Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Tradition for using mother's maiden name as a middle name?

36 replies

StetsonsAreCool · 30/06/2014 21:23

Disclaimer: am 15 weeks and bordering on narcoleptic, so apologies if I don't reply tonight.

We're trying to find names for DC2, due at Christmas, and we're drawing a complete blank.

MIL is Scottish and her MN is, I think, her mum's maiden name. DH would like to use her MN for this baby's MN if it's a girl. Can we use half a tradition like that? In that, it will skip a generation and then not be either mine or Mil's MN?

Full name would be Maggie (or Margaret) Mercer Joy Surname. Joy would be for my Nan, whose middle name it was supposed to be if her dad hadn't got pissed on the way to the registry office and forgot it!

First name still up for debate, we have numerous stupid self imposed rules :)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Bowlersarm · 30/06/2014 21:56

Me too, with the boys name, maiden name, middle name.. !

I don't use it at all now. It's on my passport but nothing else at all.

Don't know what my parents were thinking. I have older brothers who they gave it to, so they had no need to saddle me with it.

KeithTheCat · 30/06/2014 21:52

well in that case, if you like the name - use it! if you're just not sure about it maybe keep it in mind because DH likes it.

I like the idea of important family members maiden names as middle names but they don't always sound 'right'. DH refuses to use mine for any future child, pah!

Original poster
StetsonsAreCool · 30/06/2014 21:50

Lesley, that's another reason I wouldn't use my maiden name, it's too much like a boys name.

OP posts:
SongsAboutB · 30/06/2014 21:50

I have my grandmother's maiden name as a middle name, like Lesley's mine is also a boy's first name. TBH nobody except close family gives a toss about middle names so you can do what you want. I don't know or care about the middle name of any of my friends. I can't think of an occasion when I needed to use my middle name either, just my first name and surname.

Original poster
StetsonsAreCool · 30/06/2014 21:47

The other problem is, if we try and shoehorn this in because of 'tradition' then tradition could leave us with a boy called Alan Grin

Fwiw, I like Alan, but it sounds absolutely terrible with our surname.

OP posts:
Lesleythegiraffe · 30/06/2014 21:46

I hate this Scottish tradition.

I have my mother's maiden name, which is also a boy's christian name as my middle name and hate it.

It was so embarrassing as a child that I used to pretend it was something else.

Just because something is a tradition doesn't make it good or correct.

Original poster
StetsonsAreCool · 30/06/2014 21:45

Keith, that's what I said to DH :)
Wouldn't use mine for a couple of reasons (doesn't sound right, mostly)

But that's part of my concern, that we're tenuously using this tradition to justify giving the baby a MN that would mean a lot to DH, just like using Joy would mean a lot to me.

Of course, I'm completely overthinking it! I think because we are struggling so much to find any names that we like at all!

OP posts:
spiffysquiffyspiggy · 30/06/2014 21:42

Dd has two middle names, they are the same names as my mother and my mothers grandmother.

I really like the thread of tradition, especially as it comes down the maternal side. However I liked the names anyway, I wouldn't have picked them otherwise. Grin

Scarletbanner · 30/06/2014 21:41

I agree with Keith. Adopt the tradition, but use your maiden name. If you like it, that is!

KeithTheCat · 30/06/2014 21:34

if it's traditional for MIL to have her mum's maiden name as a middle name, of course the baby would have your maiden name. you're the mum in this situation not your DH'S mum.

FrankelandFilly · 30/06/2014 21:28

Your baby, your name choice.

My grandfather (also Scottish) had his mother's maiden name as his middle name - Smith Grin

We've done a similar-ish thing in that we've given DD (16 weeks) an extra middle name, which should be DH's surname - his paternal grandfather died when DH's father was a baby. His mother remarried and they changed DH's father's surname, so the surname DH has is not his "blood" name IYSWIM.

Swipe left for the next trending thread