Page 2 | Roy - as a middle name

Oubliette0292 · 2025-03-04T20:48:55+00:00

We’re thinking of using Roy as a middle name. This is after a close family friend of DH, who played a significant part in his upbringing. My family *hate* it. You’d think we’d picked something like Adolf or Lucifer. I don’t mind it. I know how much it would mean to DH to use it. Plus it is short, easy to spell and goes with lots of first names. Have I lost my mind? I thought the whole point of middle names was to honour someone significant?

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sidebirds · 05/03/2025 17:15

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Ray = diminutive of Raymond. I have known Rays and one Raye. All abbreviated from Raymond 😧

ginasevern · 05/03/2025 16:50

I really like it and it's a good short, sturdy middle name. Makes a bloody change from Archie.

username462025 · 05/03/2025 16:37

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abracadabra1980 · 05/03/2025 16:29

It's so hard to 'think current' re names that were associated with horror when you, yourself were growing up. I HATED my middle name because it was old fashioned to me when I was a child and dreaded it being called out on the register as a child, or my friends finding out what it was.
I think the 'name and honour a family member' concept is fine, so long as it's not really embarrassing to the child on their own generation.
I would draw the line at Darren, Wayne, Jason or Gary - even if 'great grandad Gary' had won the Nobel peace prize.

HardenYourHeart · 05/03/2025 16:28

Why does your family think they have a say in the naming of your child?

Baconking · 05/03/2025 16:28

In my family the middle name was the name of the Godparent or other family name. Made no difference if it was a nice name or not.

I would not choose my middle name but I only use it for official documents so it doesn't matter

Latenightreader · 05/03/2025 16:25

My Dad is Roy - it is definitely a name in its own right and not a diminutive, has been used as a first name since medieval times I believe.

It isn't a name I'm crazy about, but if I'd had a boy I was considering giving him Roy as a middle name after my Dad.

Just make sure it sounds suitably stern when combined with the rest for occasions when you need to pull out the full name telling off card!

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 16:23

And the Royston history is from Ancestry.

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 16:21

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 16:17

You misunderstand me. Royston may well derive from the name of the town (going to ignore the Prikipedia reference as that is an untrustworthy source), but Roy as a diminutive of the Christian name Royston is indisputable. See for example the 'comedian' Royston ('Roy "Chubby" Brown') Vasey, or Royston ('Roy' or 'Rainy') Wainwright - bass guitarist of the musical combination Discharge 🤨

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Yes, you can shorten Royston to Roy. But Roy is a name in its own right.

ethelredonagoodday · 05/03/2025 16:20

mdinbc · 04/03/2025 23:21

Gosh, this is why I always tell people to never announce baby's name until they are born.

it's a perfectly fine name. In fact, my friend's grandson was named Roy, and we love that an old-fashioned name is making a comeback.

100% agree. We didn't share either of children's names until after they were born and we'd decided. We still got a few shitty comments, and our kids both have very normal, classic names. People are weird!

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 16:17

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 16:04

https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/royston

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy

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You misunderstand me. Royston may well derive from the name of the town (going to ignore the Prikipedia reference as that is an untrustworthy source), but Roy as a diminutive of the Christian name Royston is indisputable. See for example the 'comedian' Royston ('Roy "Chubby" Brown') Vasey, or Royston ('Roy' or 'Rainy') Wainwright - bass guitarist of the musical combination Discharge 🤨

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 16:04

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 15:32

That's incorrect. My OH's late grandfather (born 1902) was named Reginald (equally dated), middle name Royston. Hated the name Reginald so took up Royston, universally abbreviated to Roy as was common until maybe the 1970s(?).

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https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/royston

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy

Origin and Meaning of First Name Royston | Search Family History on Ancestry®.

Is your given name, Royston, a first in your family tree? Part of a cultural tradition? Ancestry® can tell you your first name’s origins plus its meaning.

https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/royston

SingingSands · 05/03/2025 15:57

It's a great middle name.

I'd wind your family up further and say you're going with Roy as a first AND middle name. Roy Roy Smith.

roshi42 · 05/03/2025 15:52

I love it! And it's a middle name and no concern of your family's. I suspect it'll be due a comeback soon - just the kind of next in line dad/grandad name that could, plus after Ted Lasso.

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 15:45

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The salient point is that 'Roy' is a diminutive; however you make a decent point in that you draw attention to the fact that - criminally - diminutives are clearly allowed on birth certificates today. Investigating the subject I find that the generally accepted son of 'the Sussexes' was not christened' 'Archibald' as one would assume but 'Archie'. A shocking decline in standards, in particular by the boy's father Prince Henry Charles Albert David, known as Prince Harry - although had he been born today he would most likely be Prince Harry Chas Bert Dave 🤯

Alkaline182 · 05/03/2025 15:45

What if you did 2 middle names, and had it as the 2nd one?

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 15:32

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 15:15

Well, no. That's the name of a place - literally 'Roy's town'.

That's incorrect. My OH's late grandfather (born 1902) was named Reginald (equally dated), middle name Royston. Hated the name Reginald so took up Royston, universally abbreviated to Roy as was common until maybe the 1970s(?).

username462025 · 05/03/2025 15:24

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GrantMitchell · 05/03/2025 15:20

SwingLifeAway · 04/03/2025 21:49

It will be my DCs middle name, boy or girl. I actually think it’s due a comeback as a first name, and I sort of love Fitzroy with nn Roy… but I’m not brave enough to use it 🤣

I like Roy too, perfectly in keeping with all the little Stanleys and Alfreds these days. 🙂

Fitzroy would be making quite a statement on the identity of his father though!

SpiraliserSardinePasta · 05/03/2025 15:18

Roy is fine as a middle name.
It is not the same ilk as Adolf or Lucifer.
Your family members get to name their own children, not yours.

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 15:15

Well, no. That's the name of a place - literally 'Roy's town'.

sidebirds · 05/03/2025 15:14

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 15:14

What is Roy a diminutive of? It means 'king'.

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Royston 🤨

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 15:14

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What is Roy a diminutive of? It means 'king'.

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 05/03/2025 15:13

My children's middle names are all those of people that matter to us. One I don't like very much myself but it was DH's granddad, and that is more important than whether I like a name. Another is an aunt and I think the name is pretty but my daughter hates it as she gets teased about it which I feel for her about - I suspect once she's in secondary no one will know what it is again until it doesn't matter (or it's wildly popular again).

Roy is fine. The more I say it, the more I like it. Very similar to Rory which I love.

Moveoverdarlin · 05/03/2025 15:12

Sorry I think it’s bloody awful. Appreciate it’s after someone special but I still wouldn’t do it. Would love to have honoured my Mum’s name in my daughter’s name somewhere but it’s just not feasible. Her name is dated, think Maureen, Pat, Brenda. It’s not classic like Elizabeth, Katherine, Etc.

Spose it’s only a middle name but still.