To think that no one likes their middle name?

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My DDs like each other’s middle names, but not their own. DH and I don’t like ours. Extrapolating to the rest of the world, no one likes their middle names, but I am not sure why.

As a child, I felt more like my middle name than my first name. My first name is definitely of its generation (although I'm at the older end just before its popularity boomed) and I don't identify with many of my fellow namees. It's a nice name and I've settled with it. My middle name gives a bit more distinction and weight, particularly when I had a short maiden name and first name.

My DC's seem happy with theirs so far. DS1 has two, one cultural one, and one family name after a relative who died fairly young with no descendents. DS2 just has the one cultural name. His names are longer so a third seemed superflous, particularly in the absence of a significant reason.

I know 3 people who favour their middle name and use it for most purposes except on legal documents.

I like middle names in general. It's a chance to use something more unusual without the inconvenience of constantly correcting spelling or pronounciation. It's an alternative choice avaliable if you wish. It makes a name more personal and reduces the odds of encountering others with the same name. If you don't like it, it's easy to ignore most of the time. Better than being stuck with only a disliked first name.

Mine is very frumpy and conveys images of immense dullness. However it is also a male literary character I like

I have my mums name as my middle name and DS has my brothers name as his. Both fantastic people. I'd have given DS DH name as a middle but he said no way so DBs name is was!

I don't have one.

When DH and I got married the vicar said she wouldn't mention DH middle name in the vows, as it sounded like she was marrying 3 people.
Eg "we are her to celebrate the wedding of Nigel Pubert and Edna (not real names)"

I don't have one and wish I did because I hate my first name so much, so could choose to go by middle instead, assuming my parents had better taste in middle names of course

I never liked mine as it caused me lots of embarrassment when younger as other kids said it was a boys name. However, since the name has been used by a fictional female hero in a major movie, I'm quite proud of it now.

I used to hate mine but love it now. It's the feminised version of one grandfather's name.

That's interesting, tinytemper66.
I'm also very protective of the one name I do have.
I wonder if it's partly why my children each have 2/3.

Mines Alison, I like it, my first name however

I like mine a lot. My first name used to seem like an old woman's name when I was growing up, and I always wished I could be called after my second one. I tried starting to have people call me that, but it never took. I'm fine with my first name now. I still often have people tell me how lovely my middle name is, when it comes up somewhere, whereas the poor first name is only ever called "unusual" or "interesting"...

I don't like mine. It was a very common name late 80s I would have preferred a more unusual name as my middle name. So guess what I've done with my 2 DCs? Yup given them both an unusual middle name. Bet they both tell me when they are older that they both hate it.

I prefer mine to my first name - has family history etc. Somehow neither DSis or I have managed to use it for the next generation. I wanted to be called by it as a child but have made peace with my common-as-muck-80s first name nowadays.

Mine is a million times better than my first. I always meant to swap when I got to uni, but by then it felt too late. I have old lady name + timeless name, so think Doris Emily

I quite like mine and I meet a lot of people (maybe up to 5% of clients) who say, 'I know my name is firstname, but please call me middlename.' This is partly generational, I think; naming the firstborn boy after his father/grandfather, but calling him by a middle name.

Mine is my grandmothers name.
I love it, so much so, I gave it to my daughter!

I love mine - family link and is important to me.

Ds both have 2.

Ds 1 - 1 I love the other chosen by my ex I really dislike and so does ds!

Ds 2 - I got to choose both middle names and I love them. One is our family name and the other is my brothers name. So very meaningful to me.

Mine is lovely. It's Erin.

Erin is really pretty.

I really like mine, but sadly can't tell you what it is because it's quite unusual and, in combination with my username, would out me! Meanwhile DH dislikes his middle name - it's a male name in his family's other language, but female in English (love my MIL, but she really didn't think that one through!)

I wouldn't pick mine for a child of my own. However I am named after a deceased aunt and I like that connection.. I am not one who dislike the name it is ok. I liked the connection so much that all of mine are named after people we love.(d)

I have 3 middle names (fuck knows, my parents are weird, all my siblings have 3 too) I like all 3, not sure I like them together though.

I'm a typical 80s child with the nickname Louise. Doesn't bother me but literally everyone I know had Louise as their middle name (like May/mai/mae now)

My kids will prob hate their middle names, it's their great grandparents names. But I got to pick first name as long as DH grandparents were middle 😂

Mine is my mums name. I love it and it's very precious to me especially since she died.

Mine is pretty random.

My first name is Jodie. So far so 80s. Though I was born in the 70s so it was a bit more unusual.

Middle name is Tamlyn. Random.

I got married a couple of weeks ago. DH didn't know I had a middle name and stumbled pronouncing it.