To think middle names are pointless

[RandomUser456878]

We’ve just had a baby boy & we are deciding on names. We’ve chosen a first name & stuck on middle names, just because it’s the norm

Then it occurred to me, not once in my life has anybody used my middle name so they’re literally pointless

I searched mumsnet & there’s loads of posts asking for a good middle name for {insert name}

Other than maybe a family name, whats the point in them?

My late dad was of this opinion,hence why I nor my 2 brothers have middle names. I had a hell of a job throughout my childhood and teens convincing people that I didn't have a middle name. The most common response was that they would say 'Its something awful isn't it?' ,so I didn't want to tell them!

I like my middle name and I use it. I would not want just two names.

Can be useful if you use initials at work or school to differentiate between you and someone else with same initials for first and last name.
I have same first name as sister in law and we both have same surnames so can be useful for legal purpose too.
An aunt hated her first name so always went by her middle name.
But as a rule middle names don't get used much, but I think its a nice tradition.

I was jealous that my cousins had middle names and we didn't.

I have three middle names and use them all so they're not pointless to me. I also use them for identifying people, especially if you have an Irish family where everybody is called Michael or Mary.

I work in HR and lots of people use their middle name as their first name. Their actual colleagues wouldn't even know that was the case.

Sometimes I can tell why they do it (ugly or daft name), others it's because their first name was a family name which they were given but never expected to be called (I don't understand that one but it is a thing).

I think lots of people use middle name to honour a relative. Especially if it is an old fashioned name,

My mum would berate me with my first name and middle name, to make her point! But I see what you say, I don't like my DDs middle name (outvoted) so I don't use it.

My mum's family had Mary/Maria/Marie as a name to hand down but my dad liked Louise and so mum relented!

Non of DH's family have middle names. I don't think it has been a hindrance in their lives.

Only read the first page but surprised that so far no one mentioned the possibility of several people with the same name. There are several people with the same name as mine, I'm glad I have a middle name. Colleague of mine nearly got arrested because he shared a name with a murderer.

Ideally they'd check the date and place of birth but this information isn't always available and I've also seen the case of two people with the same name, born on the same day in the same place !

Aside from that it's nice to get to use a name that I liked but just not quite as much as the first name, or as a little wink to the child's history. For instance my daughter was born in south america and her middle name is the latin name of a plant that originates from that region.

It's obviously an extra distinction if someone has the same first and surname. I just chose family-linked middle names for my 2 kids. I wasn't too fussed about them but the grandparents seem really pleased with the family links which is nice.

I am mixed race. I have an Asian first name and English middle name. If I want better service from a company I use my English name. Comes in handy

Sometimes it offers scope to give a nod to a family member (alive or dead) when you do not want to use the family name as a first name. And that can make someone happy.

I like my middle name, it's nicer than my first name but I don't use it as such because people ask stupid questions all the time (can't say what it is as it's very rare and would probably out me lol).

All my family have middle names so I gave one to ds. Nobody in OHs family have one and I find it weird.

I think it can give people the opportunity to use one fairly traditional name and one that's a bit more unique or imaginative. For example if someone finds their first name too dull/too wacky, they can use their middle name if it's having a different vibe.
I have a very generic 'boring' trad first name and a very unique middle name. I like the way it's both.
But if you can't pick one or don't have family names etc you'd like to use then of course there is no need. It's true it wouldn't come up in any meaningful sense across someone's life whether they had one or not.

I always wanted a middle name but my parents thought they were pretentious. I am now married with a very common surname. I had to adopt a middle name for my work email so now I'm AnnZ.Smith@ gmail to distinguish me from all the other Ann Smiths (not my actual name but similar) in this big company.

I think it's a nice opportunity to honour a family member, or perhaps to use a name that you weren't brave enough to use as a first name.... saying that we did neither of those things, we just picked a name that flowed and that we liked!

since people name their kids the same names ,uk scandi,etc
a middle name is for separating them
writing websites learned that even "odd" are common
40years ago/dragon bobula found 6 alive ones my name is not real common found 5 in the states ,had to prove i was not any of them

They’re good for identity purposes, such as the time my DH was arrested at a traffic stop in the USA as he had the same first name and surname as a fugitive police were looking for. After taking him to the station, and seeing his middle name in his passport they had a oh shit we arrested the wrong guy moment and released him.

Christ, that’s depressing. I’m so sorry.

Yep a friend has a common name say John Brown, there is a John Brown on the no fly list to the US so he often gets flagged and interrogated - ESTAs need middle names often for this reason (not always my parents have an unusual surname so are fine)
with the EU implementing a similar scheme

it is a useful piece of identifying info

When they go to prep school and you have their initials stencilled on the tuck box, fewer than four doesn’t really look right.

My uncle HATES his first name only ever goes by his middle name

My dad is a twin and doesn't have a middle name because his brother got it 😂

I've no clue why my mum doesn't have a middle name but my sister and I do

You don’t have to pick one of you don’t want to! We have two in my family. I think it’s nice but it’s really not a big deal if you can’t decided - it’s not a requirement!

I’ve never used mine.

But my boy always states his full name!

My granny was always known by her middle name.
In fact, quite a few of my family have chosen to use middle names because historically lots of them had the same first names, so middle ones were easier.
I hate my middle name marginally more than I do my first name, so I haven't changed!