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?

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.