It's really your choice. You could always use Robert as a middle name or name him Robert but call him by his middle name.

I know of a family that did this as well, but they all went by their middle name. If it was important to your husband I could see keeping it going, but if it isn't, don't worry about it!

I really feel that your husband's feelings on this should be a priority, since it's his family tradition. It may be due to bad blood and memories, or even just having grown up with two Roberts in the same household being a pain in the ass. On the other hand, I also thing you're right to consider that years from now your husband might regret abandoning a tradition that's been carried on so many years.

My brother-in-law's family is that the father's first name becomes the middle name for the next generation, so I can see the suggestions being made. Besides transfering Robert to the middle name, maybe consider a compromise of using the same initials; if your husband has regrets later in life, he'll at least know he continued on the with R.M. tradition.

talk to him about it again before you make a final choice but in the end, honor your husband's wishes first before the tradition.

Does your husband get along with the rest of his dad's family? Does he get along with his grandfather? I think that there is more to the question than if he gets along with his father. Did he have a good relationship with his grandfather?
If so then you should continue the tradition because it will honour more people than his father.
Anyways... it would be nice if he would use the name Robert because even if he doesn't like his father he should still honour him because his father did bring him into this world and he did raise him no matter how wrong your husband thinks he is. If this is a matter of physical, mental etc.. abuse than that is a different matter. If it is a matter of that than you could still use the name Robert in memory of someone else, like his grandfather or to please the other members of his family.
I hope that made some sense?
I also think that maybe your husband sometime in the future might regret not naming his son Robert because maybe he will have established a better relationship with his father by than- those things do happen!
If I were you I would convince your husband that it might be the right thing to do!
-- Jessica