How important is the middle name?

[Bubbabug]

Hi all.

Our baby boy is due in 6weeks and we are trying to make a final decision on his full name. We've chosen Zac as his first name but are struggling to agree on his middle name....

This is the thinking behind each option:

Zac James -James is my DH middle name aswell as other male members of DH family. My first choice.

Zac Colin -Colin is my DH step-dad who we would like to honour. I do not like the name at all but understand why DH wants this choice. Also, I don't like the way to two names sounds together, would changing first name to Zachary (on birth certificate) make a difference?

Zac James Colin - Would this be totally ridiculous? Does it sound like having Colin was a second thought? My DH says he will not change his mind about honouring his step-dad (which i do understand) but i really hate the name on its own. I'd love to convince him that having two middle names would be better.

Opinions wanted please. Which combination works best?
Am I making it too complicated? How important is the middle name anyway?

Thanks.

[Lilka]

I love Zac James! I admit to not liking Colin at all, to me it suggests an old and very posh man with a pipe!

Whether the three name combination will work depends on your surname

Middle names are not usually that important but it's good to have one as a fallback if your child hates their first name and also since Zac is not a unique name, one day you will come across another Zac so middle names are another distinguisher between the two. A name doesn't sound complete to me unless there is a middle one as well

[Rupreckt]

Although not keen on Colin I think that Zac Colin James would be better than Zac James Colin.

It seems to flow better.

[Hassledge]

I think you should put Zachary (or Isaac?) on the BC regardless, and then call him Zac. That gives him options later in life - it's a more serious name, should he decide he needs that.

And Zachary James Colin flows well. I've always used grandparent's names as middle names - have been lucky that they're quite nice names.

[CointreauVersial]

Agree with Hassledge.

[itsawonderfuldarleneconnorlife]

I think giving 2 middle names is fine, even preferable.

[overthehillmum]

Hi, I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters, I was the only one that didn't have a middle name and I was very aggrieved over that, I felt that my parents didn't care enough as I was the fourth child to be bothered.!! But both my children have middle names and they are never used, even their bank cards etc only have the initial on them.

[FAOnTelly]

Zachary James Colin or Zachary Colin James are both nice names. You can shorten to Zac.

Everyone's happy!

[grumpypants]

middle names are utterly pointless, except as a way of pleasing family. Mine all have two....
Go out on a limb - Jolin? Jaco? Colm? Might as well, nobody will ever refer to it at all, except for that day in the playground when they all compare middle names.

[nooka]

I'd go for Zachary Colin. Zachary James also sounds fine, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few around (Zac is quite a popular choice at he moment), whereas I suspect that Colin would be much more unusual.

Middle names are a nice way to connect with family history and a way to (try) and be more unique, which most children like (and adults too, especially with things being so much more connected/small world). They are also quite handy when you want to be formal with your children, which is why I'd not use a nn on the BC, because I think that it sounds a bit odd to use a nn and then a full name.

I'd not choose two middle names because I have two and it's a bit of a nuisance as many official forms only have space for one initial so you can't put them both. I tend not to use either as otherwise I get credit cards etc for nooka one initial surname, and that's not my name. But that's a minor niggle really.

[jellybeans]

I love middle names and enjoyed choosing my childrens. But I think one is enough. However, if it is for family reasons two is fine as well. My favourite of your choices is Zac James and then Zac James Colin, both of those work great.

As for using Zachariah/Zachary I would only do that if you want that to be his primary name, so if you loved zachary as well. Because other people will use it, schools doctors, family members etc and later on some kids get teased by using the long versions of their names that are on the register (I know of an Archie/Archibald who does). I have a long name myself and wish i just had a name which can't be shortened or was given the short form only!!! Doctors etc use long form and it seems to formal and not really me.

So I gave my boys short names and one is a short form of a longer name. My girls have fairly short names as well but I prefer short names for boys. I haven't regretted it yet and if they ever want the long form they can change to that anyway or the middle name. If you just use the short form you won't be alone as far more people use Zac/Zak than zachary if you add up the spellings. Same with many other names like Lexi, Alfie, Archie. I would register your favurite version and the one which you will use daily.

[tuggy]

Agree with Hassledge.

[mathanxiety]

I think Zachary or some longer form would make the middle names sound much better -- Zachary James or Zachary Colin would be nicer than Zac on its own (it runs into the C of Colin too) Even Zachary Colin James would be nicer than Zac Colin James (imo)

[diddl]

If you don´t like Colin then I don´t think that you should use it.

My son has the same middle name as my husband & his father-but wouldn´t have done if I didn´t like it.

Does Colin have a middle name or surname that would be better?

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

I think middle names are a nice way to honour family and traditions as long as you like them. That said my family have a family name which is about as nice as Ethelburg and pretty much the same vintage. Seeing as my DC won't be DC Maiden-Name I shall leave that gem for my brother to avoid using. On the other hand my middle name, also a family heirloom, I do like so if we have a DD we'll use it. What I'm getting at is if you like them, use them and use as many as you feel is appropriate but if you don't like the name or it doesnt go with what you've chosen you shouldn't feel obliged. Maybe keep Colin for another DS and use a name from your family?

Another vote for the long version on the birth cert - I know people who have got into huge messes because administrators don't believe that their name is their name and not the long version so someone who is legally Mr Joe Bloggs gets a degree certificate for Mr Joseph Bloggs, which is no use.

[chelleyve]

It is a lovely idea to honour your DH Step-Dad, but if you do not want to use Colin, could you not suggest to DH that you ask Step-Dad to chose the middle name for LO?

Perhaps there is a family name on his side that he can think of which would work well with Zac and he would have even more special connection to the LO?

[Komondor]

I dont think middle names are that important. My middle name is Muriel after my grandmother. I dont like the name Muriel, but I love my grandmother, and happy to have it as a middle name.

I only use Muriel for form filling. Personally I like one middle name.

[sfxmum]

Personally I think middle names should be family names, that makes it important as a link to the past

but it is a personal view of course

[sfxmum]

and I prefer the last combo since you asked