to name my child a name very simikar to my own and with my maiden name for a middle name?

[heraldgerald]

Ie say my name was actually Herald and I was thinking of naming my baby gerald... And say my maiden name was tarbuck, does that sound like calling him Herald tarbuck II or Herald tarbuck junior?

If that makes sense!!

And apologies to anyone who is named or has named in that way, no offence meant.

Any damned name you like as long as it won't get DC laughed at in school - and children can be cruel, except of course future MNers!

That sounds fine.

It shouldn't impact on school as most dc's won't know your first name or your maiden name so will have no idea there is a possibility for teasing. The only people who might tease are adults that know you both, so be prepared for 'Oh, Herald and Gerald - you rhyme!'

dtds have a friend called Isobel, which her mum shortens to Bel. The girl herself calls herself Izzy though.

Unfortunately the mother's name is Elizabeth, usually shortened to Lizzie.

This can cause unmitigated chaos when you ask for one on the phone and get the other!

Evelyn Waugh's first wife was also Evelyn. Friends called them He-Evelyn and She-Evelyn.

My dad married a Nigerian woman who's name is very similar to mine (can't think of an example to not give me away). Luckily I don't see them very often as it does get very confusing!

My DH's brother and dad both have very similar names that can easily be misheard too.

I think it's fine and the odd few that do pick up on it will jut find it funny.

Also my friends sister is about to marry a man with the same first name as her

I would think it was a bit odd if I met you and you said "hi I'm Herald and this is my daughter Gerald". I would only think it though not say it. I would probably find it less odd if you're child had the same name as you and was obviously named after you IYSWIM.

The maiden name thing notso much as middle names aren't really used.

Mother's maiden name as a middle name is very traditional up here, so nobody would think anything of it. I'd only comment if the two first names sounded like they'd been deliberately chosen to be 'cute' but even if they were, I'd just assume you liked cuteness...

My GM's, Mum's and my First and Middle names are all on a similar theme, the middle names are Versions of each other.

It never made a difference to us, I don't live in the area that my Nan lived in, or my Mum as an adult.

I picked my eldest name, out if a few because it began with the same letter and was connected via origin, her middle name is a version. As are my other DD's names.

I think it is nice to have that.

I know many people, especially fostered etc children who have marked one side of a family as a middle name, rather than double barrel the Surname.

Emma/Emily
Anne/Anna
Claire/Clara

All yes.

Joanne/Joanna
Catherine/Kathryn
Marie/Maria
Susan/Susanne

All no.
I think the middle name is fine, but it depends on how close the first name is and whether you are likely to have similar nicknames or post confusion.

My mum was Joan Alice. I'm Joanne Allison.

We've given DS my MIL's family name as his middle name as she was an only child and the name "dies" with her.