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Original poster

How many syllables are too many?

41 replies

diddlediddle · 06/09/2019 08:20

Trying to decide between one or two middle names. The options (syllables in names - surname is two syllables) are:

3 4 2
3 2 4 2

I know lots of people will think two middle names is excessive. But is it though?? I love the second middle name option and I want to stick it in even though it makes the name long! Will it really matter??

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3boysandabump · 06/09/2019 23:48

My youngest has 2 middle names. His names are short though so he's 2 2 1 2

kiki22 · 06/09/2019 23:38

I'm 2 2 2
Ds1 is 1 4 2
Ds2 is 1 3 2
Dp is also 2 2 2 but his name seems so much longer than mine

Mine is like Lola his is like Gareth.

So Lola Ivy Hasen vs Gareth Michael Johnson his is a much longer name though the same syllables.

I'm over thinking our names now

Cantrip · 06/09/2019 23:18

I have 4 kids (& another on the way), all have 2 middle names.

  1. 1 2 3 2
  2. 2 3 2 2
  3. 1 2 2 2
  4. 2 1 2 2
Original poster
diddlediddle · 06/09/2019 22:31

Hmm yes the letters thing is a good point. The names are quite long letter-wise too. Maybe I should have a look at a passport form!

Amazing - parents with 1-1 names!!

OP posts:
LittleDoritt · 06/09/2019 22:23

My friend has a 3452 little boy and his name doesn't fit in the space allocated on his passport! Something to think about.

RainbowMum11 · 06/09/2019 22:22

DD1 was 2 2 3 1 and the names flowed together, DD2 is 4 2 1 and again, it flows really nicely.

Frith2013 · 06/09/2019 22:21

My brother is 1 3 1 1

My mum and dad are both 1 1

I’m getting obsessed with this now!

kikibo · 06/09/2019 22:17

DD is 3543
DS is 3423

We only ever call them by their first name , though. Middle names are to honour family members or other special people/things (in our case) in their lives.

AverageMummy · 06/09/2019 18:41

There’s a significant difference between having to write out the following:
Iona Mary Eloisa

Josephine Charlotte Elizabeth

AverageMummy · 06/09/2019 18:36

I think the number of letters matters more than syllables as they’ll need to write it on forms etc

mogtheexcellent · 06/09/2019 17:07

Dd is 2 2 1 5

For obvious reasons the first names are short Grin. I like the flow of two middle names. If DD had been a boy she would have been a 1 4 2 5.

emwithme · 06/09/2019 17:01

DD is 3-4-2-1, with 29 letters in total. Second middle name is a family name from DH's side

MikeUniformMike · 06/09/2019 16:34

The syllable thing does matter though. Some names just sound better.

OneThreadOnly0101 · 06/09/2019 16:27

I am a 2-3-3-3-2. It's ridiculous. I never use my middle names for anything but when I'm forced to use them on forms it makes me sigh, every time. The fewer the better OP.

mistermagpie · 06/09/2019 16:20

My full name is 3 2 3 2 in terms of syllables. I've literally never counted or thought about this ever before and I'm nearly 40. I think you're overthinking it!

ShallICompareTheeToASummersDay · 06/09/2019 16:18

Wow! This sort of thing has never crossed my mind.

DD1 is 2 1 3 3
DD2 is 3 1 3 3

Neither has ever seemed too long.

LarkDescending · 06/09/2019 16:03

You love the 4-syllable middle name better than the 2-syllable middle name? Perhaps drop the 2-syllable one then, if you are worried about length?

ojo821 · 06/09/2019 16:00

My name is 3 2 3 3 and I’ve never thought it was too much!

SumAndSubstance · 06/09/2019 15:58

My two have quite a few given syllables, but our surname has only one. They are (including surname): 341 and 3331. I don’t think anyone has ever commented!

Original poster
diddlediddle · 06/09/2019 15:51

It just doesn't flow like that! 😩

OP posts:
Shadow1234 · 06/09/2019 15:36

But if you prefer the name that is going second, then why can't you change that to be the first middle name?

baggies · 06/09/2019 12:08

I was 3 2 1 until I married. Then 3 2 2 which doesn't have such a good rhythm. Known by my middle name so 2 2 which is worse still. Shortened middle name so now 1 2 which balanced the rhythm.

MissHenty · 06/09/2019 12:05

Never asked, he’d never mentioned it either.
I think it was on our marriage certificate and that’s the first time I heard it (it’s William - maybe if it’d been something unusual he would have made a point of telling me? I dunno it just never came up and I don’t know my school friends middle names either. Just never been relevant)

Morado · 06/09/2019 12:01

@MissHenty how have you only just found out your husbands middle name?! Did you just never ask? Seems so bizarre to me!

Morado · 06/09/2019 12:00

My daughter was originally going to be 2342 but it was way too much of a mouth full and people's response was "erm wow, that's long!". I changed my mind before we registered her and now she's 232. It's perfect!

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