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Baby names

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Original poster

To use no middle name

38 replies

Millenialmom96 · 06/04/2024 06:47

DH and I have a double barrelled name and are giving it to our kid in a few weeks. We're both tempted to not do a middle name so the child doesn't have a ridiculously long name. Everyone I know has middle names but I can't see any issues with not having one. For context the surname will be Bermitad-Dowell.

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Amazinggrace89 · 07/04/2024 08:37

I don’t have one never bothered me

DrJoanAllenby · 06/04/2024 22:36

My children don't have middle names. I've never used mine.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 06/04/2024 22:33

I always think no middle name seems a bit lazy of the parents 🤣plus it gives the kid a second choice of name to go by if they dislike their first one ( I know a few people who go by their middle name as adults as they liked it better).

Just pick something short and one/two syllable - there are loads of choices without resorting to the generic middle names of this generation (James for boys and Rose/Grace/May for girls). Try looking in your family tree or be inspired by nature with something like Heath, Fenn or Briar, Lark etc.

Dontcallmescarface · 06/04/2024 15:28

BurbageBrook · 06/04/2024 14:29

I always think it seems a bit lazy not to give a child a middle name. I'd definitely give them one.

Not lazy here. Why would I want to give my DD a name that neither me, her or anyone else will ever use?

KohlaParasaurus · 06/04/2024 14:53

I don't like my middle name and ignore it as much as possible. One of my sisters doesn't have a middle name, and she's godmother to my oldest daughter so we decided that she wouldn't have a middle name either and could choose one herself when she was older if she wanted. She has never bothered. My other children do have middle names but have never "needed" them.

KirstenBlest · 06/04/2024 14:46

Not lazy on my part. DC like their names and have never mentioned that they'd have preferred to have a middle name or a name with more options.
The first names were chosen partly because they didn't have versions.

Footinturf · 06/04/2024 14:44

I don't have a middle name and did notice it's absence when I was younger when people talked about their middle names. Plus no one believes you don't have a middle name, they just think it's hideous and your hiding it!

HoHoHoliday · 06/04/2024 14:42

A second name can be useful, I grew up hating my first name and decided to be known by my second name.
If you're set against two names, perhaps choose a first name that lends itself to different versions to give the child some options?
Elizabeth - Liz, Lily, Libby, Beth
Edward - Ed, Eddie, Ned, Teddy

Bermitad-Dowell - what an amazing name!! I can equally imagine a prime minister, film star, business executive.

BurbageBrook · 06/04/2024 14:29

I always think it seems a bit lazy not to give a child a middle name. I'd definitely give them one.

Twofifty · 06/04/2024 12:11

I wish I'd given my DC more then one middle name!

Borborygmus · 06/04/2024 12:05

I guess a middle name might be useful if you have a first name / last name combination that is pretty common, so that you are then distinguishable from the others. Otherwise why bother? I'm glad I don't have one, but I have a very rare last name.

I'd hazard a guess that there aren't many Bermitad-Dowell's around which make a middle name completely unnecessary IMO.

KirstenBlest · 06/04/2024 10:28

I have no middle name and neither have DC. I've not missed having one.
Many friends have a filler middle name like Jane or Anne, or James or John.

It seems that the current go to filler middle names are Rose, Grace or May or James or Jay for boys. I don't think they add anything.

Hadalifeonce · 06/04/2024 10:05

None of DH's family have middle names.

Dontcallmescarface · 06/04/2024 10:04

DD has no middle name. I just don't see the point of having one,.

BoudiccaOfSuburbia · 06/04/2024 08:57

I have no middle name: never missed it.
DP: no middle name, not a ‘thing’ in his culture
Dc: both surnames hyphenated, no middle names. No one misses it.

You don’t need one just for the sake of it,

gcask · 06/04/2024 08:40

Revelatio · 06/04/2024 08:35

I love not having a middle name. I love how clean my name is written down. Everyone at school had a middle name and I felt a bit special not having one!!

Yep, this!

UltramarineViolet · 06/04/2024 08:37

Same as @CharlotteSometimes1 I don't have a middle name and have always felt a bit short changed

A middle name is useful if you want to drop your surname from social media

Revelatio · 06/04/2024 08:36

oObyeOo · 06/04/2024 08:24

Why didn’t you just use the second letter of your surname?

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Yeah that’s odd! We do first name and first and last letter of surname. Why would you make one up?!

Candleabra · 06/04/2024 08:35

I hate my middle name and it makes my full name really long so I wish I didn’t have one.
It’s kind of a weird tradition if you think about it.

Revelatio · 06/04/2024 08:35

I love not having a middle name. I love how clean my name is written down. Everyone at school had a middle name and I felt a bit special not having one!!

Pinkpinkpink15 · 06/04/2024 08:33

Bermitad-Dowell.

Michael Bermitad-Dowell.

Michael James Bermitad-Dowell.

I like it with the middle name & it's not too long.

middle names don't have much purpose, but kids can feel left out not having one.

but whatever you do with your first, do with subsequent children

best wishes for a 'good birth'

oObyeOo · 06/04/2024 08:26

My kids don’t have middle names. They are 14 and 10 and have lived their lives so far with no issues.

I told then when they were little that they get to choose their own. Ds was ironman for a few years and dd is currently unicorn

oObyeOo · 06/04/2024 08:24

tuliparcher · 06/04/2024 07:48

I too feel I missed out by not having a middle name!
It's a right of passage for people to discuss their middle names!
In one job I needed 3 letters to make a user name. They used everyones initials- I only had 2, had to make one up

Why didn’t you just use the second letter of your surname?

Apparentlystillchilled · 06/04/2024 08:24

I don’t have a middle name, maybe because my first name is double barrelled, and I’m the only one of my siblings not to have one, so I kind of felt left out as a kid and confused as to why I didn’t have one. My children all have middle names. So whatever you do, do the same for all your DC.

Kitsmummy · 06/04/2024 08:21

I always felt slightly hard done by not having a middle name! I gave both my children two middle names. They're a bit of a mouthful but fun I think

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