In my chapter, families do have names, although, IMO, with few exceptions, they are stupid and don't last because they are stupid. As in, a family will name themselves based off of a characteristic that 2-3 people share and then god forbid someone takes a little that doesn't fit. Some families also have undesirable characteristics as their name, or names that are really generic and could describe anyone. Examples include princess, rebel, cheater, Jersey (as in NJ), dot, redneck. A lot of these families still retain their names but they don't apply to the youngest members like they did to the members that came up with the names.
When I got my big, we went out to dinner with my grandbig, aunt and cousin. We wanted family letters and tried to think of a name but we could not agree on anything. I gave up.
My last semester as a collegian (my little's too), my grandlittle was lobbying hard for a name and she wanted to be the Chipotle family. Do we all like Chipotle? Yes. Does it make us unique? No. We are the Chiptole family I guess, but I don't really think it's a good name. Our branch is kind of dead because my great grandlittle withdrew and my great great grandlittle declared herself part of another family (knife in my heart
).
I think DG at my campus names their families by the oldest common "matriach" (using her maiden name). Makes more sense, because it doesn't change and is classic. If it were up to me, this is how I would like to see families named.
I believe ZTA at my campus names their families with animal names (ladybug, monkey, tiger, penguin). Much better than what my chapter does. At least it sticks.