Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why some parents decide not to give their children middle names?

103 replies

BelleTheBeatnik · 28/12/2011 22:56

I'm not saying they should, I'm just wondering if it's because they don't feel a middle name would fit well with the first or surname, or perhaps because it was stressful enough choosing one name, let alone too! Grin
If you did give your child a middle name, was it because you specifically liked a second name, or wanted to honour a family member, or was it just a case of "that's the done thing". Just curious, my brain has weird musings at this time of night! Xmas Smile

OP posts:
GrownUpBelievesInSanta · 28/12/2011 22:58

My parents just couldn't agree and in the end I just had a first name.

hellhasnofury · 28/12/2011 22:58

What's the use of a middle name? I have one but never use it. DH doesn't have one and doesn't feel penalised by the absence of one.

ladywithnomanors · 28/12/2011 22:59

My DS has no middle name. It took us nearly 2 weeks to choose his first name and on the way to register him still couldn't decide on a middle name so we didn't give him one. I kind of regret it now as his 2 younger sisters have middle names but then we had their names sorted before they were born.

Sparklingbrook · 28/12/2011 23:00

My 2 don't have middle names. What's the point?

jasper · 28/12/2011 23:01

None of mine do as I think it's pointless

2rebecca · 28/12/2011 23:01

Traditionally only the men in our family have middle names. I've never minded not having one. Saved embarrassment at school.

To2012AndBeyondTheLimits · 28/12/2011 23:01

DS has a middle name, and DFoetus will do too. No idea why really though Grin

MulledValpollicella · 28/12/2011 23:02

I don't have one as generally my mothers side don't give them

Scarletbanner · 28/12/2011 23:02

I don't have a middle name and I have always wished that I did.

BerryMojito · 28/12/2011 23:04

My sister and I don't have middle names as my mother couldn't see the point. My children now all have middle names :) All are named after a relative and add a certain gravitas to their first names (particularly when I tell them off!).

ScarfOfSexualPreference · 28/12/2011 23:05

I have two middle names, one of which is also the first name of my younger sister! I imagine if I ever have kids they will have two middle names. My dad is the youngest of 9 and has 3 middle names!

MargotMoment · 28/12/2011 23:07

My sister hasn't a middle name because my dad forgot what it was when he went to register her. He also spelt her first name incorrectly.

My dd middle name is the one I called her throughout the pregnancy, but I realised we'd get a load of Hmm looks if we used it as a first name.

Collision · 28/12/2011 23:09

My boys have 2 middle names each.

One name from DH's Italian side of the family and one from my English side of the family.

I like middle names to have a family meaning rather than just a random name.

Original poster
BelleTheBeatnik · 28/12/2011 23:10

I think unless you use it instead of your first name, they're pretty pointless as they're never really used in day-to-day life. However, as I have friends who are probate researchers, I know they can be life-savers if you have a particularly common name! I wanted my DD1 to have a particular middle name because it's mine and my grandma's, which I suppose is why my other two have one too. I never really considered not giving them one.

OP posts:
Soccermom2 · 28/12/2011 23:10

My dc dont have middle names, it took us long enough to pick the first names, we couldnt be bothered thinking of another one. There is nothing on birth cert but sometimes we say we might choose one for them just for when people ask but then we dont really see the point..why do people have middle names???

I have two boys and i honestly think if i have another boy, he will remain nameless...i honestly dont like any other boys names other then my own so i couldnt waste two boys names on middle names iykwim

Crabapple99 · 28/12/2011 23:10

i did it to honour family members

bruffin · 28/12/2011 23:10

My mum didn't give us middle names ad she had two and didnt want to saddle us with long names.
I was always jealous of my friends with their middle names.
Both my dcs have got family names ad middle names

FreudianSlipper · 28/12/2011 23:11

my mum didn't give me a middle name becasue she thought my name was so beautiful a middle name would spoil it :)

i am glad she didn't i really like my name

ds has a middle name, i really love both his names

duvetdayplease · 28/12/2011 23:11

If I'm honest, I hate the two middle names we gave DS2. We picked them together but now they just annoy me. DS1 has one lovely middle name.
What's the deal - can we change his name? I'd really like to.

duvetdayplease · 28/12/2011 23:12

Freudian - that is so nice :)

baubleybobbityhat · 28/12/2011 23:14

I don't have a middle name, although my four siblings all do.

Apparently its because my first name is so long.

Serenitysutton · 28/12/2011 23:15

I think it's a nice way to honour family names Which are, frankly, not nice enough to be first names. But I can see why you wouldn't bother, you don't use it for anything. I guess it's an alterntive if your child doesn't like their name

RumourOfAHurricane · 28/12/2011 23:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Kelly281 · 28/12/2011 23:22

My DD has a middle name, because we wanted to honour my DGM who was very ill at the time. I'm not sure if I'd have been so set on her having a middle name in other circumstances.

I think it also depends on what your experience of your middle name is. Mines constantly annoyed me, every teacher always wanted to call me 'Kelly Marie', and had to be corrected for the first few weeks of every year!

administrator · 28/12/2011 23:23

A. I don't see the point of them.
B. My family traditionally doesn't have them.
C. I wanted to be different, EVERYONE we know has one!
D. It's hard enough picking a first name to go with a surname without making more work!

All very simplistic I know, but together they seemed like a good enough 'whole' reason.

[shrugs]