What is Don's problem with the name Gene?  I really don't understand Betty's relationship with her father, but it would make sense that since her father just died and she gave birth to a boy that they would keep the name in the family.  Is he just protecting Sally because she loved Grandpa Gene so much and having a baby named Gene would be a constant reminder of her loss?  Or is there something more there?  I sort of remember Don calling Gene an asshole a while back, but I don't think they ever explained why.  Some posters have hinted at him being a child molester.  I don't know that I would go that far, but there may be something more there . . . Any thoughts?

I got the impression Don just doesn't really care that much for Gene - not that there was a particular reason for it. My guess is the only reason he took him in in the first place was to placate Betty and, to a lesser degree, put her brother "in his place".

I don't think Gene was a pedophile, but it does seem that he could be easily perceived as meddlesome and stubborn, both qualities that don't endear someone  to Don.

jkerouac59, I think you're right. There was a bedroom conversation in the first season between Don and Betty about going up to her parent's summer house. Don claimed he had to "work" & couldn't go with them. He said he didn't relish the thought of her father staring at him the whole time. Betty hit the nail on the head with, "Well, you took away his little girl." As a father of a 19 year old, I can relate. No one is ever good enough. I don't know why my father-in-law-to-be didn't toss me out the door the first time he met me.

I haven't seen it mentioned yet that although Don wasn't entertaining the idea at all of naming his son "Eugene", Betty filled in the name on the form anyway, without him there to say yea or nay. That may cause a little friction later.

I loved the name Jack.  When my wife was pregnant with our son I started blabbing to everyone that his name would/could be Jack.

My wife is very fond of her father whose nickname was Jack.  Despite her love for her dad she didn’t want a “Jr” feel to our son and his identity.  (We did eventually name him Jack)

Gene yelled and snarled at Don in season 2 saying “He’s got no people, you can’t trust a man without any people.”  He also showed no respect to Don while he was staying at their home.  I suspect Don isn’t too fond of Gene or his memory so why would he want HIS son to forever have his father-in-laws name to remind him of unpleasantness.

When you start picking names for your baby and someone says “Dan” for example.  You reply “my cousin’s name is Dan and his a jerk so that name is out.”

I was hoping Don  would say "my brothers name was Adam, I want to name our son after him. 

Daddy hated Don because she was several months pregnant when they got married.  "She had to married him".  He blamed Don for that as if Betty had nothing to do with it.  Great cause for gossip at that time.  Also "He didn't have people"