Using middle name instead of first name - reasons.

[turnleft]

I was just wondering about the reasons why people use middle names for themselves/ DC instead of the first given name. My own gradnmother did just this and it seems to have been very common amongst her generation. To this day, though, my mum has no idea why!

I've come across several threads on here that have mentioned that they use their DC middle name in every day life and was just wondering why this was. Not in a judgey kind of way or anything you understand - just to enlighten oneself! Does it ever cause confusion for others or the person who goes by the middle name or with regards to officialdom?

[leiaorganashair]

My DD is known by a middle name. It was largely an accident, I didn't have names in mind when she was born so had to start from scratch. She's half Asian but looks very very European and I wanted her to have an Asian name from my culture but wanted her to also have a Western name she could choose to use when she was older if she wanted as I hated my name as a teenager. I was decided on a Western name a while before I picked a name from my country, so they ended up that way round.

[Emilybrontescorsett]

I know of sisters and their parents call them both by their middle names.
I used to work with a woman let's say her name was Elizabeth Lucy
She was always known as Lucy. When I asked her why her parents referred to her as Lucy, she said it was because Elizabeth Lucy sounded better than Lucy Elizabeth.
I also knew a man called Adam Malcolm. His patents called him Malcolm. They said it was because his initials looked better that way.
My cousin calls her daughter totally different name to the one on her birth certificate, not even the same initial. She says she chose her proper name because it sounds good if she goes for job applications!

[Patal]

In my experience it has been for two different reasons. Firstly, in my DH culture (indian/Hindu) commonly their first name is given by the paternal aunt based on astrology and from a letter the priest finds in a book (its a lot more complex but harder to explain) and therefore they can often use their middle name as their chosen name as it’s the one their parents may have liked more.

Secondly, it’s common for more traditional (often posh) families in England where they pass on family names such as Edward to each first son and use the middle name differentiate between generations or just as chosen name. For example I have a friend who is George Robert (known as Robert), his dad as George John (known as John) and a grandad George Edward (known as Edward) as it was the great grandfather wh was originally George and they have kept the name George Kitchener going for generations since.

[CaptainChristmas]

I know a family who named every first born boy Ian. There were so many Ians that they started using middle names instead.

I’m expecting a baby next month and if we choose something like Edward or James and the royals then use the same first name, then we would have a back up middle name to use instead.

[harrietm87]

franciscrawford yes, we have that in our family. I have 3 aunts called Mary (2 on mum's side and 1 on dad's) but only 1 is known as Mary, the other 2 use their middle names.

In our generation all the girls have Mary as a middle name instead!

[Puremince]

I know someone whose name was going to give the initials DAM. His parents decided to "put his middle name first" so that his initials were ADM, but the "A" name was always referred to as his middle name.

[ABCFamily]

My dad goes by his middle name with close family, but his first name elsewhere. My husband also grew up being called predominantly by his middle name, but switched to using his first name when he moved away for uni.

In my husband's case it was due to there being multiple kids in his class at school with the same first name as him, including his best friend. So he ended up going by his middle name and, to this day, his family and friends from his hometown still call him this.

No idea why my dad's family called him by his middle name. Perhaps it's just because it was shorter and easier to yell across the playground!

[CanadaMoose91]

My grandmother was one of 5 girls called Mary in her class at school. 3 of them had the same Irish surname (my grandmother being one of them). She chose to go by her middle name instead of Mary Fitz* #3.

[Mrsknackered]

I know an adult Harry (think he might even be a Henry on BC) who goes by his middle name of Noah, because there were so many Harry's in his year at school.

I know a Suki who hates her name, so goes by her middle name Imogen and her sister is Alberta but goes by 'Nell' - again middle name.

Must be confusing to explain.

[MeadowHay]

I felt very short-changed as a child over my lack of a middle name
Me too, my name is from my dad's language & culture and in his country it's not common for people to have middle names so neither me nor my siblings got one. I didn't realise middle names were a thing until infant school and I was well jealous of everyone with one, so I made my own up, which was a random English name I liked. I used to go around writing my new 3 initials on paper everywhere when I was doodling as I was determined for it to catch on . My parents thought it was hilarious .

