to ask about being known by a middle name instead of first name?

[plasticcup]

Is anyone known by their middle name or does anyone use their DCs middle name instead of their first given name? Due to rubbish intials of the names we really like for our new baby, we are thinking of changing the order of the names so that our first choice will be the middle name and he will be known by that name IYSWIM.

Has it caused any problems or confusion for anyone? I know lots of people used middle names in t'olden days but wondered how common it is these days.

Lots of elderly people are known by their middle names

Do you know why that is Latara? My Dad was known by his middle name by everybody all of his life and, in fact, I believe most of his brothers were known by their middle name too. I thought it was just peculiar to his family but I am interested to see that it might have been more common in a previous generation.

I am - it's no biggie. As I grew up, I put my first name on official documents less and less and now it's only on my birth certificate - even my passport just has my middle name.

My parents did it because they thought it flowed better that way. Both my maternal grandparents used their middle names too so I don't know if my parents were following that.

Just one name would work? You don't have to have a middle name at all?

I use my DC's middle name. As her parent, I can't recognise any of the horror stories. Her middle name is used quite happily by her school, her GP, her dentist, on her bank account. No issue at all! I wonder if these problems will get less and less as Britain becomes more multicultural though? I know so many friends who have a Chinese name and an English name for example. What births certificates say in what order is surely less relevant now than it was in the 70s when I was little.