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Baby names

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

Original poster

Initials problem?

62 replies

Babyinitial · 13/12/2022 21:49

We’ve found a name that we really love, but with the middle name (that can’t change, family name), the initials spell CUM. Is this a problem and should we go back to the drawing board? We’ve literally only got this one name that we love but the initials are worrying me

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DogInATent · 13/12/2022 23:56

I'd try and avoid a combination that spells out anything, if you can. Whilst Charles Ullswater Montague might have the obvious issue already identified, Charles Henry Ullswater Montague is likely to have his pedigree questioned. Switching that to Henry Charles Ullswater Montague resolves the problem.

PurpleFlower1983 · 13/12/2022 23:56

Yeah don’t do that.

Pieceofpurplesky · 13/12/2022 23:50

My old tutor at school had the initials VD. That was bad enough - being in 7VD at school.

But CUM just no.

My guess is Ursula or Umberto

iamanicicle · 13/12/2022 23:38

purplemunkey · 13/12/2022 22:14

But, when do people use initials including their middle name? Surely it’s just first and last name.

I agree it’s not ideal, but I can’t think of any instance where my initials are used that include my middle name. In which case CM is fine surely?

At work, by IT department, which maybe outsourced to a country where English isn't the first language and they won't pick up on an obvious language issue when assigning a username. Not only are you ever asked but you're then also stuck with it and it CANNOT change as it's assigned to everything from payroll to the scanner/photocopier.

Every name we looked at for our kids, went through the initials' check before it was even considered whether we like it/ not like it.

We are both with large scale (different) employers and in careers where we are unlikely to change. We have been lucky with our own names. Some of our colleagues not so much.

TheCraicDealer · 13/12/2022 23:35

I was told that it used to be convention for references on documents that the writer would have their full initials (First name, middle name, surname) and the person who typed it would be just first name, surname. Many of my older colleagues still get all three initials but us younger ones that do our own typing tend to just get the two initials.

To cut a long story short I would avoid CUM.

TrixJax · 13/12/2022 23:12

Nope, absolutely cannot do that!
If you're dead set on that name then add a second middle name so it's something like crum or coun

FeelMyBicep · 13/12/2022 23:04

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 13/12/2022 22:59

Is anyone else intrigued as to the middle name 🤔

Me too! Ulysses, Umberto?

Notellinganyone · 13/12/2022 23:03

Absolutely- I’m a teacher and we use initials all the time on communications . For example all tutor groups are known by the teachers first/middle/lastname initials. Can you imagine CUM in such a scenario?

OzziePopPop · 13/12/2022 23:02

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 13/12/2022 22:59

Is anyone else intrigued as to the middle name 🤔

Me?!

Ulwin?

DelurkingAJ · 13/12/2022 23:00

Given my uni email address was ABC123@ as a format I’d advise against…I don’t even want to imagine…

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 13/12/2022 22:59

Is anyone else intrigued as to the middle name 🤔

Georgeskitchen · 13/12/2022 22:57

If your surname is Thompson, don't call your son Thomas William Anthony 😉😉

TokenGinger · 13/12/2022 22:52

Yeh, definitely not wise. We changed our name when we realised her initials would be FFS.

Snugglemonkey · 13/12/2022 22:37

I am another no vote, however if you cannot think of anotheriddle name you like, or it all gets too long and unwieldy , you could use UCM and call them C.

Haus1234 · 13/12/2022 22:27

My university email address had all my initials. Don’t do it!

coodawoodashooda · 13/12/2022 22:24

Can you change the first name spelling? Alternate the c for an s possibility?

purplemunkey · 13/12/2022 22:24

Fair enough. I’ve never come across that myself. I don’t think my work even know my middle initial!

LachrymoseLeeches · 13/12/2022 22:23

We use full initials at work, I am glad mine aren't CUM. Sorry. I think adding another middle name is a good solution though.

Mischance · 13/12/2022 22:20

First rule of naming a baby is not to have a middle name beginning with a vowel.

Orangebadger · 13/12/2022 22:18

No way, please don't!

Fivebeanchilli · 13/12/2022 22:16

You can't use that. We use full set of initials all the time at work.
Maybe add in Henry and make it CHUM?!

Pterrydactyl · 13/12/2022 22:16

I agree it’s not ideal, but I can’t think of any instance where my initials are used that include my middle name. In which case CM is fine surely?

The problem is when there’s more than one CM. Then the middle initials tend to come into play…

Pterrydactyl · 13/12/2022 22:15

🤣 I’d avoid that one!

purplemunkey · 13/12/2022 22:14

But, when do people use initials including their middle name? Surely it’s just first and last name.

I agree it’s not ideal, but I can’t think of any instance where my initials are used that include my middle name. In which case CM is fine surely?

allboysherebutme · 13/12/2022 22:11

Definitely.