Register baby name, ARS or AS?

[HappyButHangry]

DH will be registering our baby's name tomorrow

My maiden name begins with R. DH's last name begins with S. New DC is Alice.
We had always said my maiden name would be all our children's middle name because it is sentimental to me. We didn't know new baby would be called Alice until we saw her. (we were stuck between Alice and something else)

Anyway her initials will be ARS if we give her my maiden name as her middle name. And I feel like it's too close to arse 🍑 and I can't bring myself to register her with that name now as her initials will be ARS. AIBU?

We use initials at work A LOT. I would add another middle name.

Does everyone include their middle name though? As whenever Ive initialled a document I've never thought to.

Depends on the maiden name, my friend at school had her mother’s maiden name as a middle name and got so much grief when people found out what it was (a traditional Scottish surname) she also had a huge row with her mother about the name dying out when she refused to give the name as a middle name when she had children.

I spent years seeing labels on my kids socks that had their initials on for school so I do think ARS is better avoided

reschedule the appointment and come up with a middle name and have your maiden name as a second middle name.

Take the chance to pick the name of a family member perhaps as the middle name of one of the names you were going to use until you chose Alice.

Does everyone include their middle name though?

When you sign your contract you have to give your full name. They take that name to generate your username and signature code (I.e. your initials) which you don't have any say over. I assume with the middle name there's also less chance of username and codes clashing.

We use initials a lot at work and we are encouraged to use middle initials where we have one, to distinguish between Peter Brown, Philippa Bradley, Patrick Bourne etc (all names made up).

I agree with the suggestion to add another middle name OP.

I'd be more concerned that it's the beginning of 'Arsenal' to be honest.... But I'm sure there's some who would choose the initials for that very reason!

All sports kit at my kids' school has their initials on it and everyone uses their whole name because as a PP said, there are a lot of ASs but a much smaller number of ARS. And kids do take the piss.

I would move the appointment while you think of a middle name. And the reason I said it should starts with a consonant is that it's better if you can't sound it out at all. So Airs, Aers, Aars etc are to be avoided.

I’ve never seen my name or kids set out like this. We’ve always used full names or first name and first letter of surname. Never middle name. At work we have a department called ARS, (Advanced Research Services) and no one refers to it as arse!

I always thinking that no middle name seems like the parents just couldn’t be bothered to think of one!

Bloody hell!

I like ARS as if you said it out loud it sounds like “ours” which she is. But if it’s going to bother you then add another in. Could one of her grandmothers names work?

I second the Latin, although according to the OU, “The Latin word 'ars' signified skilled work; it did not mean art as we might understand it today, but a craft activity demanding a high level of technical ability including tapestry weaving, goldsmith's work or embroidery” Which is why you see it on so many inscriptions on ancient relics, as architecture falls into this category also.

I don't think it matters but if you're at all worried I would add an extra middle name rather than drop the maiden name that you are really keen to use.
Although to add, you don't need to use the middle name for anything other than your passport and v official things like that. I have never used mine for work or GP etc. Just leave it blank, it makes no difference. Does negate the point of having it somewhat though. If your surname is Smith you will want to use a middle name! If something obscure it's less of an issue .

That sounds quite niche.

OP - choose a name you love. Initials are just that. And if they come up at work, you'd hope people would be mature enough to have a little giggle then move on.

Also - they could easily request to miss out their middle name. Middle names aren't mandatory, my kids don't have them. So what would the company say to mine?

Our 3 girls have 2 middle names. My surname as a middle name starts with A , dh is D so most single first names made a word.

I never include my middle name when asked for my full name. I work for a large local council so a vast number of employees needing ID badges and email addresses. No one uses their middle name - the computer generates an numeral in between the first and second name should there already be one within the company. Not everyone even has a middle name so it can't be mandatory to use it

We named DS after my late father whose initials were GB. I wanted to add an extra name (H) but obvs that was then GBH. Couldn’t let the poor lad go through life with GBH as his initials so he was instead given GHB. Boring anecdote I’m well aware but on the off chance it was picked up we wanted to give him one less possibility of being mocked. He’s now mid 20s though and probably couldn’t give a shiney s**t and is more perturbed that he has what he considers to be a ‘posh’ sounding name. You can’t win really 🤷‍♀️

Yes, just add another name. Pick a family name as you obviously like that.

Now you have realised, YABU go ahead giving your daughter a name for which she might be teased. She might be one of those who never uses her initials. She might be someone like me who spent her primary school days being nicknamed something rude (think along the lines of bum or willy, a childish word based on my initials) and then went into a job where every letter I have sent for the last 23 years has had my initials on it and even now we write fewer letters, my IT user name and all references to me on the system are to my three letter initials. Thank goodness I got married during this period! Just pick another name and pop it between Alice and your maiden name.

But I mean hey - it might be fine. 🤔

What was the other name you were considering?

I think you should add an extra name in there.

It's fine. It doesn't even look that much like arse. You're overthinking it.

A lot of work places use initials on documents, etc.
Some schools use staff initials are form 'names' though normally only first and last unless there are duplicates.

I'd add a second middle name, just incase.

PS I meant to add that DD's secondary school uses three initial codes on timetables for the teachers. In that situation, there is not a chance that at least one teenager out of 1200 won't think it was "arse". And hey presto, you're Miss Arse forever. I imagine a teacher could ask that their official initials be AXS or something instead but why put them through having to ask.

My initials spell a much worse rude word. No one has ever so much as mentioned it.

Don’t saddle yr child with those initials, come up with a middle name that both of you like.
Good luck, not easy when under time pressure.