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Baby names

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

Original poster

I really want to honour my DH's granddad by giving our son his name as a middle name but his name is....

82 replies

GoodEggy · 11/07/2016 20:02

Donald Confused

He's the loveliest man ever and I'd really like to honour him like this but I'm just not sure I can do that to my son!

How bad is it?

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cosmicglittergirl · 12/07/2016 13:48

I think Donald is fine, but, I used my grandma's middle name for my DD's middle name as I preferred it.

derxa · 12/07/2016 13:47

I like Donald better than your current first name contenders

SunglassesPink · 12/07/2016 13:46

That is fine! I actually know of a little boy with this as his first name.

CrystalMcPistol · 12/07/2016 13:44

Bah. I clicked on this thread hoping for an Aethelstan or a Norbert. Donald is a perfectly normal name OP!

100paperclips · 12/07/2016 13:44

As a middle name you''ll know its there (and why), but hardly anyone else will ever use it or know it

juliascurr · 12/07/2016 13:21

what's wrong with Don?

Normandy144 · 12/07/2016 12:53

It's fine, go for it. I think it works best with either Tristan or Lorcan. Not so much Milo as it feels like too much of a mixture of old vs new. With Dexter I think you'd need to insert another name to avoid the alliteration if that bothers you.

Ninja12345 · 12/07/2016 12:46

We used my late MIL's maiden name as a middle name for DS and although it's different. I'm so glad we did. Keeps her alive for us all.
On a different point, my DH never ever uses his middle name. Not even on his passport so if your DS really hates it then he can drop it but at least he has the choice.

mouldycheesefan · 12/07/2016 12:41

Sorry just realised grandad isn't dead! Huge apologies! 😂💐

mouldycheesefan · 12/07/2016 12:40

I think there are many ways to honour your grandad without saddling your child with a name you don't really like. To be blunt, grandad is dead, he won't know/care. If you don't like thr name do not use it.

sandbagsatdawn · 12/07/2016 12:35

Soupdragon " Donald McDonald" lol

SoupDragon · 12/07/2016 12:31

Assuming your surname isn't something like MacDonald, then I really don't see anything wrong with Donald at all.

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 12/07/2016 12:27

Another approach...

Ask grandypop to choose a middle name.

" we are thinking of calling him lorcan Donald, do you like this?
Or would like to choose a different middle name?"

Donald is fine as a middle name.

I know infant age siblings with Dorothy and Walter as middle names.

Daytona79 · 11/07/2016 21:08

I know lots of young Donald's, it's pretty popular kids name in Scotland

There is nothing wrong with it

KittiesInsane · 11/07/2016 21:00

Old fashioned middle names are the best.

One of mine bonded at school with another little boy with the same old-fashioned middle name, as he'd never met another.

Any of your names bar Dexter would work fine (though, yes, you could chuck a James in there to split them up - even Dexter James Donald Egg works OK!)

WerewolvesNotSwearwolves · 11/07/2016 20:57

My DS has Donald as a middle name, after a relative. It's one of two middle names. I think it's totally fine, he won't really use it, and who knows, it'll probably be really trendy by the time they are older.

Ikeameatballs · 11/07/2016 20:51

I think Dexter Donald xyz has a nice ring to it though I'm less convinced it works with your other first names.

My other suggestion is Donovan, maybe as a first name?

crayfish · 11/07/2016 20:47

Oh and I think Donald is fine! I'm in Scotland though...

crayfish · 11/07/2016 20:46

Middle names don't matter really. In my family its traditional to give a child a 'family' name as a middle name, I would never just pick a random name I liked. My middle name is my nanas name and my DS's is my grandads name. Both are 'old person' names and not the type that are trendy now, but in my family it's more important to honour a loved one than have a pretty middle name. Nobody uses middle names anyway!

MrsHathaway · 11/07/2016 20:34

So someone seeing an old fashioned middle name is likely to assume "family name" rather than anything else.

Yes, I agree.

But sometimes you have that excruciating conversation:

"What have you called the baby? Oh. Gosh. Is it a family name? No? Oh, I see."

WinkGrin

DetestableHerytike · 11/07/2016 20:34

Tristan Donald is nice.

I don't think Dexter Donald would work. Dexter James Donald or something would be better.

DetestableHerytike · 11/07/2016 20:32

Donald is fine as a name.

Given the ellipsis in your title, I was hoping it was going to be Prince Grin

Original poster
GoodEggy · 11/07/2016 20:32

You've all made me feel a lot more positive about it, thank you. Both my children have middle names from either friends or family, as do I and my sister, it's what middle names are for I feel so I want to do the same for no.3 and Grandypops is so ace he's the obvious choice.

Please no more negative comments on our first names list though, we're struggling enough to agree and I think those names are fab but I'm also pregnant and sensitive Smile

OP posts:
PuraVida · 11/07/2016 20:27

My DS has got his grandfathers absolutely dreadful middle name. I just never mention in Blush

averythinline · 11/07/2016 20:22

Donald's not too bad esp as a middle name ds got great uncles name but it's dreadful with our surname so made it a third as Mrs Hathaway said ..ds like having 3 names as its unusual and the family connection....so would go for it... Although doesn't really sit well with your shortlist...

Something else Scottish to start would make sense....Fergus, Alexander...