanová wrote on Facebook.
She added that she and her husband always chose to be surprised by the gender of their babies. “We always let it be a surprise,” she confirmed, adding that with their first child, she was “sure” it would be a boy.
When their first daughter arrived, they named her after Brian’s grandmother, who had recently passed away.
Their second daughter was named Mary in honor of another grandmother. And when their third daughter was born, it was clear she would likewise be named Mary. “We had to keep the tradition going. You can’t have Mary, Mary, and then suddenly a Sally,” Brian Heffernanová reportedly argued, according to the Daily Mail.
The pattern continued with their fourth daughter, which drew criticism from many on social media. The family faced a flood of confused, critical, and often mocking comments.
“Imagine you call one child and suddenly the living room is full!” was one of the more polite comments, according to The Sun. Heffernanová swiftly dismissed the criticism.
“The internet always has its opinions,” she said, adding that the negative feedback doesn’t bother her. She expressed immense pride in her decision to name all her daughters Mary.
“We don’t need anyone from the outside to approve. The girls love their names, and that’s what matters,” she emphasized.
“Mary is a strong name. To me, it represents humility, steadfastness, and strength. It’s a name that has lasted for generations and that they love because it represents the foundation of our family,” she continued, noting that she and her husband run a cattle ranch in Fort Jones.
“Five Marys”
The family even incorporated the unusual naming convention into the name of their ranch. “Five Marys” is the name of their farm.
They say the multiple Marys don’t cause problems in everyday life. “Except maybe when we’re going through airport security,” the mother admitted.
All four daughters also have middle names and nicknames, which are different. The oldest is Mary Frances, nicknamed “Francie,” followed by Mary Marjorie, known as “Maisie,” then Mary Jane, who goes by “Janie,” and finally, the youngest, Mary Teresa, alias “Tessa.”
The mother doesn’t share concerns that the shared name could impact their individuality. “Each of them has a strong sense of self and very different personalities. The shared name doesn’t define them, it anchors them in our family tradition,” Heffernanová assured.
