Honest thoughts - would Brits consider this OTT?

[crowsnest99]

Firstly I'd just like to prefix this by mentioning that I'm very new to mumsnet and whilst I reside in the UK, my husband and I aren't entirely British (He's 1/2, I'm only 1/4) and our respective heritage is very important in choosing the names for our prospective children (we're trying as of June!)

We both feel quite strongly about multiple middle names - more as a formality to honour heritage, relatives, etc, and as we both share Italian, French and Greek roots, some of the names we consider 'worthy of honouring' may seem a little... over the top?

We live in London and the ideally the children will attend a pembridge/wetherby type school and they both so English and I worry about them sharing classes with many George and Charlottes...
Anyway. Here are the fateful top names drum roll

Boys:
Augustus Stefan Priam Charles
Ptolemy Alexander Hector St John

Girls:
Octavia Beatrix Persephone Monique
Genevieve Inés Miuccia Céline

I really hope I don't get eaten alive for this - we really love the names!

[AndNowItsSeven]

um I really don't know what to say. I love Octavia but with just the one middle name.

[Loyly]

I really love Genevieve Inés Miuccia Céline. The other three are not for me but that one is beautiful.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Crows nest, I love them, my only concern is, are they a little long ?
When your child is of school age, writing their full name, may take some mastering!
I

[crowsnest99]

*Loyly Thanks! Its my favourite :) The others are a little less"pretty" - my husband and his family are very fond of rather "big" almost historical names and combined with the requirement of including family names they become rather harsh IMO... Its the best we could do! I'll hope for a girl then ;)

[BertrandRussell]

I suggest you find a school child and try them out on him or her. And go from there.

[crowsnest99]

*Sugarpiehoneyeye We wouldn't dream of expecting them to spell any more than their first name or their first middle name; if I named my son Ptolemy I would know him by his more spellable second name, Alexander (Alec for short!)
I do know it's a lot - just hoping it's not laughable for brits - especially at those very prestigious schools I wouldn't want the children to come across as some dramatic pretentious foreigner

[mouldycheesefan]

All lovely names but they get lost as there are simply too many of them.

[Elllicam]

I like Genevieve and Celine and Augustus (August?) and Stefan. I think Ptolemy might be a hard one.

[JosephineMaynard]

The girl's names look fine.

Generally people don't use middle names day to day, so you can pretty well get away with any middle names as long as the initials don't spell something rude.

Augustus and Ptolemy - especially Ptolemy - are a bit more unusual in the U.K.

[maz210]

I know a few people with two middle names but I'm not aware of anyone with three. The number of names would seem a bit odd to me rather than the actual names if you know what I mean?

If Ptolemy would be known as Alexander couldn't you just switch the names round?

[maz210]

I know a few people with two middle names but I'm not aware of anyone with three. The number of names would seem a bit odd to me rather than the actual names if you know what I mean?

If Ptolemy would be known as Alexander couldn't you just switch the names round?

[crowsnest99]

I think I'll be having a word to DH about making our first choice of boys names "Alexander Ptolemy......." - Upon reflection a greek-appointed line of Pharaohs might be a bit of a stretch for an infant
I am aware its a lot - just got to keep everyone happy, extended family and expectations!

[Teahornet]

Your first names will not cause anyone to turn a hair, and other than the rare official occasions where you are asked for a child's full name on a form, no one will have the faintest idea that your child has been saddled with a million multi-syllabic middle names. Were you imagining that a teacher taking the register would have to shout 'Octavia Beatrix Persephone Monique Andrews' every single morning?

However, if you want my actual opinion on multiple middle names, I think they are unwieldy, and that naming children after family members is a ridiculous thing to get into as it invariably ends up in a fight between sides of the family as to who is 'owed' a nod in subsequent names, meaning naming turns into a committee affair.

And 'Inés Miuccia Céline' sounds like some kind of car crash mash-up between the Ines de la Fressange Prada and Celine labels, tbh.

[chinlo]

I don't really understand, are they lists of possible first names, or are they 2 very long names for each sex?

I mean, most of them are fine and quite a few are actually nice names (one or two are a little ridiculous - St. John???), but all together in one name is crazy!

[crowsnest99]

*Teahornet
Believe me, before we told our respective families about kids it was going to be Sebastian or Olympia... RIP that idea. I agree it causes infighting but for us it was more about historic nods rather than a case of " How come there's only 1 name for his great grand uncle and 2 for her second cousin twice removed"
But dear god I had never realised why I liked Inés with Miuccia so much - there is no way i'll be having a little gang of designer babies so that combo is going back to the drawing board! While totally unintentionally, probably subconscious tbh.

[chinlo]

I fully agree with teahornet. The middle names will really serve very little purpose, except to annoy your child when they have to fill out forms and apply for passports/bank accounts.

I guess it will also be one of those things they can tell people as an ice-breaker, or to joke about with their friends, so everyone can laugh at his/her kooky parents.

[Corroboree]

Rather bizarrely, our family heritage is almost identical! We also used middle names to reflect their heritage, and it's been no problem, but people in the UK very rarely use middle names.
We made sure the forenames were reasonably well known, and easy to pronounce in English.
No-one in London will bat an eyelid at your choices.

[emotionsecho]

In my opinion far too many middle names, (even the Royal Family have started to pare down the number of names their children are given!) and I agree with Teahornet about Inés Miuccia Céline.

[crowsnest99]

• Chinlo - to your dissapointment, they are 2 names for each gender! I know, I know, its over the top. The names are more token; mainly posting to gage the response from what I would call a decent sample of british women - i'm pleasantly surprised people haven't been more harsh eg "how dare you ruin your poor child by giving them such a horrendous burden of a name..."
  I'm well aware its dramatic, but it keeps the family happy and the child will barely know.

[emotionsecho]

If your choices are Sebastian or Olympia then go with them don't be forced into multiple names purely because of some warped view of family history or tradition.

Any of the names you like work perfectly well on their own or with one other name.

[Corroboree]

What about Celeste rather than Celine? It's very pretty, and used in UK, though uncommon.

[ThatStewie]

I think there fine. I know lots of people with similar heritages who have multiple middle names for similar reasons. People rarely use middle names day to day and a child who makes fun of another child for their names needs to be taught some manners. And perhaps a lesson in why being a bully is not appropriate.

[crowsnest99]

Corroboree - thank heavens i've found someone to identify with! At least all the responses have been to the tune "well this lady is bonkers but I respect her insanity" rather than hateful which is some kind of relief :)
(I apologise for mixing up the use of Britain/England throughout)

I gather it isn't common in England to have names for ancestors?

[ThatStewie]

(I'm typo a go-go today! Sorry)

[crowsnest99]

Corroboree - I'll run Celeste by DH but I'm a fan!