I'm pregnant with my first and I have a different reason that may arise but this will be a highly unusual one I'd imagine - I'm going to give our kids names from my/my dad's cultural background as their first names but I will be giving them all like English/anglicised middle names so that when they grow older if for whatever reason they don't want to be identified with that cultural background anymore or they feel it is causing them difficulties or they will have another name to fall-back on. Plus my kids will be mixed as DH is white British so also reflects their heritage to have one name from each cultural background.

[Hepzibar]

Paul McCartney, Bruce Willis, Neil Simon, quite a few people are known by their middle name.

I'm in my 50's but it wasn't uncommon at my school. A few friends were known by one name at primary but changed to their first names at secondary. A good reason to give a baby more than one name.

Just to add if I had a middle name I'd use it, my name is bloody awful and definitely of its time.

[froshiechipandbrickie]

My mother is known by her middle name. She’s Italian.

She doesn’t know why (she wasn't named after her parents or grandparents) and it has apparently ‘always’ been like that (she didn’t choose to go by her middle name).

[MikeUniformMike]

Another one adding that it is VERY common in Wales. Often the first name will be something popular like David or Thomas and the middle name often less common and Welsh.

[daisypond]

When did having a middle name become popular? I don't have a middle name, nor do my siblings. Neither do either of my parents, nor all four of my grandparents (now dead). Is it regional? I felt very short-changed as a child over my lack of a middle name, and my own DC do have middle names.

[davies435]

No, it's VERY common in Wales and common in South wales too.
I'm originally from Penllergaer my grand-parents were known by their middle names, dad too. He's david Michael by known as Micheal, I'm Michael Robert but they decided to break this tradition and also call me Michael at home - it was VERY confusing at times when mu called "Miiiiike" and we either both came, or both assumed the call was for the other one. I can't remember the exact reason's for the birth of this practice (although using the parent's name for at least ONE of the child's name seems plausible) I seem to remember it also had a connection with the Baptist church back then.?!?!?

[GingerPCatt]

I go by my middle name. I changed to it when I was 14. My first name is very traditional and old sounding when I was a kid in the 80's. It's starting to make a come back though. My middle name is pretty uncommon and I feel it's just more me.

[YoullScreamAboutItOneDay]

Yes, I guess when you didn't live as long it was less of an issue. And it sort of backs ups my idea about small communities. Everyone knew all the same people so 'old John' everyone knew which one you meant.

[FawkesoidOrganisoid]

With ds it was due to pressure! We had a name picked out but dd had been calling my bump another name which is a short version of a name that I didn't like. When ds was born he didn't suit his chosen name at all but did suit what dd had been calling him.
We decided to call him that but we didn't like the full version of it and everyone told us he had to have a 'proper' name as his first name so he has a family name as his official first name

[RooneyMara]

I guess it just mattered to people. And people didn't live so long so you might get 'old John' and 'Young John' and then old John would die at what, 26 no sorry, say 45, of the plague or a bad tooth or something and young John would just be John then, till he had his own baby at 12.

[YoullScreamAboutItOneDay]

It is a nice tradition. But does anyone know why the tradition developed of giving it as a first name and being known as the middle? Was it just that it developed and didn't matter much in small communities, then as life got more complex it got annoying?

Giving it as a middle seems rather more straightforward - like many men in DH's family have their father's name as their middle name.

[RooneyMara]

A lot of times, I think it's because the child is named after its father or mother and therefore it's to save confusion.

For example I knew a Matthew, well I thought he was, but I found out later he was actually called Richard after his dad so everyone just called him Matt.

I'm about to have a baby and call it something that my children don't like - so they will be using its middle name instead, which is fine with me, and everyone else can make up their own minds.

I hope this will work out Ok anyway - but birth certificate will be the proper name, as I love it. and it's me wot has to push it out my fanjo

[Ginandtonicandamassageplease]

My father is known by his third name! It's tradition in our family that every man is named William and he was given a second name which he would be known by when he was born. Then, when he was ten days old his father was killed during the war and so his mother added his father's name (the one he was known by) in between the two my father already had. I think it can be a lovely family tradition.

[specialsubject]

as per Alisvolatpropiis - that tradition means you end up with father and son having same name in the same house, causes confusion. My DH has this, nothing wrong with either name but middle one always used. Does cause issues when filling in forms, booking tickets etc if done by someone who doesn't know the details.

I know someone else with four first names who uses the last one. As used to happen with the royal family, the chap briefly known as Edward VIII was always 'David' to family and friends.