Middle names - necessary?

Our DC do have middle names, but I honestly don't really know why. The older I get, the more pointless they seem! People angst about it for ages, then never use them.

I'm always silently approving of people who ditch middle names and go for a solid, strong, two-name name! I think it's great

I'm glad I don't have a middle name, pointless IMHO and can be embarrassing.
Have been to weddings when full names of B & G are given and people snigger as the second name seems old fashioned or just doesn't suit the person.

My DS doesn't have a mn. (First child) but my two dds do. This was because my DH didn't think it was necessary for a boy but a pretty addition to the girls. My son now says he feels left out without one and has asked to have my DH name as a middle name. My DH was so emotional about it and felt really guilty for not giving it to him in the first place 😄 I say nicer t have one and not use it then not have one at all!xx

Lewis Christopher is nice.

No middle names here, we've survived for forty-mumble years without.

A friend has a good ploy - one flouncy name, one sensible name, both with different ways to shorten them. Six names for the price of two, gives the kid a good chance of finding one that they want to be known by.

I don't have a middle name, and neither does DS1. Do you ever use your middle name?

What about using your DH's late mother's surname as a middle name (assuming it is different from your own surname - perhaps a maiden name) to keep the family connection going?

Or danger

Which is the best middle name

I actually use my girls' middle names quite a lot (without the surname so not in a telling off way) when talking to them, maybe because their first name is quite short. If one child has a middle name I would give the second child one as well in case it's a source of conflict. My uncle didn't have a middle name whereas my dad was middle named after his father. Uncle adopted his own middle name because he wanted a middle initial.

I think Lewis Reid sounds lovely, it flows beautifully

I love a middle name.

Lewis Reid works.

Some other options:

Lewis Matthew
Lewis Robert
Lewis Jacob
Lewis Samuel
Lewis Richard

I prefer Lewis Reid. It sounds nicer and there's a family connection...

I like both Lewis Reid and Lewis Christopher, but I’m on the fence about middle names. I don’t have one, but as a teen always wished I did because my name seems a bit “cut and dry”. Mind you, now I’m an adult I’m very happy with my name! Having said that, I only think they make sense if there’s a family connection or similar, otherwise it just seems unnecessary. So, I’d pick Lewis Reid.

I think Lewis and anything suggested flows tbh. Lewis is a versatile and easy name. Lewis Christopher is as nice as any.

I have given DD a middle name so now all subsequent babies will get one. I don't have one and always wished I did! I tend to go for nice names for the first and good meanings or religious ones for middle x

Necessary?
No. But it's really nice imo.:)

A bit of family history, something sentimental, well wishes by the parents (especially in regards to virtue names or names chosen for their meaning)...

Middle names also give options. Your DC may end up disliking their first name. Or their name (especially if it's a rare one) may end up being associated with someone infamous or a catastrophic event.

And it just seems a bit weird ("unfair"?) to give a middle name to one child but not the other.

You could use you maiden name (if you took his name) or your mother's (grandmother's, your DH's mother's...) maiden name :)

Lewis Alexander is nice imo.
It's rather popular so your cousin would be unreasonable to be annoyed imo. (Unless she gave her son a name that was similar to Lewis...)

No, of course they're not necessary. I've always seen their main function as being to give parents who love lots of names a chance to use more of them. If you only like one name, there's no harm in only giving one. On the other hand, I don't think I would give one to one child and not the other. Either one of them could end up feeling that was unfair. I quite like both the combinations you're considering.

I don’t have one. Wish I did. I gave my DC two each

I would give a middle name if your other child has one, I think Lewis Reid sounds fine as does Lewis Alexander. I can’t see an issue with it being the same as your cousins baby especially as they’re both middle names. I would take it as a compliment you both have the same taste in names/ think it’s a lovely name.

I agree with EducationComesFirst . My DPs and older DB have middle names but I don't. It's like they couldn't be bothered.

My god daughter was not given any mn and she says she wishes she had one. The child might feel that since everyone else has a mn his name is missing something, esp if Dd1 has one. I would certainly give him a middle name.

I have 2 middle names (my 2 grans' names)

Dd has my mum's name as a middle name (it's also my sister's name) - Elizabeth. Ds has dh's dad's name as his middle name (it's a tradition to have that name somewhere so dh also has it as his middle name) - Kenneth

Nobody in my family has a middle name - it's never been an issue. When do people ever use them ?

Definitely not necessary. Me, my OH and the two kids don't have any middle names. I don't see the point tbh. It's nice if you're using a family name but if you don't have one then I don't really get the whole plucking a random name out . It rarely gets used so I don't know why people bother lol